of Americans? It is a question that may
be important. The "wheel" has introduced knickerbockers and promises
to result in knee breeches. On the transports that have traversed the
Pacific the soldiers were fond of taking exercise in undershirts and
drawers only and they swarmed from their bunks at night, to sleep on
deck, sometimes condescending to spread blankets to take the edge
off the cruelty of the hard wood, but reluctant to be encumbered
with undershirts. Their favorite night dress was drawers only,
and they acted upon the false theory that one cannot take cold at
sea. The authority of officers was often necessary to impress the
average soldier that he ought to have an undershirt between his skin
and the sky. The boys were during their long voyage very sparing
in the use of shoes and stockings, and it has perhaps never before
occurred in American experiences that there was such an opportunity
to study the infinite variety of the big toe, and, indeed, of all the
toes. In active army service the care of the feet is essential. The
revelations on shipboard disclose the evils of ill-fitting shoes
to be most distrusting. One of the claims of West Point for high
consideration is in teaching the beauty of white trousers, and our
tropical army experiences will extend the fashion. When General Merritt
and Admiral Dewey parted on the deck of the China in Manila harbor,
both were clad in spotless white, their caps, coats and trousers making
a showy combination. There was also a group of sea captains who had
gathered to give the Captain of the China a good send-off, and they
with the staff officers, were all in radiant white. There was not a
boy in blue among them. The illustrious General and Admiral reminded
me of Gabriel Ravel, when in his glory as The White Knight. It would
be hard to say which wore the nattier cap, but that of the Admiral
was of the more jaunty cut, while the General--gold cord for a band
and gold buttons, especially became his blue eyes. If the officers of
the army, navy and transports could be photographed as they stood in
dazzling array, as if hewn from marble, the fashion plate resulting
would be incomparably attractive, and in the summers to come we shall
find among the influences of our tropical adventure and possessions
a heightening of the colors worn by American ladies, and a whitening
of the suits of gentlemen, involving the necessity of "calling in"
white coats, as well as straw hats on stated d