British Campaign Plans

BRITISH CAMPAIGN PLANS

How a Regiment Looks When It Starts For Active Service

The khaki and duck uniforms were unknown to the land forces of the United States before the war with Spain, but their superiority over the regulation cloth uniforms became so apparent then that the lighter material will probably be retained in use as long as troops are sent to the tropics. In adopting this material the United States government followed the example of England, where the advantages of the khaki and duck uniforms have been established by years of use.

If war should follow the difficulties with the Boers, the men who will be mobilized under General Sir Frederick William Edward Walker will all be clad in khaki, says the New York Tribune. The regiments are sent forward on the regular passenger steamers and not on transports. This is done in keeping with the provisions in the charters of the various transportation companies, which, in view of a government subsidy, must be ready at any time to convert the passenger steamers into army transports. The regiments leave their home quarters gay with colors, for the English uniforms are bright, some of them even gaudy, and if the destination is a place where cloth may be worn with comfort the home uniform is retained, but if they go to a warmer region the scarlet uniforms are soon exchanged for khaki and the high boots or leggings for puttees.

Flags and standards. which were once looked upon as essential features in a military expedition, are taken along, but are carefully put away before the troops go into action, and an English regiment which had been seen in its scarlet uniform with blue or white facings would not be recognized in khaki. The men carry the Lee-Metford rifle, and the complete burden, consisting of haversack, knapsack, rolled blanket and water bottle, weighs about 56 pounds.

The cavalry and artillery are armed with carbines, and some of the troops still carry the old Martini rifles, but the men who are sent into active service are all armed with the Lee-Metford piece. The khaki uniforms wipe out all differences as to superiority or gaudiness in dress, and the grades of the regiments can be seen only by the facings. The royal regiments have their uniforms faced with blue, the Irish with green and the Scotch with yellow, while the regiments which do not come under those heads wear the white facings.