How Our Army is Clothed.

Western Star, Issue 2220, 8 July 1898, Page 4

How Our Army is Clothed.

Mast people imagine thai when a recruit joins a regiment 'his uniform is made to tit him ; but 'this is by m> means the case. The uniforms are made in thirty-six different sizes, numbered consecutively from 1 to "<;. and all thai has to be done is to send along the number required, and thai particular uniform is served out which comes nearest to the •measurement of the soldier. Greatcoats and cavalry cloaks are made in eighteen different sizes-, and over 90,000 of these are always kept in stock. A very big stock of shirts, all of one material, is kept on hand, and when I was there the quantity exceeded 200,000. But there is nothing more astounding in the stores department than t'he huge quantity of necessaries. Thousands of packing cases, piled up to the very top of the lofty rooms, are to be found in rhis branch, tilled wihh nothing but blacking and pipeclay for cleaning accoutrements, braces, combs, brushes (hair, boot, and clothes), table knives, fork's, spoons, big clasp-knives (for Hirst* are always used when a regimenl is on active service), and spurs. The razor is a marvel of cheapness, and t:he clothing depot is justly proud of its ability to dispose of these articles at fiVLd. apiece, for they are quite as good as those for which 2s. <;d. and 3s. are paid in the shops.. No fewer t'han 5,000.000 of the articles just tabulated are disposed of in a year; while tons and tons of brown soap are .sent out to regiments all the world over: for discipline, even to the smallest mattecs, is most severe, and the British soldier must wash lu's face with soap of a specified brand, only to be obtained through 'tihe clothing depot, and must lather bis chin with a shaving brusih j only obtained through the same source. —" Pearson's Magazine."