The Washington herald., 1911-01-08
NATIONAL COLORS
OF MIBS and
THEIR TRADITIONS
Special Correspondence The Washington Herald.

Special Correspondence The Washington Herald
London, Dec. S0.-We are not yet told
what color will be substituted for the red
of French soldiers trousers, but it is to
be something in the way of khaki The
government mas been long in making up
its mind. feeling little anxious about
the effect of such change. In 1903 we
= saw companies of infantry, squadron
of cavalry, and a battery paraded in light
gray, with slouch hats. at the review on
the national fete with the avowed pur-
pose of testing public opinion 1t was
almost unanimous, frankly expressed,
and the authorities perceived that they
had better wait a while. Before 1870 the
abolition of the pantalon garance would
have been almost as effective as the
abolition of the tricolor to make 1.-The
chaSsepot go off themselves But
France grows more serious year by year.
Appeals to warlike glory do not find much
hearing now, but, on the other hand, con-
sideration for the private soldier has be-
come much more general since none eS-
capes conscription. And the public un-
must be made as inconspicuous as pos
sible. So the decree has been issued at
last
The disappearance of the familiar blue
coat and red trousers will leave our
English scarlet the last survivor of the
old national colors in Europe. Russia,
indeed, maintains regiment OF the
Guard clad in the uniform of Alexander
the First, and Prussia has one arrayed
in IA Sb FREDERICK
the Great. In each case it used to be
the rule that every soldier should have
"turn-up'' noSe-the 'MuScovite copying
the Teuton in this respect. doubtless
Veterans grumble that the interesting
custom is abandoned now. Perhaps that
variety of nose was commoner in former
times. But these regiments are curiosI-
ties, renowned and glorious, but uncom-
monty ugly The Austrian white was
seen for the last time a. the great re-
view in 1873. when the NlenneSe turned
out en- maSSe to bid it good-by. Imperial
princes, generals, and 1 think officers in
command of regiments, are still priVl-
legged to wear it.
Must Creep, Not Practice.
There is no need to make a conscript
army attractive in appearance. Tradi-
tion and sentiment demand feathers and
spanSles and glitter, but the pressure of
economy would be irresistible even if it
were not backed by prudence. A soldier
must creep nowadays. rot prance as of
yore. Our scarlet holds its own with diff
ficulty when the estimates mount every
year; it will not survive compulsory SER
vice-some think, however, that science
will put and end to war before that
measure is carried and standing armies
will be dissolved. Red seems natural
tn ho RrjtjS is
old. There was no uniform until Henry
VIII issued an ordinance commanding
that all his foot soldiers should wear
blue coats trimmed with red and breeches
with one leg red and one blue. But
the London train-bands always wore
white, apparently. even Ito their long
close hose and shoes One would have
liked to see that Srands review of 1859, de-
scribed at length by Harrison. when the
lord mayor and aldermen in white armor
with plumed hats of black velvet steel
battleaXss and silver-studded breast
plates. ahd the rest led 1000 archers,
pikesmen. muSqueteers and artillery, all
snow-white from top to toe. Until Henry
VIII asserted the royal supremacy, noble
men commissioned to raise forces for the
Crown dressed them as they pleased-in
their own livery, as rule, and they re-
turned to this practice on either side
when the civil war broke out Hampden' S
regiment was green. Lord Brooke'S 2ur-
pie. EsseXs orange, Mandeville's blue,
and so forth 1t was the men who meant
business, the leaders of the new model,
who put stop to this confusion. Why
they chose red for the Parliamentary
army does not appear, but Cromwell had
already allotted it to his IronsidSs. An
old tradition explains his choice; he
found a great stock of red cloth at Cam
bridge, and commandeered it. A news
paper of 1645 says: The men are red
coats all, distinguished by the several
breeches grey, or. some good color" So |
our royal scarlet was borrowed from the |
usurper.
World Calls 1t Blasphemy.
1t would not be safe to mention in all !
companies that green is not the nation !
al color of Ireland-there are enthusi- |;
or their fists at such blasphemy. But |
Burke, himself an Irishman, whose !
is questioned only by the irrev-
erent, declares with some warmth: 1T
is certain that azure only, has been the
color of Ireland since the English con-
quest and it is equally clear that green
was not much in vogue with the great
houses from which the Kings
of Ireland were chosen" A reader who
wishes to hear more of this audacious
may refer to 1.-The viciS-
situdes of families" But certain facts
are stated which appear to support it.
The color of the knights of st. Patrick
is byre: the facings of the Royal Irish
regiment are blue; those OF the French
brigade were red.
Reports of the Dalai Lama's arrival
in India lately reminds us that yellow
Is, or was, national color throughout
he for East. His holiness wore a yellow
silk robe. his sedan chair was yellow,
the government hung his room at Dar-
ceiling with yellow stuff, and provided him
with a yellow dandy for paying visits. !
The deputation of Buddhist residents
who welcomed him carried yellow BAN
,ers, &C. All through the Malay coun-
.ries yellow is sacred to royalty. For q
subject to wear yellow 1t was high trea-
,on once. So it was to a less degree in
3urmah and Siam. 1t Is the imperial
:olor Of China. But in Europe yellow
vas actually hated in former times and .
TN iS oonera llv diSlikad