Thus it came about that the accepted sailor uniform consisted of easy fitting garments suited to the work of hauling on the ropes, working aloft on the rigging, masts and spars of the sailing ships and pulling at the oars of the small boats. From this beginning came the sailor uniform of to-day, the bell-mouthed trousers that could be rolled up quickly and easily when the barefooted sailors washed down the decks, the easy-fitting, loose-necked shirt or “jumper,” the short overcoat or “peacoat” for winter wear, and the loose-topped, brimless cap which to give it a smarter appearance when going ashore “on liberty” (the sailor term for leave of absence) was provided with a light ring or “grommet” to stretch the crown out flat, resulting in the common sailor “flat-hat” of to-day. This sailor uniform was originally designed for wear aboard ships driven by sail-power, and though it is not especially suited to the great steam-driven dreadnaughts of the modern navy it is still retained, partly on account of sentiment and tradition and partly on account of the fact that the Navy is probably more conservative than any other profession or calling. The uniforms of both officers and enlisted men in the United States Navy follow rather closely in style, color and cut those worn in the British Navy, and some interesting traditions of the latter service may be seen even in our naval service. For instance, the black neckerchief worn alike by the British and American sailor was made black after Trafalgar as an emblem of mourning for the Great Nelson, and the three white stripes around the edges of the collar were so placed to commemorate Nelson’s three great victories, Copenhagen, the Nile and Trafalgar. In all countries naval uniforms follow much the same patterns and practically all are of the same colors; dark blue, the so-called “navy blue,” for winter wear, and white for summer wear. The need of an inconspicuous uniform for naval officers and men is not so apparent as it is in the case of the land forces, since in the battles of ships at sea it is the ship which is the target and not the personnel as in the battles on land. Thus we see how tradition, sentiment and military necessity have each played a part in the development of the uniforms worn by the fighting forces of our country on land and sea. CHAPTER II SERVICE, CORPS AND RANK The armed forces of the United States of America provided by the statute law of the land pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution are embraced within two grand divisions, the land forces and the sea forces, under the supreme command of the President as Commander-in-Chief. These two grand divisions are subdivided into various services according to the duties required of them and the laws establishing and maintaining them.