Part 237

Military JUSTICE, (Justice Militaire, Fr.) That species of justice which prevails in the army, and corresponds with the articles of War.

KABBADE or CABADE, Fr. A military dress which is worn by the modern Greeks. According to Tzetzes it derives its name from Cabades, a Persian king. Codinus, on the other hand, asserts, that the Greeks in Constantinople adopted it in imitation of the Assyrians. Others again maintain, that it owes its appellation to the resemblance which it bears to a Greek letter. Father Goar, the author, very justly ridicules this etymology. We are, however, authorized to say, that be the derivation of the word what it may, the dress itself consists of a short garment which was worn underneath another. It had not any folds, but sat close to the body, being buttoned with large buttons, and reaching down to the calves of the legs. It was fringed round the edges, and was usually worn with a girdle; such is the description which Father Goar has given of the kabbades in his notes upon Codinus. He concludes by observing, that in his opinion it is what the Romans called sagum, and the modern Greeks afterwards corrupted into kabbade.

KAK TOWDA, Ind. Fine mould beat strongly in between two walls, for the purpose of shooting arrows into when the walls are taken away.

KALEE, Ind. An Hindoo deity the genius of evil; the infernal god, to whom human beings are sacrificed.

KALLAAT or KELAUT, Ind. a dress which is given to any person invested with a new office.

KALMUCS, (Kalmouques, Fr.) This word is generally written Calmucs. They are wandering tribes of Tartars, who inhabit the parts north of the Caspian sea. These hordes frequently put themselves under the protection of the court of Russia. A French writer describes the Kalmucs to be a sort of militia, which is established between Siberia and the Caspian sea. There are generally some regiments of them attached to the Russian armies in common with the Cossacks. They are armed with a lance iron pointed, about six feet long, and carry a bow with a quiver upon their backs, containing ten arrows. They never serve on foot, and are only formidable by name.

KALSA, Ind. The treasury.

KALSA CUTCHERRY, Ind. the room of business, where the business of the army is transacted; and all matters of litigation on that branch of service is determined.

KHAN, an officer in Persia, who is invested with the same powers that are entrusted to an European governor.

KANAUTS, Ind. a term used in India, to express the walls of a canvas tent.

KATAA, the Indian name for China.

KATIK, an Indian month, which in some measure coincides with our month of October.

KAULAUBHAIJE, the Indian term for message.

KECHERKLECHI, guards attached to the person of the king of Persia; they are armed with a musquet of an extraordinary size and calibre. They were raised and formed into a regular corps the middle of the last century.

KEELS, the long boats in which the Saxons successfully invaded England were so called.

KEEP, in ancient military history, a kind of strong tower which was built in the centre of a castle or fort, to which the besieged retreated and made their last efforts of defence. Of this description is the keep of Windsor Castle.

King’s KEEP, a fort built by king Henry II. in the interior part of Dover castle is so called.

To KEEP off, in a military sense, is either to deter your enemy from approaching close to the lines or fortifications by inducing him to suspect a superior force, an ambuscade, or a mine, or by openly galling his advanced posts in such a manner as to beat him in detail. Infantry may keep off cavalry by hot firing, or by a compact intrepid direction of the bayonet.

To KEEP up, in military movements, is the preservation of that regular pace, by which a line or column, on a march, or in manœuvring, advances towards any given point without any chasms or fluctuations. When a regiment marches by files, it is almost impossible for the rear to keep up. On this account, divisions, subdivisions, and even sections, are best calculated to preserve a regular depth and continuity of march.

To KEEP up, likewise signifies to attend to the interior management and discipline of a corps, so as to prevent the least deviation from established rules and regulations. Thus commanding officers are said to keep up good order and discipline, who, whilst absent or present, provide against the least insubordination, &c.

To KEEP up a heavy fire, is to play with heavy ordnance against a fortified place, or body of men, by a calm and well-directed succession of shot. In musquetry firing, officers commanding battalions, divisions, or platoons, should be very exact in giving the word in order to keep up the different firings.

KEERAY, Ind. expences, charges.

KENT. It is the peculiar duty of the county lieutenant, or of three deputy lieutenants belonging to this English county, to issue orders to the chief constables of the several hundreds to send out precepts to the churchwardens or overseers to return a list of men liable to serve. The churchwardens and overseers of the county of Kent are, by act of parliament, invested with the powers of constables, to put in force the militia acts.

KENTASSI, a range of mountains in Thibet, in which are the sources of the Ganges. This river, formed from several sources, passes successively two great lakes, and flows to the west, until the opposition of a part of the Indian Caucasus turns it to the south, and having completed in these various directions a course of two hundred leagues, it enters India by forcing its passage through the mountains of the frontier.

KERANA, a long trumpet, similar in shape and size to the speaking trumpet. The Persians use it whenever they wish to make any extraordinary noise, and they frequently blow it with hautboys, kettle drums and other instruments at sunset, and two hours after midnight.

KEREEF, Ind. One of the two seasons into which the year is divided in India.

KERIMCHARRY, Ind. an inferior officer under the Zemindar, who collects from the villages, and keeps the accounts.

KERN. Irish, a soldier. The Irish infantry were formerly distinguished by this appellation. The men in those days were armed with a sword, and a dart or javelin, which was tied to a small cord, so that after they had thrown it at the enemy, they could instantly recover it, and use it in any way they thought proper. The javelin was called skene, which is also the Irish for a knife.