The record-union., 1899-10-11
ENGLISH ARMY BEARsKINs.
Regulations About the Big Fur
Hats of Grenadiers and Guards.

For more than 130 years a tall hat
of fur" has been a conspicuous article
OF headgear in the British army, and 1t
was with something of shock that
people read in the papers the other day
that a committee was going TO SIT TO
consider the growing scarcity OF the
bearskins from which are made the
imposing full dress hat of the Foot
Guards. War Office committees on
clothing are dreadful things, but those
that sit on hats are unutte rable. EV-
erybody remembers with horror the al
legged helmet which such a committee
produced a few years ago. 1t was 10 De
the universal headcoyering Of the Brit
ish army. and must be seryiceable and
useful. The committee decided. as a
first principle, that an article possess
ing these two qualities must be ugly.
Proceeding from this premise, they
gave full expression to their ideas OF
utility. and produced head covering
the like or which was never before seen
on earth, and it is to be hoped never
will be again. There are members ol
the headquarters staff VINO 10 THIS day
lave not quite got over the Slght oI
the experimental helmet DEVISED py the
committee Fortunately, only one Was
made. instead of only having to lament
the scarcity of recruits the nation
would have found itself without any
army whatever. No regular soldier or
self respecting militiaman-a volunteer
will wear anything-would have put IL
on. and it's adoption into the service
would have left no service to wear II.
This much is necessary to explain the
alarm felt the other day when 1t was
announced that War Office Headdress
Committee was about to tamper WITH
the guardsman's bearskin. Fortunate
ly. the committee has only limited pow
ers. It's only function this time is, so
to speak, to haggle with tradesmen.
The plain fact is that bearskins are
growing scarce, and the cost of pro-
yiding the Guards with their magnln-
cent tall hat of fur is increasing
yearly in a remarkable manner only
one kind of fur is used for this pur-
pose. 1t is that produced by the Amer
lean black bear, and as Ursus Amerl-
canus, despite the extraordinary cor
diality subsisting between the two great
branches of the Anglo Saxon race, re-
fuses to produce we'll furred integumenl
in sufficient quantities to cover the
heads of our guardsmen at a reason
able rate, the never failing resource
of a committee has been called into
operation.
1t costs, on an average, tt heau
per annum to maintain the imposing
appearance impaired by the busby. The
great caps cost the Government about
tS each. Those worn by the Cold
streams are a little less, but those fof
the Grenadiers and Scots Guards cost
more than that sum. According to the
regulations, busby must last for eight
years, but there are several reasons
why the regulation life of a busDy,
like the regulation life of a whole lot
of other equipment, falls considerably
short of the War Office span. One OF
the principal reasons is that the cap
is only a home service equipment.
When a Guards battalion is ordered on
foreign service the big BUSHES - STIR
ring battle pictures to the contrary not
withstanding are returned to store at
the Pimlico Clothing Factory. They
are not kept there awaiting the return
of their former owners, but are reissued
to newly Joined recruits or to battal-
ions returning home. SO that men get
what is called part worn equipment
London Telegraph.