Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-11-26


trade they become more valuable cit
liens when they are discharged from
the army.
The New Cavalry Equipment.
Perhaps the thing which engrossed
more of my attention than anything
else upon the occasion of my visit to
Rock island was the surreptitious
glance which 1 cast with permission)
at the number of the items of the new
cavalry equipment which are being
tried out and demonstrated on the
island.
I saw a picket pin made fiat, look
ing a great deal like a bayonet scab-
bard; the top pulled off and inside was
a pair of pliers; the bottom or point
ed end was inserted in the blade part
of shovel and you had an entrench-
ing tool. l saw the Patterson rifle car
rier demonstrated. observing a man
dismount both on the off and near side,
not touching his rifle, with equal facil-
ity. You. will remember this Patter-
son device was illustrated in Arms and
the Man not long ago. The officers
speak highly of it, and the men Of the
detachment trying out equipment are
enthusiastic in it's praise.
l perceived the cavalry board taking
a leaf from the infantry board book, by
proposing to put such a point on the
bottom of the sabre scabbard as to
make it practicable for use as a sup
port for the shelter tent. If each of
two bunkies is supplied with sabre
in its scabbard for front and rear
poles of the tent the rifles could be
kept inside ready for use.
Among the most startling things
saw in the cavalry equipment was an
adjustable saddle. COf course all of
this equipment is experimental, and
nobody knows whether it will be adop-
ted This adjustable saddle was a
hinged affair, which looked like it
might be made to fit a horse as round
as a barrel or one as lean as razor
back hog Also it seemed likely to be
susceptible of movement as the horses
moved. The idea is one which the
Russians and the Italians, and perhaps
other foreign forces, have adopted for
military use.
saddle pad much thicker than that pre-
viously used. and it is proposed also
to put the bed blanket between the
saddle and the pad when It is not prac
tiCable to put it in the wagon with the
troop baggage. The spurs were new,
small, and Drowned all over. so there
were no bright parts 10 shine or rust.
There was a new way of carrying the
blanket roll, and of taking the sabre
along.
The new experimental hat. with
its straight. hard brim and high-peaked
crown, roughly. just about the same
hat the cow-puncher wears; looked ex-
tremely wOrkmanlike.
There was a bride, halter and water
ing bride combination which had a
good appearance. although there was
perhaps too much metal on it.
Testing Rifles.
Down in the firing houses, where the
rifles are shot. six expert shots were
shooting constantly. each trying out
about 60 rifles a day. The firing was
at 200 yards only. over an enclosed
range. shots had to be we'll grouped
in a black mark on the target before
a rife was passed. Only about per
cent of them are rejected.
l described the process of making
rifles when l wrote Springfield about
armory. There is no material differ
ence in the way manufacture is car
ried on at Rock island Interchange
ability is a requirement demanded by
the ordnance department with stern in
sistence, but inteTChangeability of parts
in one manufacturing plant does not
seem to General Crozier to be quite
enough. so he cOmpels Springfield and
Rock island, the two plants turning
out small arms, to exchange rifles once
apart, are reassembled with 80 others
taken at random from the stock made
in the plant to which they are sent.
1t is true this is not very difficult
thing if the gauges are correctly used,
and careful inspection is carried on. as
all the gauges are made at Springfield,
but just the same it requires a close
ness of attention and a skill among
the workmen not ordinarily demanded
by manufacturing concerns.
These immense shops. with their
high ceilings. great wide floor spaces.
magnificent ventilation and quantities