The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-02
DRILL AND DUCK UNIFORMS.
Character of the Clothing Being Sent
the Soldiers in Cuba.
From the New York Herald.

the Soldiers in Cuba.
From the New York Herald
Dispatches from Cuba tell how the SOL
mel uniforms and heavy outfits, are throw
ing away everything they can on the
march, even their coats. In the terrible
heat every ounce of weight adds to dis
comfort while marching, and. regardless
of the future, men are casting aside blan
kets, extra clothing, lin plates and other
articles in their Merriam kits caring only
TO tighten their burdens.
Men in regular marching order who have
been sent to Cuba, volunteers as well as
regulars, carry In all nearly sixty pounds,
including their rifles, enough to stagger a
man in a cool climate. This casting away
of every superfluous article Is not a new
practice, for il was done by tens of thou
sands of men in the civil war, and has
been done by soldiers in almost ali other
wars.
Recognizing the unfitness of the regula-
ton uniforms for the tropics, the govern
ment is having 10000 cotton drilling and
duck uniforms made, which will greatly
add to the comfort and general appearance
of the soldiers Already 1900 of these suits
have been completed and shipped to Tam
pa to be forwarded to Cuba for Gen
Skaters command.
Regulation army uniforms now in use
are lined and weigh about eight pounds,
being better suited for use in the Arctic
regions than in climate where the sun S
rays are as hot as the blasts from a fur
mace. The lining carefully sewed inside the
coats makes them doubly warm, and Of
ticers do not wonder that the men under
them cast the garments aside in disgust
hpf
worn by any United states troops are the
new styles adopted, and they are as attrac-
tive looking IS they are durable. The
cloths used in the suits for the Cuban
campaign are what are known to the trade
as drill weave aud duck. Housewives
would call the first named material cotton
drilling
Suits of these materials weigh less than
half as much as the uniforms now in use
and because of their looser weave are
much cooler The cotton drill uniforms
which arc OF light buff color weigh just
TWO pounds and fourteen ounces. while
the duck, which are light reddish tan,
weigh four ounces more.
No colors could be found better adapted
TO service in country where the men are
exposed to dust and dirt in all kinds Of
weather. and even after a hard, long cam
paign il is expected the uniforms will still
present a fairly respectable appearance.
In style the coats for all departments of
the service. infantry. artillery and caval-
~, are like the once popular Norfolk
jacket with a belt of the same material.
The trimmings are of the same style but
of different colors, blue for the infantry
red for the artillery and yellow for the
cavalry.
This trimming, which lends an attract
i've bit of color to the uniforms, consists
of deep facing at the ends of the sleeves
the lapels Of the two upper pockets
shoulder straps and around the low cut
military collar. The trousers are perfectly
plain.
The uniforms of privates and non-com-
missioned officers are worth about SO each
Four big pockets are made in the coats
Dressed In these suits, with the light
underwear being provided by the govern
ment the soldiers will feel like new men,
No attempt probably will be made to car
ry the kit on forced marches, except when
absolutely necessary.
Officers will wear uniforms of finer, but
no more comfortable material. The cloth
is known as kahke IN India. where It
comes from, and is like brown linen. Uni
forms Of this cloth cost about S25
In addition TO the canvas and drill uni
forms, which will be sent to the camps in
the South as well as 10 Cuba. the gov
eminent is providing a blue flannel suit
unliued, which weighs only a few ounces
more than three pounds.