The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-06-13
ARMY AND NAVY UNIFORMS
OFFICERS OUTFITS ARE ExPEN.
SIVE AND CHANGE rs COSTLY.
The Latest Fad is whistles for She
Army Changes That Have Been
1Iade-Items of Cost.

arm g--AtthuBto Ahhb DtNh
Made-Items of Cost.
HHE latest fad of Maior-Gen-
eral Schofield is the army
officers whistle The order
has gone forth that every in-
fantry officer must equip himself with
this useful article, and that it must be
set in the hilt of his sword. This is
done "for the good of the service,
and the necessary alterations will be
made at the Springfield Mass ar
mory, but not at General Schofield's
expense or at the expense of the Gov
ernment When the general com
manding the army gets a notion that
the service will be improved by
change in an officer uniform or equip
ment, the officers of the army must
pay for it. If General Schofeld or
dered change in the regulation coat
of the army officer tomorrow or in
the regulation shoulder strap, the Off
GERS would have to throw aside the
old coat or the old shoulder strap and
equip themselves anew. The same rule
holds in the navy.
An officers outfit is expensive. The
army outfit costs at the very lowest
$3.50. Very few officers would be sat
isfied with an $3.50 outfit. 1t is made
of cheap cloth, poorly finished. 1t is
regulation" and the commanding
officer would have to pass it. But an
officer would feel very mean in one OF
these outfits at an official reception.
From $3.50 the cost of the outdtranges
up to $780, Most of the difference is
in the cost of tho material of the
uniform.
A naval officers outfit costs even
more. At the Navy Department they
say that in round numbers "good'
outfit will cost $3.50. There are
1410 officers in the navy on
the active list. If the Navy De-
partment took n notion to alter the
character of the uniform and equip
meut of its officers SO radically that
the present outfit would be useless, it
would cost $63I, 500 to make the
change. All of this would come out
of the pockets of the officers them
selves. It is very we'll to make Off
GERS pay for their own outfits, but
they cannot see the justice of paying
for changes which depend on the
whims of a superior officer au which
benefit no one but Uncle Sam.
1t would not be a novelty for the
War Department to orler n complete
change in the army uniform. In tao
early history OF the Government it
was done rather frequently. Washing
ton ordered the first change i'll the con-
tinental uniform in 1777. Up to that
time the army button was white.
Under Washington's order the regu'
lation uniform was to consist of "a
dark blue or black coat reaching to
! the knee and full trimmed the lapels
fastened back, with ten open worked
buttonholes in yellow silk on the
breast of each lapel and ten large
regimental buttons at equal distances
on each side, three large yellow regi'
mental buttons on each cuff and like
number on each pocket flap. At the
same time an order was issued for the
navy to equip themselves with blue
coats, with red facings red waistcoats
and blue breeches; the coats trimmed
"yellow" buttons. The marine Off
GERS of the day wore green coats with
white facings, white breeches edged
with green, white vests, silver epau-
lets, black CATERS and white buttons.
Two years later Washington ordered
another change in the uniform Of the
army. The regulation coat thereafter
was blue, the facings of white, buff or
red and the buttons for the cavalry
white. This lasted until 1882, when
orders were issued to equip the in
fantry with white buttons, the coats
to be of blue with red facing and
white lining. By 1896 another change
had been made. The infantry officer
wore dark blue coat reaching to the
knee, full trimmed with scarlet lapels,
cuffs and standing cape, white trim
mings, white under dress, black stock
aud cooked hat with white binding
in 1910 the officers of the general staff
were put into top boots with gilt spurs
and other minor changes in their uni
form were made.
Nowadays changes in uniform aud
equipment are less frequent The
last radical change in the naval uni
form was made eleven years ago. But
the officers live in daily dreat OF au.
other. Here is the outfit with which
naval officer would have to provide
himself ifa complete change OF pattern
was ordered:
Special full dress, $50; full dress,
$50; frock coat, 50 to 3jj; service
uniform (eXtra bloIsej, $50; two pair
blue trousers, $50; overcoat, Sij TO
500; cap, 81. so (; chapeau, Sl5 to S25
epaulettes. $25 TO SjO sword, Sl5 to
$40 full dress belt, SIS undress belt,
So; sword knot, $3.50 Co 81; helmet,
81 so; shoulder straps, So; gloves
eight pair, 81 to 81; rain clothes,
SO TO S25.
The Especial full dress" is q feature
of the naval uniform. 1t is worn on
the greatest state occlsions-iu honor
of the President OF the United States
or some foreign naval officer of high
rank. With it is always carried the
clumsy chapeau. The army has no
special full dress. Here is the army
oilicer's outfit;
Undress uniform, $2j to 500; forage
cap with ornaments, 50 to Sll;
shoulder straps, SO; dress uniform,
GI5 Ia $40 shoulder knots 81 To S13 9.