cannot be blown off; it can be carried at the top of the head when desired in hot weather, or pulled down completely over the forehead and ears in cold. Unfortunately, either to save cloth or from some idea of smartness, it is now being made so small that its advantages are imperilled, as it cannot be drawn down over the head.

Head-Dress of the Cavalry.-The Horse Artillery and Cavalry carry helmets and caps of different kinds.

The shape of the helmet in the Guards and heavy dragoons is excellent. It is not top-heavy; offers little surface to the wind; and has sufficient but not excessive height above the head. The material, however, is objectionable. The metal intended for defence makes the helmet very hot and heavy; and the helmet of the Cavalry of the Guard weighs 55 ounces avoir.; that of the Dragoon Guards, 39 ounces (in 1868). But as every ounce of unnecessary weight is additional unnecessary work thrown on the man and his horse, it is very questionable whether more is not lost than is gained by the great weight caused by the metal. Leather is now often substituted in some armies, where the cavalry helmets are being made extremely light.

The Lancer cap weighs 34 ounces; the Hussar, 29 ounces. Both are dresses of fantasy. The Lancer cap, except for its weight, is the better of the two; is more comfortable; shades the eyes; throws off the rain better; and offers less resistance to moving air than the Hussar cap.

In Canada, a fur cap is used, with flaps for the ears and sides of the face and neck.

In India, many contrivances have been used. Up to the year 1842 little attention seems to have been paid to the head-dress of the infantry, and the men commonly wore their European forage caps. In 1842 Lord Hardinge issued an order, that white cotton covers should be worn over all caps; subsequently, a flap to fall down over the back of the neck was added. The effect of the cotton cover is to reduce the temperature of the air in the cap about 4° to 7° Fahr. Although a great improvement, it is not sufficient.

Bamboo wicker helmets, covered with cotton and provided with puggeries, are now used; they are light (13 oz.), durable, not easily put out of shape, and cheap. The rim is inclined, so as to protect from the level rays of the sun. The pith, or "Sola" hats, appear to be decidedly inferior to the wicker helmets; and men have had sunstroke while wearing them.

In the French infantry the shako is now made of leather and pasteboard, and is divested of all unnecessary ornament, so as to be as light as it can be. It comes well back on the head, being prolonged, as it were, over the occipital protuberance.

In Algeria, the Zouaves, Spahis, and Tirailleurs wear the red fez, covered with a turban of cotton. In Cochin-China, the French have adopted the bamboo wicker helmet of the English.

The natural hair of the head is a very great protection against heat. Various customs prevail in the East. Some nations shave the head, and wear a large turban; others, like the Burmese, wear the hair long, twist it into a knot at the top of the head, and face the sun with scarcely any turban. The Chinaman's tail is a mere mark of conquest. The European in India generally has the hair cut short, on account of cleanliness and dust. A small wet handkerchief, or piece of calico, carried in a cap with good ventilation, may be used with advantage; and especially in a hot land-wind cools the head greatly.

Coat, Tunic, Shell-Jacket, etc.-The varieties of the coat are numer

ous 'in the army; and there are undress and stable suits of different kinds. The infantry now wear the tunic, which is a great improvement over the old cutaway coatee. It is still, however, too tight, and made too scanty over the hips and across the abdomen. A good tunic should have a low collar, and be loose round the neck. The stock is now abolished, a tongue of leather being substituted where the collar of the tunic is hooked in front. The tunic should also be loose over the shoulders (so as to allow the deltoid and latissimus the most unrestricted play),' and across the chest. It should come well across the abdomen, so as to guard it completely from cold and rain; descending loosely over the hips, it should fall as low over the thighs as is consistent with kneeling in rifle practice, i.e., as low as it can fall without touching the ground. Looking not only to the comfort of the soldier, but to the work and force required of him, it is a great mistake to have the tunic otherwise than exceedingly loose. A loose tunic, a blouse in fact, is in reality a more soldier-like dress than the tight garment, which every one sees must press upon and hinder the rapid action of muscles. The tunic should be well provided with pockets, not only behind, but on the sides and in front; the pockets being internal, and made of a very strong lining. In time of war, a soldier has many things to carry; food, extra ammunition sometimes, all sorts of little comforts, which pack away easily in pockets. If the appearance is objected to, they need not be used in time of peace; but with a loose dress, they would not be seen.

A great improvement was made by General Herbert. The old shelljacket was done away with, and a loose frock substituted.

In India the tunic is made loose, and of thin material.

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Waistcoats.-No waistcoats are worn in the British army, but they ought to be introduced. A long waistcoat with arms is one of the most useful of garments; it can be used without the tunic when the men are in barracks or on common drill. Put on under the tunic, it is one of the best protections against cold. At present the men are obliged to wear tight coats, and having nothing under them, line them with flannel and wadding. In winter and summer they often wear the same dress, although the oppression in the summer is very great. If the tunic were made very loose of some light material, and if a good short Jersey or Guernsey frock were allowed to be worn at the option of the men, the men would have cool dresses in summer, warm in winter, and the thin tunic would be more comfortable in the Mediterranean and subtropical stations.

Trousers.-Formerly the army wore breeches and leggings; but shortly before or during the Peninsular war trousers were introduced. The increased comfort to the soldier is said to have been remarkable; the trouser, indeed, protecting the leg quite down to the ankle, seems to be as good a dress as can be devised, if it is made on proper principles, viz., very loose over the hips and knees, and gathered in at the ankle, so that merely sufficient opening is left to pass the foot through. The much-laughed-at pegtop trousers seem to be, in fact, the proper shape. In this way the whole leg is protected, and the increased weight given by the part of the trousers below the knee is a matter of no consequence.

The trousers are supported either by braces or a belt. If the latter be used, it should be part of the trousers, should fit just over the hip, and

'This cannot occur if epaulets are worn; and it is to be hoped nothing will ever occur to bring in again the use of the so-called ornaments.

A waistcoat was introduced some time ago, but has since been unfortunately withdrawn again.

not go round the waist. It must be tight, and has one disadvantage, which is that in great exertion the perspiration flowing down from above collects there, as the tight belt hinders its descent; also, if heavy articles are carried in the pocket, the weight may be too great for the belt. Braces seem, on the whole, the best.

Trousers should be made with large pockets, on the principle of giving the men as much convenience as possible of carrying articles in time of

war.

In India, trousers are made in the same fashion as at home, but of drill or khakee cloth, or thin serge-an excellent material, especially for the northern stations.

Leggings and Gaiters.-Formerly long leggings reaching over the knees, and made of half-tanned leather, were used. They appear not to have been considered comfortable, and were discarded about sixty years ago. Short gaiters were subsequently used for some time, but were finally given up, and for several years nothing of the kind was worn. After the Crimean

war Lord Herbert introduced for the infantry short leather leggings, 6 inches in height, and buttoning on the outside. These were not of good length or shape, and have now been superseded by leggings which come more up to the knee, and are much more serviceable.

In some of the French regiments a gaiter of half-dressed hide comes up to just below the knee; short calico or linen gaiters are worn by other corps; a flap comes forward over the instep. The calico gaiters have been much praised, but they soon get saturated with perspiration, thickened in ridges, and sometimes irritate the skin. On the other hand, leather gaiters, if not made of good leather, lose their suppleness, and press on the ankles and instep.

A great advantage of gaiters and leggings is, that at the end of a march they can be at once removed and cleaned; but, on the whole, if suitable leather could be fixed at the bottom of trousers, they might perhaps be abandoned.

Shoes and Boots.-In the action of walking the foot expands in length and breadth; in length often as much as th, in breadth even more. In choosing shoes this must be attended to. The shoemaker measures when the person is sitting, and as a rule allows only 4th increase for walking. Ankle boots, weighing 40 to 42 ounces, are now worn by the infantry: the cavalry have Wellingtons and jackboots. The jackboots of the Life Guards weigh (with spurs) 100 ounces avoir. Shoes cannot be worn without gaiters. Ankle boots are preferable; in the English army they are now made to lace, and are fitted with a good tongue. Great attention is now paid at Pimlico to the shape and make of the boot, and the principles laid down by Camper, Meyer, and others, are carefully attended to. There are eight sizes of length and four of breadth, making thirty-two sizes in all. The boots are made right and left. The heel is made very low and broad, so that the weight is not thrown on the toes, the gastrocnemii and solei can act, which they cannot do well with a high heel, and there is a good base for the column which forms the line from the centre of gravity, and the centre of gravity is kept low; the inner line of the boot is made straight, so as not to push outward the great toe in the least degree, and there is a bulging over the root of the great toe to allow easy play for the large joint. Across the tread and toes the foot is made very broad, so that the lateral expansion may not be impeded; the toes are broad. Great care is taken in the inspection of the boots, the order of inspection being-1st, The proof of the size, which is done by standard measure; 2d, The excelVOL. II.-16

lence of the leather, which is judged of by inspection of each boot, and by selecting a certain number from each lot furnished by a contractor, and cutting them up; if anything wrong is found, the whole lot is rejected; 3d, The goodness of the sewing; there must be a certain number of stitches per inch (not less than eight for the upper leathers), a certain thickness of thread, and the thread must be well waxed. The giving up of boots is generally owing to the shoemaker using a large awl, and thin unwaxed thread, with as few stitches as possible; the work is thus easier to him, but the thread soon rots.

The Germans are now introducing a long boot, with a slit down the centre; it can be worn under the trousers, or at pleasure outside, as the slit opens, and can then be laced. A somewhat similar boot was invented

by the late Major Sir W. Palliser.

Considering the great injury inflicted on the foot by tight and ill-made boots, by which the toes are often distorted and made to override, and the great toe is even dislocated and ankylosed, it is plain that the increased attention lately excited on this point is not unnecessary. The compression of children's feet by the tight leather shoes now made is extremely cruel and injurious. It may, indeed, be asserted that the child's foot would be better if left altogether unclothed, and certainly we see no feet so well modelled as the children of the poor, who run about shoeless. In the case of the soldier, too, who has in many campaigns been left shoeless, and has greatly suffered therefrom, it is a question whether he should not be trained to go barefooted. The feet soon get hard and callous to blows, and cleanliness is really promoted by having the feet uncovered, and by the frequent washings the practice renders necessary. After being unworn for some time, shoes that previously fitted will be found too small, on account of the greater expansion of the foot, and this is itself an argument against the shoe as commonly worn.

The sandal in all hot countries is much better than the shoe, and there is no reason why it should not be used in India for the English soldiers as it is by the native; the foot is cooler, and will be more frequently washed. For all native troops, negroes, etc., the sandal should be used, and the boot altogether avoided. In campaigns it is most important to have large stores of boots at various points, so that fresh boots may be frequently issued, and worn ones sent back for repair. Soldiers ought to be trained to repair their own boots.'

Great-coat and Cloak.-In the cavalry, cloaks, with capes which can be detached, are carried. They are large, so as to cover a good deal of the horse, and are made of good cloth; the weight is about 5 lb to 6 lb for the cloak, and 24 b to 3 lb for the cape. The infantry wear great-coats weighing from 5 tb to 6 b. They are now made of extremely good cloth, are double-breasted, and are as long as can be managed. They are not provided with pockets at the back, which is a serious omission, and they also should have loops, so that the flaps may be turned back if desired.

It may be worth while to give a receipt for making boots impermeable to wet. Dr. Parkes tried the following, and found it effectual: Take half a pound of shoemaker's dubbing, half a pint of linseed oil, half a pint of solution of india-rubber (price 3s. per gallon). Dissolve with gentle heat (it is very inflammable), and rub on the boots. This will last for five or six months; but it is well to renew it every three months. At a small expense the boots of a whole regiment could be thus made impermeable to Army Circular, clause 66, 1875, directs-(1) That boots are to be blackened with three coats of ordinary blacking, instead of other substances.

wet.

The following are the exact weights of three-one large size, one medium, and one small; the weights were 6 lb 3 ounces, 5 lb 9 ounces, and 5 lb 8 ounces.

1

They are too heavy, and absorb a great deal of wet, so that they dry slowly. General Eyre's Committee on Equipments recommended a lighter greatcoat, and in addition a good waterproof cape. The suggestion seems to be a very good one. A hood might also be added with advantage. In countries with cold winds they are a great comfort. Or the Russian bashlik might be introduced; it is a most useful covering for cold and windy countries.

The great-coat is perhaps the most important article of dress for the soldier. With a good great-coat, Robert Jackson thought it might be possible to do away with the blanket in war, and if india-rubber sheets were used this is perhaps possible. In the Italian war of 1859, the French troops left their tunics at home, and campaigned in their great-coats, which were worn open on the march.2

In countries liable to great vicissitudes of temperature, and to sudden cold winds, as the hilly parts of Greece, Turkey, Afghanistan, etc., a loose, warm cloak, which can be worn open or folded, is used by the inhabitants, and should be imitated in campaigns. It is worthy of remark, that in most of these countries, though the sun may be extremely hot, the clothes are very warm.

In very cold countries, sheep-skin and buffalo-hide coats, especially the former, are very useful. No wind can blow through them; in the coldest night of their rigorous winter the Anatolian shepherds lie out in their sheepskin coat and hood without injury, though unprotected men are frozen to death. In Bulgaria, the Crimea, and other countries exposed to the pitiless winds from Siberia, and the steppes of Tartary, nothing can be better than coats like these."

SECTION V.

WEIGHTS OF THE ARTICLES OF DRESS AND OF THE ACCOUTREMENTS, AND ON THE MODES OF CARRYING THE WEIGHTS.

The following tables give the weights of all the articles used by a Heavy Cavalry Regiment, an Hussar Regiment, and the Infantry of the Line. The weights carried by the Artillery are much the same as those of the Cavalry. The weights of the helmets and jackboots of the Life and Horse Guards have been already mentioned. The cuirass weighs 10 b 12 oz.; it rests a little on the sacrum and hip, and in that way is more easily borne by the man. With these exceptions, the weights may be considered nearly the same as those of the heavy dragoons. The uniform and equipment of the Guards and Cavalry are at present under consideration, and may be changed.

Para. 47, sect. viii., Regulations for Clothing, directs the issue of a waterproof coat, leggings, wrappers, sou'wester caps, etc., for certain duties.

2

Cloth may be made waterproof by the following simple plan:-Make a weak solution of glue, and while it is hot add alum in the proportion of one ounce to two quarts; as soon as the alum is dissolved, and while the solution is hot, brush it well over the surface of the cloth, and then dry. It is said that the addition of two drachms of sulphate of copper is an improvement.

'Sheep-skin bags with the wool inside were much used by the French troops during the defence of Paris, in the winter of 1870-71.