Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-02-21
naval UNIFORMS,
Quaint Garb Was Worn In the
Early Days.
ANYTHING FOR THE PURPOSE
Seamen and Gunners In War of 1912
Were "Sghts"-British Officers Who
Dressed as They Pleased Resented
Adopting "Yoke Of Livery"

Not only did common prudence de-
mand that commanding officers in old
time sea fights refrain from conspic-
uous dress, but the system of uniforms
itself, at the beginning of the nine.
teenth century, was largely an innova-
ton in the navies of the world. 1t had
stout opponents in both the American
and English services. This resentment
against that "yoke of livery"-good
enough, perhaps, for grooms and lack
eys-is shown in letter written by
Nelson while in France in 1878 to his
father.
English naval officers of that period
dressed very much as they pleased,
and the Americans were influenced by
the example. Although writing in car
feature, it seems certain that Smollett
saw British naval officers wearing red
jackets and some arrayed in pink silk
coats, white satin waistcoats, crimson
breeches and blue meroquin shoes"
While this description cannot be re-
garded as typical of the British naval
officer in the eighteenth century, we
are forced to believe that the picture is
not very much overdrawn, says Edgar
Stanton Maclay, A. NJ, in the New
York Post.
On til, rehabilitation of the Ameri-
can navy at the close Of the eighteenth
century style Of uniform was adopt
ed by our naval officers which, general
ly cpooIyipU consisted Of Iacciop hontc
tight fitting cashmere trousers Of
white, blue coat having the high
standup collar and the peaked hat.
This was the dress for "set occasions"
but in those days of the service 'set
occasions" were few and far between.
From what meager information we
have on the subject, we must conclude
that in everyday ship life" our naval
officers wore ordinary 'shore Clothes"
Hammatt Billings, conscientious
marine craftsman who did excellent
work shortly after the close of the
war of 1912, represents our midship-
men and lieutenants as being arrayed
in long trousers, a leather belt into
which were thrust pistols, loose shirt
Of no special color, pattern, or design;
short jacket Of the Elton style, with
rolling collar, and a soft cap having
leather peak. Apparently the COM
mander was privileged to dress in any
costume he pleased.
If there was little uniformity among
naval officers Of the early nineteenth
century in the matter Of every day
dress, there was even less among the
sailors. Those were days when poor
Jack was happy in securing any cloth
ing, and, aside from the general style
Of Sailors rig" which consisted of
long trousers, shirt, a short jacket,
and the tarpaulin hat worn in the
merchant and naval services alike,
there was no pronounced uniformity
Of dress for the man-o'war's man.
Several instances are recorded where
the absence Of uniforms led to confu-
sion in battle. 1t was to avoid such
serious error that American man-o'-
wars men toward the close Of the war
designed special marks by which they
might distinguish each other from the
enemy in cases Of "mixups." In the
journal of a seaman we learn that in
a cruise made in 1914 the Yankee tars
embroidered an American flag with an
English ensign under it on the corners
Of their shirt collars.
In another record, dealing with the
same year, we learn that the men Of
the American war brig Siren "were all
supplied with stout leather caps, some
thing like those used by firemen. These
were crossed by two strips of iron,
covered with bear skin and were de-
signed to defend the head, when board
ing an enemy's ship, from cutlass
strokes Strips Of bear skin were used
to fasten them and, having the fur
on, served the purpose of false whisk-
ers and causing us to look as fierce
as hungry wolves" These caps en-
abIed the Americans to distinguish be-
tween friend and foe.
u