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CHAPTER X. 



MILITARY. 



Musket covers. Wagon floats. Ambulanche. Powder bags. Provision bags. Pistol holsters. 

 Port-fire cases. Cannon covers. Sword sheaths. Cartridge boxes. Camp blankets. Cannon 

 sponge covers. Sword and pistol covers. Military belts. Canteens. Water tanks. Military 

 caps. Blasting cartridges. Budge barrels. Tents and tent carpets. Bandages. Military stocks. 

 Haversacks. Knapsacks. Miners' knapsacks. Gun and pistol stocks. Air pontoons and 

 pontoon boats. Air pontoons. Pontoon air boats. Air balsor. Air pontoon rafts. 



In the early stages of this manufacture, and during the Mex- 

 ican war, an assortment of articles were made for the gov- 

 ernment of the United States. They were made to order in 

 great haste, before the best gum-elastic fabrics for such pur- 

 poses were invented, and they were manufactured chiefly from 

 the coated cloths, which were not found to answer the purposes 

 of leather, as the fibrous fabrics have done since that time. It is 

 not surprising, therefore, that mistakes should have been made 

 in the first attempts to introduce some articles for the use of the 

 army and navy. Nor is it surprising that some articles that are 

 now known to be useful, should then have been imperfectly 

 manufactured, and consequently have failed at that time to 

 answer the expectations which were formed of them. Many of 

 the articles were highly approved by the troops and officers in 

 the servi'ce ; among which may be noticed camp blankets, tent 

 carpets, canteens and water tanks, and provision and powder 

 bags. 



In consequence of the introduction of the hard compounds 

 and other new fabrics, a new field is now opened for the manu- 

 facture of various military articles that have not been heretofore 

 attempted. Owing, also, to the invention of vulcanizing in 

 moulds, many of these articles that have formerly been made of 

 sole or harness leather, may now be made by this process, and they 



