Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-03
JACKS UNIFORM ANTrouArEp.
Reform Along Lines Adopted by the
British Urged by Naval officer.

THE subject OF assertions from the navy
Is weighty one. and one which has re-
ceived much attention. and win always at
the hands of those In authority" said a
naval officer to a Star reporter. II doubt
that it will be solved to the complete salts
faction of all concerned. but there Is one
point regarding II which has come under
my observation which consider important;
it is the question of the uniform which the
regulations require the enlisted man shall
wear.
IL have always opposed the present uni
form antiQuated and untitled for the
moeern navy, Although / am aware that
my views may not be shared In all quar-
ters. ii is with some amount OF personal
satisfaction that l note the British adIni-
rally Office has awakened to this long
patent fact; the ancient toys of the Brit
ish tar have been officially banished from
the navy of England and more up-to-date
uniform prescribed.
For once our English cousins have gone
ahead of US. Without going into a de-
tailed description of the new English uni
form. the long, flowing. cumbersome collar
and old-style blue shirt have been banished
together with the Tapping, wide-bottomed
trousers of familiar sight The regulation
blue shirt now fits high in the neck. and
the collar is tightly rolled-I should fancy
somewhat upon the order of the shirts now
wcrn by the city firemen in this country.
The trousers are cut in the straight mill
tary pattern. The old circular, rimles5 hat,
which in truth cannot be called hat at all,
has also given way to the one Of modern
shape, on the order of the military peaked
cap, only not so stiff In brief, the new
British uniform Is a comfortable, service
able one, and 1t may surprise American
naval officers to learn that the change is
accepted with qualification by the British
enlisted men.
slT,ha r,,,p-cf Vpa rSTnan Of todav docs deck
duty and not yardarm mast and shroud
duty. in the old navy; he has been trans
| formed from a sailor into gunner; he has
been elevated from a sail handler into an
| expert manipulation of firearms and pro
iectiles; his whole training and entire line
| of thought, action and occupation has beer
metamorphosed. Yet the unsuitable ole
uniform remains.
From a practical observation of many
years I believe that il the uniform Of tn.
| enlisted man in our navy were changed n
| accordance with the advance of the times
| assertions would decrease. While we al
| have respect for the man behind the gun
| and faith In him, it is undeniable fac
| that the uniform of the enlisted man in the
| navy counts against him when he is OF
shore and Is not a suitable garb when hi
4 is on shipboard. We have Illustrations o.
1 this fact nearly every day in everyday
4 life and it was only recently that ofncia
| ccgr fzance was taken of it by the nav,
department. A petty officer In the nav,
was dismissed from the service at Newpor
News because of his offensive structure!
upon the uniform of an enlisted man whS
| was rooming in his house and whom IA
| Sought to bar therefrom when the latter
| was In his sailor attire.
| eff the British admiralty office. in thu
reorganization of the British navy, can TAX
action in this matter so can our depart
| ment. It Is in line with the English scheme
| of RELOCATING antique types of battleship
| to the scrap heap, and they have takei
/ heroic action in this respect. From sen
| nfyit ia
| our own navy might raise some objection
| in some quarters outside of the service
| but I believe that our enlisted men would
/ welcome it, as did the British tars.