In accordance with the practical suggestions of several distinguished military officers, and others, care has been taken to provide a great variety of patterns and uniforms, the colours of which, assimilating to every conceivable shade of surrounding objects, cause the wearer to present as indistinct a mark as possible to the enemy's aim. Besides the neutral greys corresponding to the mixed colours of the heath, and the brown mixture identical with the colour of the mud, samples have been manufactured of slate-colour and brick-dust red, calculated for house-top service amongst the chimney pots, of bright green with mother-of-pearl and gilt buttons intermingled, adapted for field fighting in case of an invasion occurring at the time of the daisies and buttercups, of straw colour for a harvest or stubble brigade, and of snowy white, which would be a suitable tint if we were to be attacked simultaneously by the foe and the frost. A splendid pattern has also been made of cloth of gold and silver, the dazzling effect of which under a glare of sunshine, in the midst of a Turneresque landscape, would be such as utterly to bewilder the aim of the most expert marksman. All these wonderful uniforms, warranted incapable of being hit, besides a regulation rifle guaranteed never to miss, to be had at Messrs. Punch and Co.'s, Army Clothiers, 85, Fleet Street, where every species of Gentlemanlike Dressing is supplied to those requiring a superior article and good cut. [Sidenote: _Death of "The Duke"_] The challenge to Cobden to declare himself soon gave place to direct attacks on the pacificists, and the death of the Duke of Wellington gave _Punch_ a fresh text on which to expound the doctrine of preparation. RENDERING UP THE SWORD Our Arthur sleeps--our Arthur is not dead. Excalibar shall yet leap from the sheath, Should e'er invading foot this England tread-- Upstirring, then, his marble tomb beneath. Our Wellington's undying fire shall burn Through all our veins--until the foeman say, "Behold, their Arthur doth to life return!" And awestruck from the onset shrink away. Moreover, _Punch_ defends the martial pageantry at the Duke's funeral at this juncture on the ground that it served to show to "Continental despots and bigots with what enthusiasm we yet honour military heroism; that if we have abjured the life of strife, we have not renounced the spirit of valour." [Illustration: ABERDEEN SMOKING THE PIPE OF PEACE] [Illustration: ITINERANT NEWSMAN, No. 1: "I say, Bill, what are you givin' 'em?" DITTO, No. 2: "Grand Massacre of the French, and Terrible Slaughter of the British Troops."] [Sidenote: _Outbreak of War_]