The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-10-28
TOMMY ATKINS NEW CAP.
The Little Drumshaped Headgear to

Go.
 The stiff little drumshaped forage cap which has hitherto been worn by the British guardsman is to be dis placed by new headgear, which cor- responds in the main to the cloth cap of man of-warsman. This announcement will doubtless be received with deep re- | gret by Continental caicaturists, who | invariably depict Tommy Atkins as a l man with the tiniest of hats and the | biggest of protuding teeth, and their sorrow will be shared by those panto- | mime artists who generally rely upon the soldiers head apparel, worn at an absurd angle, as standing means of exciting the merriment of their audi ence. So far the Irish guards alone are In possession of the new cap, which they are in possession of the new cap, which they wear with band of green, but the entire brigade will shortly be furnished with similar headgear, with the exception that the band of red, and the Scots a small check of red and white This pattern, which will shortly be familiar to every Londoner has been borrowed-like the recent army order about the training of troops from the German army, and 1t re- mains to be seen whether the rank and file will take kindly to a departure which Is in striking contrast to some of their most cherished traditions
 It will seem rather extraordinary to the lay reader that this new forage cap, which may possibly be issued to all troops besides the Guards at an early date, has formed the subject of long and anxious discussion on the part of the uniform authorities at the War Office, Every one has recognized that the old headgear failed to protect the soldier either from excessive heat, wet or cold, and the object of the clothing experts was to find some pattern which should possess all these advantages. The styles worn by every European army were carefully studied and tested, and ultimately the present cap, which in shape and material and manufacture is similar to the article worn by the British bluejacket, was resolved upon In the matter of uniform, however, the personal equation counts very largely The authorities know very well that smart uniform has attract ed thousands of men to the recruiting depot, and the old forage cap despite its ridiculous proportions and useless ness, considered from the point of view of protection for the head, was un- doubtedly well beloved of Thomas At klns. Will the new forage cap, worn upon the crown of the head and not over the right ear, enjoy the same popularity? The authorities are plain ly In doubt on the point, and the present distribution to the brigade of Guards is undertaken chiefly for experimental purposes.
 Those Irish warriors who have been consulted on the absorbing topic of the new forage cap have not hestitated in favor of the old type, The chief advantages to which the army autho- rities lay claim is that the new pattern really establishes uniform style for soldiers and handymen alike, and that the former will not be encountered, as previously, with the transport of two caps, the old forage and field service types, which 1t Is desired shall be ds-9 placed by the new pattern.
 
 Commonplace.--"S Some people seem to think he's a genius
 ''Oh! he can't be. He's too methodi- cal"
 "Is he really?'