INGENUITY AND LUXURY 



any other type, the fact that this is true is now shown by 

 the general tendency to-day of all nations to clothe 

 their soldiers in such costumes. Nearly every prac- 

 tical soldier in this practical age, whether he be a Japa- 

 nese, Hindu, Turk, or roughrider, wears a costume in 

 the main consisting of the essential garments of the 

 costume worn at the dawn of civilization by the north- 

 ern races. 



In short, the Oriental races have been forced to 

 admit the superiority of the practical Western cos- 

 tumes, this admission being tacitly shown by their 

 adoption. Yet the interval between the time of this 

 first simple costume and the return to it in a general 

 way at the present time , is filled with more fantastic 

 departures than can be found in almost any other 

 field of history. 



Undoubtedly, two very important factors have fig- 

 ured preeminently in this development military 

 methods, and fashion. The first of these is the more 

 easily understood and explained. The second has 

 usually been, and still is, inexplicable, although not 

 always so in certain instances. And even in military 

 costumes fashion has made itself felt in every stage 

 and phase of progress. 



In the ages when the common weapon, the sword, 

 was carried at all times for protection, costumes that 

 permitted free use of it should have been the prevailing 

 ones. But this was not always the case, even jeopardy 

 to life itself being sacrificed to fashion. It is only in 

 very recent years that convenience alone has been 

 considered in the dress of the soldier in active service; 



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