The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-01

Army
Uniforms

Among the specifications for the warm
weather army clothes upon which bids
have been invited by the quarternaster
generals Office In New York the prom
inent and picturesque item is that Of
trousers reaching only to the knec OF
but trif1e below. AS the number of
suits to be contracted for Is 40, 900 this
order means general revival Of knick-
erbockers in the American military uni
form. The results will differ from any
thing seen since the days of the conti-
mental army.
In practical significance the new
knickerbockers will be the first outward
symbol Of the transformation that has
taken place in the army itself. Instead
Of handful Of scouts and frontier po-
lice there is now military force equip
ped and eager for service in any part Of
the globe. II came into existence with
the first sudden expansion Of the great
republic Of q hemisphere into an TIM
perial power Of worldwide influence.
In future IL mey be decreased In num-
bers but StKei varied character Of its
equipment and service will remain al
long as the tafs aud stripes are upheld
in Manila bay.
The uniform that has been ordered
for use by the regular army in warm OF
tropical regions is suit Of brown can
vas plain in cat and peculiar chiefly
for its lnickerbockera The plain jacket
is distinguished for cavalry. artillery
and infantry by the use of the respective
oolors yellow, red and blue. as facing
for the pocket flaps and shoulder flaps
Patterned after the fighting costume
Of Great Britain's soldiers in Africa
and the east, the new American uniform
preserves Yankee individuality by re-
tanning the soft felt campaign hat. The
white helmet familiar in pictures of
military forces ON the upper Nile has
not been adopted. OF the canvas knick-
erbockers q fair idea is to be obtained
from any Of the London illustrated
weeklies that picture General Sir Her
bert Kitchener's Egyptian campaign.
Similar conditions have evolved similar
costumes for an American army In
Cuba.
"More like bicycle trousers than like
the regulation long trousers, runs the
official description. A sample suit is to
be shown at the Army building in this
city as soon as 1t is received from the
authorities at Washington. Meanwhile
the prospective bidders are preparing
their estimates
Canvas IL In itself somewhat Of nov
city for the army, it having been more
generally used for naval uniforms
United States troops in Texas, however,
as we'll as other parts of the southern
frontier, have long been accustomed to
Q summer uniform Of brown duck. The
trousers there used were long, while the
tops Of the leggings were corresponding
ly low. A change to knickerbockers will
involve leggings long enough to cover
the entire leg wherever high boots are
not used.
1.-THE burden and heat Of tropical
day, remarked . veteran who has serv-
cd with the army in Texas, when seen
In New York recently, "is exactly what
we seek to overcome by material as
light and cool as the brown canvas Of
army wear. Insect pests of the tropics
constitute, however, q far more impor-
tant factor in determining the style of
uniform. The cut of the trousers is the
main thing. You require protection
from such pests as red bugs ticks and
like insects Of warm climates that at
tack you wherever You walk.
There are times in Texas when you
cannot put your foot down upon the
grass but that your clothing becomes
infested with minute red bugs. The
Same Is true in Cuba. Swamps and low
lands in that island abound with the
tiny mosquitoes called jejenes, and with
a variety Of scorpion called alacran.
Protection from these pests is to be Sc
cured only by having trousers tight over
the ankle calf. Whether this Is tho GUS
tom Of the Spaniards in Cuba do not
now recall. Their uniform, except ON
gala occasions, is Of canvas, however.
The insurgents wear whatever uniform
they can get.
"A fine canvas suit that do happen
to know about was that used by Lieu
tenant A. S. Rowan Of the Nineteenth
infaptry, who landed In Cuba and made
the trip to the insurgent headquarters.
The suit was made in Jamaica. Brown
duck was the material, and. as usual,
the trousers were the special feature.
Lieutenant Rowan's duck trousers were
long and were not unlike riding breech-
cs. Fitting loosely over hip and thigh,
they narrowed at the knee, buttoning
snugly from there to the ankle and con-
tinuing in strap that bound them like
CATERS over the instep Of the foot. The
protection against insect attack was
thus as complete as 1t could be made.
"The knickerbockers ordered for our
regular army will do precisely similar
service IL leggings are used with them,
and such will doubtless be tho case.
Canvas or duck material will give the
necessary freedom from heaviness and
warmth, while the leg protection will
decrease the annoyance due to attack by
the insects to which loose clothing gives
easy lodgment. That is the immediate
significance Of the revival Of knicker-
bockers. The broader fact is that we