The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-23
KHAKI Is PRIMARILY A
COLOR.
COLOR.
Likely to Become the Fighting Color OF
the British Army.

Khaki is primarily u color and not
material. The word Is OF Indian deri-
vstIor, and means dust or mud oolcred.
There SEEM every likelihood that "tbe
Thin red line" will disappear and that
the British army. Lovers Of military
srectaoiss need not repine; Mr.. Atsins
VIII still continue TO don his scarlet tunic
for ceremonial occasions. khaki was
VIC n In India by British regiments GER
taiBiy 90 years aso. perhaps earlier. India
Is land of many climates, so that a
good deal of latitude 10 allowed 10 the
reg mental effio!rs Gs 10 the way In which
their men shall he DIRE $50. A regiment
receives from tse Irdian government so
much none, in lieu OF clothing which 1t
Goes not want, and with this purchas's
cloth ng which 1t does. In this way
khaki probably came into use. 1t was
won by the native troops anterior to It's
adoption by our men. Khaki is really
tbs color Of the s)ll Of India.
lie frat official Issue Of khaki by the
home gnvernm emit was for the Egyptian
campaign of 1882. A gray serge was tried
bat proved unsatisfactory. Khaki has
he n used in all our operations In Egypt
sinos, and found as suitable for that
country as for India.
The cloth Is not made by the govern
ment, Lus contracted for with certain
Manchester firms Formerly one firm had
the virtual monopoly of the supply.
There were oshsrs who could supply
kha XII ol 9th, but their dye was not fas;
one. After prolonged experiments they
overcarne the difficulty, ard the govern
ment now draws it's supplies from several
mills. Also, owing to the nature OF the
new material, there wss ut first some
trouble IN tho sswinQ the needle grew
aim st red rot. This was remedied by
the simple devics of soaping the seams.
The only complaints received at the
army clothing department. Mt Ptmlico
bave besn on the score OF the dye. A part
Of eaon lot of cloth bought Ia tested by
boiling In salt water and In strong
solution of soda. But sometimes-it 10
unavoidable In dealing with large guam
titus of oloth-thsre will be small piece
which has not taken the dye. Also, the
army clothing people are unable TO pre-
vent Tommy from using such strong
washing solutions as no self-fespecting
color would stand.
pinlico aUsorts between 500 900 ard
10 200 yards OF khski annually. This
year total will probably oe much larger,
Tor the campaign In south Africa has
swallowed up the stocks Accumulated ann
they will have to DO replaced. Tue huge
stock Of uniforms kept at the army cloth
ing depot Is part OF t1s systsn which en-
ables us 20 mobilize an army corps In so
short a time Is III axes continental critics
cease their oarping for awhile at our sup
posed military ineiliciency.
Naslf ha khaki the uniform Is
made Mt pimiloo. Ihe lengths Of cloth
ar given cut to contractors. who return
them in the form OF TUNES and "continu-
acknowledgements for the foot-soldier,
breeches for the caynITyman. Inc work
is not confined 20 London; contracts are
gwen to firms all ever the country. Uni
forms are rot made TO measure, but In
sizes TO be adapted by the regimental
tallors No differsi c. IL made In the
material of the officers uniforms, but as
d rule the British officer tuys his own Of
an army outiitter.
1he Khaki tunic has two large outside
lreast pockets, each with Flap. These
are really double pockets, for they are
suh-div.dsd SO as 10 hold n store OF reserve
ammunition In addition TO the handler
chief and any small JeTsonal belongings.
The ordinary supply Of ANN unitton Is
of course, carried in tho tandolier, which
j. of crown leather tn match the khaki.
There are also two small skirt pockets.
Ous holds a card with name, hunter,
ana statement AS to the next-of-kiu OF
the wearer. the other supply Of lint for
"nrst aid. The old serge tnnic. which
the khaki has crssed, was designed TO
serve for either hons CT foreign service.
But the two ortsids pockets we're in the
skirt, ipstesd OF the breast. And the
aaps were sewn down so that the pockets
could not be ussd. The two pockets on
the inside, for this card aud thu lint, ex-
isted in the same rudimentary condition.
IL was an easy matter, however, to BRING
them into uss, when on active service.
~ simply ripping up the stitches.
r aoh suit of khaki costs the govern
ment about II sh.llings. 1t is obvious
that at this prioe, there is very little
wool in the material. IL is, IN fact,
made almost entirely OF cotton. They
are, however, making wooden khaki
at Pinlico which It IS hoped will reach
summer, notable for its heavy thunder
storms For Get ION things is quite made
quat3 as u protection against IL tropical
aOwppouT, and worn under such condi-
lions Is exceedingly unhealthy.
GoU cannot get, however. tho exact
khaki shade in wooden. Bat the differ
ence, though quite psrceptible in COM
pGrison, Is OF little practical Importance.
The cost OF the wooden material 10 four
times that Of the cotton, 1t IL not I'M
likely, however, that 1t will eventually
take the place altogether of the cotton,
which, though exceedingly durable, Is
wanting in warmth.
Khaki will probably be found to bs the
best color for the African veldt as for the
plains of India ana EgyIt. Invisibility,
which is aimed At. is, OF course. largely a
question Of background. Scarlet, strange
as 1t may appear, Ia said to De the ''sec-
ond best" colcr for inyisibiity, and IL is
cool, Offering the last resistance to the
rays of the sun. Sir Charles Napier up
held the scarlet coat on the ground that
the color inspired fear by setting up sug
gessions of wounds and death to the
mind of the foe.
Khaki Is not issued to regiment Until
1t Is going on foreign service. 1t is worn
by all garrisons abroad. The puttie and
helmet cover OF khaki are supplementary
to the tunio and frook.ts The puttie. or
bsndsge, takes the placs of the leather
leggings worn on home service. futties
ale always of wool. and are woven or the
width In which they ans supplied, so
that they have only to bs put to their
length. In the infantry IL covers the
lower part of the trouseI, In the cavalry
10 4nnnd round ha nm IN fha rid.