_The Influence of Superficial Extent upon Combinations of Colours in Polychromous Uniforms._ I have already several times had occasion to speak of the influence of extent in the proportions of colours even when well associated, I must now add that it is not enough merely to make a satisfactory combination, but that _to produce the best results from colours, they must be employed in suitable respective proportions_. When a colour is in feeble proportion to another, it must be spread as equally as possible throughout the garment; as, for example, in the uniform of the artillery, blue and scarlet; the latter, although far less in superficial proportion, produces a very good effect, because it is distributed throughout the uniform. In a polychromous uniform, where one colour is found in several garments, we must avoid confounding the colour with the superposed or contiguous parts, so as to make one portion seem to belong to another. For example, the French regiments wear red trousers, with a blue coat turned up with the same red as the trousers. What happens? At a certain distance the one seems a part of the other, and the blue coat-tails seem far too narrow. It would be easy to remedy this defect by putting blue with red braid for the portions of the coat turned up. From the above, I admit the two following principles:—1. Whenever the coat and trousers are of the same colour, and there is a second colour put upon the coat in feeble proportion, it must be repeated on the trousers, in a broad band, if the soldier wear boots, or in a braid, if he wear shoes. 2. Whenever the trousers are not of the colour which forms the basis of the coat, but of facings or distinctive parts, a band or simple braid of the main colour of the coat will restore to the trousers their distinctness. * * * * * These remarks show how desirable it is that the choice of colours, and especially of those which are distinctive of regiments or corps, should be the result of rules, established by their adaptation to the duties to be rendered by the regiments wearing them. INDEX.