ALTERATIONS IN THE CLOTHING OF ARTILLERY IN INDIA. 875 
brown boots, this being similarly attached to the spur bya stud 
fastening into holes cut in the strap. So all that is necessary in 
changing from brown to black spur straps is to change the upper strap. 
One small alteration to the short black buckling piece was found 
necessary to avoid the eyesore of a brown strap passing through a 
black keeper. ‘This has been overcome by the removal of the single 
buckle and keeper, and the substitution of a double buckle. ; 
GLovzs. 
_ Hitherto an annual issue of gloves has been allowed. This was 
acknowledged by all to be quite unnecessary and many recommended 
their total abolition. As, however, gloves are worn occasionally, the 
issue has been changed from an annual to a triennial one. 
Caps. 
The field cap, which is to take the place of the round forage cap, is 
identically the same as the field cap in wear at home. 
- GAITERS. 
The introduction of these gaiters is, perhaps, the most revolutionary 
innovation of modern days!! Hitherto their wear has been confined 
to the Mountain Artillery men, both mounted and dismounted, and has 
proved an unqualified success. Men of Horse and Field Artillery have 
hitherto worn the putties with ankle boots, which putties, 1 may 
mention, they had to provide at their own expense. I do not assert 
that the opinion in favour of the adoption of these gaiters was 
una2zimous, but it was very marked. ; 
I think many of those who recommended the adoption of the gaiter 
had in their mind the straight gaiter worn so much now by all in 
plain clothes. But they can hardly have experimented with it on the 
rank and file. Had they done so they would have found that a certain 
amount of shaping to the calf and ankle is indispensable to prevent 
its rucking up or twisting. ‘To make any such gaiter perfectly service- 
able a footstrap is necessary. But our tastes are not yet educated 
down to such an eyesore and the footstrap must be dispensed with. 
_ The gaiter is made of plain brown leather. It is fastened down the 
front by one long leather lace forming loops which pass through five 
eyelet-holes, and is secured at the top by a leather strap passing 
through the top loop and buckling (point of strap to the rear) into a 
brass buckle } inch square. It must be borne in mind that part of the 
principle of this method of fastening is that the several loops which 
pass through the eyelets must not be separately attached to the gaiter, 
but must be formed of one long lace. The reason is that should any 
part of the fastening be caught or strained it will not break, as the 
shock will be distributed along the whole length of the lace. 
There is a small shaped nick about an inch deep at the back to take 
the spur. Inside each gaiter are two leather loops, one in front and 
one in rear, as in ordinary riding’gaiters. These loopsare to fasten to 
two buttons which will be sewn to the pantaloons to prevent the gaiter 
from twisting round. 
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