374 ALTERATIONS IN THE CLOTHING OF ARTILLERY IN INDIA. 
PANTALOONS. 
The new tartan pantaloons will be strapped with black moleskin. 
Care must be taken not to clean this moleskin with soda or ammonia. 
Grease spots or stains may be removed with benzine or turpentine. 
Although the one word “tartan” refers to the material to be used 
for frocks as well as that for pantaloons and trousers, the pattern 
chosen for the latter, 1.e., pantaloons and trousers—is of stouter 
texture than what is to be worn for the frocks. 
Arrangements have been made for the khaki cord pantaloons to be 
cut in future longer in the back and fuller over the thigh; and it is 
hoped that the days of tight pantaloons and straining seams are at an 
end. 
TROUSERS. 
The issue of trousers, including “ overalls,’ have undergone no 
practical change, beyond the substitution of tartan for cloth. It 
appears to be unknown to many artillery officers that the word “ over- 
alls”’ is not recognized in any War Office publication and should not, 
therefore, be used in official correspondence. 
Boors. 
It will be seen that the only branch which retains its black ankle 
boots is the Garrison Artillery. All others get brown ankle boots of 
the Mountain Battery pattern, which pattern has had many years trial 
and proved to be a success. Mounted men have a spur rest, 1.¢., a 
small leather knob at the back about an inch above the heel to support 
the jack spur. Dismounted men have none. 
Prior to the introduction of this new scale a mounted artilleryman 
in India had to provide himself with ankle boots for wear in field 
service marching order, at practice camps, etc. He will now get a 
free annual issue of ankle boots. 
Knee boots will accordingly be less frequently worn and Wellington 
boots will only be required for ‘“ walking out,” so the issues of these 
to Horse and Field batteries have been changed from biennial to 
triennial. 
Spur STRAps. 
Although the tables of proposed issues which were circulated for the 
opinions of commanding officers distinctly contemplated the substi- 
tution of brown for black ankle boots, and although suggestions were 
freely invited, it is curious that in not one single case was it pointed 
out that, as the black strap could not be worn over the brown boot, 
the change would necessitate the provision-of a brown spur strap. 
And it is extraordinary what trouble this change entailed. The 
soldier is given only one pair of spurs and his black spur straps are 
sewn on to it. The issue of a second pair of spurs to be worn with 
the brown boots was out of the question. It has been decided to leave 
the black understrap and black short buckling piece sewn on to the 
spur; and to make the black upper strap removable by opening the 
stitching and substituting a stud and holes as a means of attaching to 
the spur. A similar brown upper strap is provided to be worn with 
