The Washington times., 1902-07-14
PRESIDENT TO SETTLE
QUESTION OF UNIFORM
Army Board Report Taken
to Oyster Bay.
Mr.. ROOT TO EXPLAIN IT
Officers Coat Gorgeous Affair-Artful
Arrangement Of Buttons Secures
Wider Breast Effect-Gold Lace and
Strips of Color.

When Secretary Root left Washington
for Oyster Bay he carried among
other matters to be presented for the
Presidents consideration the report
of the army uniform board. Until the
report is approved by President Roose-
welt 1t will not be made public. 1t has
already been learned that the new khaki
uniforms are to be of an "olive drab"
color. The Army and Navy Register"
publishes a description of the officers
dress coat as recommended. II says:
'The proposed garment as compared
with the present coat Is a gorgeous af-
fair. The noticeable feature of the new
coat Is the effect of the wider breast.
This Is accomplished by increasing the
distance between tie buttons on the
right side and those on the left. This
effect of greater width has been met by
slight increase in the length of the
frock. 1t Is possible that this increased
length will not be adopted In the coat
for cavalry officers.
Sleeve Decorations.
1.-The cuff Of the sleeve bears one
halt-1nch cord Of cloth, red, yellow, o:
light blue, for ths respective arms The
collar has a piping Oh the top OF the
same goods as the coat and bears two
rows OF gold lace. each one half iucb
IN thickness with alternating stripes of
red yellow. or light blue cloth, accord
ing tc the arm of the wearer. Above
the geld lace band on the cutf is
French knot similar IN design to the
knot worn on the present overcoat and
indicative Of the rank OF the wearer.
The shoulders will bear a strap o. twist
ed gold cord twisted with aigullettes of
gold.
THE general effect os the coat and It's
decorations is that of the German army
garment. /: is SO made that the iap.ls
which. buttoned, formed double breast
may be turned back to any degree at the
option OF the wearer. exposing the
neither face of the coat front and show
ing a red, yellow or light blue cloth,
according to the arm with which the
wearer Is connected. This arrangement
affords All opportunity for the coat to
be worn at social functions. OF course
on official OCCASIONS the coat will be
worn buttoned.
Can Convert Present Coat.
THE advantage of the new coat is that
the present dress coat may be easily
into the proposed garment,
thus saving the expense Ct an entirely
new coat. fact which will be appreciat-
ed by officers gene rally.
Another important change suggested
by the army board is the overcoat which
Is a loosely hanging affair extending
to the ankles. A strap at the back OF
the coat draws II in to the form of the
wearer. There are no visible buttons
and no loops across the front. There
will probably be no decorations. 4
sort of Icelandic hood OF generous pro-
portions is affixable. The color of the
coat will probably be the 'olive-mix'
Of the khaki uniform.
Among the changes recommended Is |
that cheyrons be placed with point UP |
instead OF down as at present, 1t being |
stated that 1t is incorrect to place them |
With point down. A chevron is a her |
aldic device. 1t is derived from the form |
,f the rafters of a house and IN her |
aldry is symbolic of a man who has |
founded house or family. On all her
lldic devices the chevron appears with |
he point up and it was so placed on the |
inform of the army until the late 4O's !
,r earlier SOS when 1t was reversed. II
he recommendations OF the uniform
BOARD are carried into effect, the char
icteristic colors Of several of the staff |
departments will be changed, the dis
inctive colors as recommended being for
.eneral officers. the Ad1utant Generals
Department, the Inspector Generals De-
'artment, the Judge Advocate Generals
department and the Pay Department
lark blue; for the Quartermaster' De-
'artment. buff; for the Subsistence De-
'artment, gray: for the Medical Depart
nent, maroon piped with white: for the
Engineers. scarlet piped with white; for
he Ordnance. black piped with red; for
he Signal Corps. orange piped with
white; for the cavalry. yellow; for the
scarlet; and for the infantry.
light blue"