The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1898-09-03
THE AMERICAN IRREGULAR"
Interesting observations Upon Our
Soldiers by a Foreigner.

On the trip of this ship 10 CUBA no
officer or mar has ever worn tune
excepting at guard-mounting inspec-
ton. The fifty men who went ashore
near Cabanas on May l. and pitched
into some 800 Spanards left their coats
behind and fought in their blue fan
mel shirts. or the officers some wore
n sword. some did not, though ali car
ried revolver. No orders were Is
sued on the subject-it was left To IN
dividual taste. have experienced
hotter days at German manenvers than
on the coast of Cuba during the days
we happened to be there, yet | have
never noticed any disposition in the
army of William IL. to relax the Sc
verify of service even temporarily. My
German friends sincerely believe that
the black stock and the hot tunic are
what has made Prussia II strong ma
ton.
In the way of clothing the Amerl-
can private carries complete change
of underdrawers. undershirt. socks,
laced boots and uniform trousers. My
particular private was carrying
double allowance of socks, handker-
chiefs and underwear. lie had
toothbrush and comb. That is the
heavy marching order knapsack. For
light marching, which is the usual man
ner, the man begins by spreading on
the ground his half tent, which Is
about the size of n travelling rug. ON
this he spreads his blanket. rolls 1t mp
tightly into long narrow sausage,
having first distributed along It's
length a pair of socks, change of I'M
derwear. and the two sticks of his one
tent pole. Then be brings the ends OF
this canvas roll together, not closely,
as in the German army, but more like
the ends of horseshoe held by n rope
which at the same time stops the ends
of the roll tightly. When this horse
shoe is slung over the mans shoulder
It does not press uncomfortable upon
his chest. The total weight is distrib-
uted in the most convenient manner
for marching.
The packing of the mans things Is
strictly according to regulation. except
ing only the single pocket in his KNAPP
sack, where he may carry what he
chooses. as he chooses. His light can
vas haversack is much like the Eng
fish one. and his round. rather hat
water flask is covered with canvas. 1t
is made of tin. and the one | Inspected
was rusty inside. 1t would be better
II of aluminium. In the haversack Is
a pannlkin with a hinged handle that
may be used as saucepan. Over this
fits tin plate, and when the two are
covering each other the handle of the
pannikin fits over both by way of han
die. 1t is an excellent arrangement,
but should be of aluminium instead Of
metal liable to rust The most yalu-
able part of this haversack is a big
tin cup that can be used for great
variety of purposes, including cooking
coffee. 1t is hung loose at the strap OF
the haversack. OF course. each man
has knife. fork and spoon, each in a
leather case.
The cartridge belt contains 100
rounds. which are distributed all the
way round the waist, there being a
double row of them. The belt Is re-
markably light, being woven all in
one operation. 1t is OF cotton and an
other material which prevents shrink
ing or loosening. The belts have stood
admirably the test put upon them for
the last six days, when it has rained
every day. on top of the ordinary heavy
moisture usual at sea In the tropics.
The test is the more interesting from
their having been previously In very
dry country. Officers and men alike
unite in praise of this cartridge belt.
The particular private whom | was in
specting said he now carried 100 as
easily as he formerly carried fifty.
This belt rests loosely on the hips.
without any straps over the shoulders.
1t is eminently business-like In appear
ance The hat is the gray felt of South
Africa, Australia. ana every other part
of the world where comfort and cost
are consulted. No boots are BACKED
on expeditions of this kind. The men
who form in line for guard duty have
their tunics well brushed but that may
be due to extraneous assistance.
For fighting purposes, then. the
United States private has nothing 10
keep clean excepting his rifle and bay
cnet. He carries no contrivances for
polishing buttons, boots or the dozens
of bits of REQUIREMENT deemed essen
tial to a good soldier in Europe. In
Spain, for instance, the private, though
he may have nothing in his haversacll,
will, nevertheless, carry a clumsy out
fit of tools for making his uniform look
imposing.