The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-08-23
HATS INSTEAD OF
CAPS FOR SAILORS
Nays Traditional FIapping Co..
lar Also Likely to Go.
BLUNDERBUSS TROUSERS 0. K.
Government 10 Meditatins Drees Re-
form That May Not Please the Wear
ers-chanse Affects Uniforms Of Of
fcers In Minor Details.

feers In Minor Details.
Dispatches from Washington say
that the fat topped round cap and
wide collar which have been features
Of the gerb of n sailor since the early
days Of the United States navy are
likely to be discarded. Such action
would abolish two of the most fa-
miliar features of the uniform.
The proposed change has been pre-
ceded by long period of experiment
and discussion. While naval officers
have an idea that the sailors would
resent any radical change in their cos
tune for shore purposes, so strong are
traditions in the navy, the sailors
themselves have complained more than
once of their present costume when
afIoat
The fat topped cap has n habit OF
getting blown Off at unexpected times.
officers have long noticed that when a
line of jackies Is drawn up at atten-
ton on deck on a formal occasion n
gust Of wind frequently takes a few
caps with it. Not that the sailor him
self Is entirely free from blame for
this, for it is tradition that he will
pick out a cap a few sizes too small
50 that 1t can be perched on his head
at what he considers a proper angle,
although his opinion on this point va
ries from the manner In which the cap
was intended to be worn.
Collars Bother Them
Sailors, too, have spoken among
themselves about the collar, with its
three stripes of white braid and its
two white stars. They like the idea
Of the collar, but they say it bothers
them on a windy day at sea. They
think 1t might be cut smaller. Those
who handle the designing OF such
things do not think this particular 5ort
Of collar could be cut down without
hurting its appearance.
About two years ago the bureau OF
navigation, which has control over the
sailors dress, had samples of a new
cap IN heavy blue cloth made, much
like the white duck hats the bluejack-
cts wear at work in temperate eli
mates.
One Of the traditional features of n
sailors cap is the gold lettered name
Of the ship. When one Of these name
bands WAS put around the new bot
with the brim turned up the name was
hidden by the brlm.
Nothing more was beard OF the mat
ter until recently, when the subject
again came up, and the same sort Of
hat Is again being considered.
The matter of shirts has come up re-
Gently. The bureau of navigation or
dered Paymast9r Huntington, in charge
Of the clothes factory at the Brooklyn
navy yard. which is the headquarters
OF the supply for the whole service, to
make up samples along new lines. No
decision has yet been sent out by the
Washington authorities.
Considering a New Shirt
The shirt which Is being considered
is designed after the Dungaree shirt
now IN use by the firemen OF the navy,
but Is made of the blue cloth used in
the sailors uniform instead OF the
mottled blue Jeans Of which Dungaree
shirts are made This shirt has a soft
rolling collar which might be describ-
ed as a shawl collar, only three or four
inches wide at the widest part. The
open front Of the present sailors blouse
Is retained, but the bottom. instead of
having tails" to tuck within the
trousers, as the present blouse has,
ends in an elastic band about the waist
There Is no room on the collar for
display Of braid or stars. and the gar
ment smacks more Of working dress
than Of tradition
There is no probability that the pres
ent wide bOttOmed trousers will be
abandoned since they are more easily
rolled up about the knees than other
kinds, and there is still much deck
scrubbing to be done.
The bluejackets, like the marines,
are to have pajamas. These are being
made Of strong white material and
are without buttons. The shirt is open
far enough down from the neck to 20
on over the head easily. and the open
gether by the tying Of a tape
The spirit of change has affected the
uniforms Of officers, too, but in minor
details, such as shoulder marks, which
are to be white instead OF black for
use with white uniforms.
A suggestion has been made that the
present blueJacket's uniform be con-
tinued for shore use and tho proposed
new uniform be adopted for wear
aboard ship An objection 10 this
course from the point OF view of the
enlisted men Is that they would have
to keep themselves supplied with an
extra uniform at their own expense
since they receive one outfit Of cloth
ing at the time Of enlistment and after
that have to pay for their clothes.
Heads tho Peaoe SooIOtx.
Arthur II. Call Of Hartford. Conn.