Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-20
NEW TENT FOR ARMY
Shelter Designed by SchuyIkilI
 ArSenaps Head.
TEST TO BE MADE IN CUBA.

Improvements Make Canvas Carried
 by Soldiers as Snug as Brick Walls.
 Transporting Permanent Shelters In
 Wake of Expeditions Not Necessary.
 An American soldiers life in the field will be made as snug as that of the dweller within brick walls, and a serious problem of all big military movements-the transportation of tents will be solved by a new type of can vas shelter which is now being made at the Schuylkill arsenal, Gray's Ferry and Washington avenues, in Philadel- phia.
 Captain J. R. k. Hannay, who is in charge of the arsenal, or the Phila- delphia quartermaster's depot, as 1t is officially designated, is the man who designed the new tent. After working out the problem he took the plans to Washington, and the result was that the officials of the war department au- thOrized him to manufacture tent equipment for one regiment. according to his ideas, says the Philadelphia Press. If 1t is found after this regi- ment has given the new tent satis- factory trial that 1t upholds the expec- tatIons, then this canvas shelter will be adopted for general use in the army.
 Under Captain Hannay's direction the first output of the tents is now being made. These will be sent to Cuba, and the commanding officer there will select regiment having hard service in prospect to give them the try-out. However, this is simply the formality which all military inno- yations have to go through, for the war department never adopts anything un- less it is absolutely certain of its mer- it, and those who have seen the new tent are certain that it is bound to be- come the regulation American army shelter and that the troops of other na- tions will soon adopt it.
 Those who have seen encampments of the state national guard are famil- far with the type of tents which the soldiers of Uncle Sam sleep in when they go far atield. These are com posed of two pieces, which are carried by two soldiers as parts of their equip ment, together with wooden poles for holding them up.
 These when formed are closed in tbe back, but remain open in the front. Only two sections can be fitted togeth- er--that is, tent can be made of the canvas, carried by two soldiers, and no more. And there is no way in which the front can be closed against winds and storms unless the soldiers them selves devise some scheme.
 Of course these tents are merely makeshifts. After the soldiers who carry these on their backs always come other canvas shelters, which give them more protection. But out in the Philippines, for instance, where trans portation facilities are bad, it takes an exceedingly long time for these other tents to get to the scene of their need, and usually by the time they get there the soldiers have linked" to some other territory.
 Altogether it was long ago set down as a military fact that the regulation tent was unsatisfactory and that the transportation of better shelter was a thing which ought to be obviated.
 The advantage which the new tent possesses was arrived at in a very simple way. In the tents now used there is a rectangular section which forms the side wall and q triangular part which goes to make the inclosing hap at the back. The problem was solved by cutting these apart, separat- Ing the triangle and the rectangular section. Around the edges of all the parts, rectangular and triangular, are buttons and buttonholes, and with these the sections can be brought to- gether Into almost any conceivable style of canvas shelter desired.
 While with the canvas now in use only two soldiers can combine their  Der can join forces, and the more the better. Of course If only two privates form a tent the style will be just the same as at present, but when four pool their issues the result is a verita- ble little canvas house. closed both at the back and front.
 Eight, of course. could make tent of similar outline on a larger scale-in fact, there is no limit to the number of those who can thus cooperate to build a house of canvas. Then. too. walled tents can be constructed just as easily as the "A" type.
 Captain Hannay also has made the new tent much more waterproof than Is that now in use. This was done. however. not by Increasing the weight of the material. but by increasing the tents slope. To accomplish this lit- tie more material Is put into the new tent, but the added weight is overcome by providing a new style tent pole.
 The poles now in use are of wood and are somewhat awkward for a sol- dier on the march. The new ones are of light steel tubing. which lack three quarters of a pound the weight of the wooden one and are easier to carry. be- ing of the telescope variety.
 All in all. therefore. the weight of the canvas is increased to raise Its di- mensions. and this Is offset by the de- traction of weight from the pole. Con- sequently the burden of the soldier is not increased one ounce. and when he