Evening star., 1894-01-13

at the germans given by officers Of the
army and navy. famous for many years m
the social world, the officers appeared In
conventional evening dress. Ii is not eti-
quette alone which demands this. Officers
detest wearing their uniforms. because they
are hot heavy and uncomfortable They
always put them on under protest
Monopoly Of the Work.
One reason for the expensiveness Of the
officers equipment is the fact that a few
Washington and New York tailors have a
monopoly of uniform making Uniforms
must be made according to a very precise
rule. Even the buttons have an exact re-
lation TO each other. which the average
tailor would hardly understand. A few
tailors here and in New York have made
speciality of uniform work. The officer
who goes to an outsider usually finds so
many little faults In the cut of his coat
or in iCs finish that he spends a week or
two having II altered TO come within the
regulations. The experienced uniform tailor
needs only the measurements of an officer
lie can be trusted to turn out without
supervision a uniform that will at least
pass inspection. Probably four-lths OF the
uniform work of Washington Is done in
the snop OF one tailor. He has so little
competition that he can get very good
prices for his work. He is accommoda ting
ana never hesitates TO trust young officer
Tor part of his outfit. He has had hum
oreds OF them, young and old, on his books
ana his debtors today are scattered all over
from Hong Kong TO Naples When Won
hgure on $40 as the cost of a naval outfit.
90 not consider that the maximum limit OF
Cost A naval outfit may be made TO cost
almost anything. A fine outfit will cost as
much as $1,000. The epaulettes can cost
800. Admiral Porter had a pair which cost
sSoo. The epaulettes are of gold wire and a
man named Starkey spent a million dol
lars establishing a plant In London for the
manufacture Of this wire. One admiral a
sag TO have spent 500 for his FUN dress
UNIFORM @ lew years ago. His full dress
coat cost s175, his epaulettes 500 and his
chapeau so. IL happens not infrequently
that young officer who wants to make a
great show spends s1.3o0 on his outfit.
Importance of Buttons.
The inter-relation of the buttons, on A
uhiiofm is lust as much a matter of regu-
lation as the cut of a coat. The general
wears two rows of buttons on the breast of
his frock coat, twelve in each row, placed
by fours. The distance between the rows 4.
l-2 inches at the top and 3 l-2 inches az
tne bottom. The lieutenant general is en-
tltieo TO only ten buttons In each row. ar
ranged In upper ana lower groups of three
ana middle group OF four. The major
general has nine buttons in each row nisc
ed by threes. The brigatiier general as@ts,
In groups of twos.
Inc colonel, Lieutenant colonel ana major
nave nave nine buttons IN each row arranged al
equal distances: the captain ana beufans
ants seven buttons in each row an eousI cis.
tances. f Si1
There are different designs. OF course No,
onIy ior the buttons Of the army the navy
ana tne marine corps, but for the different
pranches or the service. There are the in
Iahtry, artillery and cavalry buttons. the
Engineers button, the ordnance corps but-
ton tne button OF the marine corps ana tbe
navy button. The navy button. by the wav
rs mace IN England. because no American
manufacturer has been able to make a
pronze which the sea air will not tarnish
All OF these buttons the army and nayy
talior must Keep on hand and sew on ac-
cording to regulation.
III is not often that an officer is trans
1erred from one branch of the service 70
announcer, SO he does not often change his
buttons. but passing from one grade TO
another ne frequently has TO have their ar
rangement altered. This is one OF he small
er expenses incidental to a change I'm rank
IN the navy every change in rank means a
new shoulder strap. which Vosts 81 Every
additlonal stripe on coat sleeve costs q
anu as there are three uniform coats IN
every outflt. the stripes add SIS to the COST
OF peing promoted. A change in the bar on
an epaulette costs from 81 70 - for every
TWO grades. a new fun dress belt must he
bought at a cost of SIS. The gold lace on a
run dress suit Will not last more than five
years ana IL is renewed al an expense of SIS
The glory OF gold lace ana gilt buttons Is
gratifying, but IL is expensive
GEORGE GRANTHAM BAlN.