RUSSIAN UNIFORM 39 



does not help a stranger much in distinguishing them from 

 other officials, or even from their men. This fact, I presume, 

 induces rich cavalry officers to buy big, lumpy-shouldered 

 foreign horses with docked tails ; the soldiers' horses being 

 well-bred, comparatively small, and having long tails. In all 

 the grades, from a sub to a colonel, there is nothing in the 

 uniform to mark the rank, except the nature of the epaulettes, 

 which on the coats of subalterns have a middle longitudinal 

 line and stars. A captain has the line but no stars. A 

 lieutenant-colonel has two lines and stars ; and a colonel, two 

 lines and no stars. A general has neither lines nor stars on 

 his epaulettes, but comes out strong in the matter of broad red 

 stripes on his trousers, and a red lining to his coat, which for 

 obvious reasons he keeps more or less open even during winter, 

 with heroic indifference to the danger of coughs and colds. 

 When a Russian officer becomes a general, he is happy for the 

 remainder of his life, because everyone from henceforth has 

 to call him "Your Excellency" when addressing him. The 

 only English officers I have ever seen wearing goloshes in 

 uniform were Sappers ; but in Russia all officers use them in 

 bad weather, which is a practice that is at times almost 

 imperative, although it cannot be looked upon as an aid to 

 smartness of appearance. When standing about during 

 great cold, the feet often get unbearably chilled if shod with 

 leather, which is a comparatively good conductor of heat. 

 Rubber conducts heat badly, and consequently keeps the 

 feet warm, especially when these coverings are lined with 

 felt or woollen material, as is usually done. Also, they keep 

 boots clean, which is a matter for consideration when going 

 into the houses of other people. Mounted officers in Russia 

 wear hunting spurs, not box spurs. 



Russian soldiers are light - hearted, easily - contented, 

 strongly - built, and obedient fellows, who are capable of 

 anything if properly led. De Simonof tells us in Les 



