The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-14
Brilliant Evolutions Over Rough
Country DISTINCTIONS.
EFFECTIVE SWORD PLAY.
American and European Horsemanship
Contrasted to Our Advantage.
HOW AUSTRIA TEACHES HER MOUNTED MEN.

Al has already been lntimated to you by tele-
gram the Emperor OF Austria had yesterday
small parade OF troops. representing all branches
Of the military service, as a method of enabling
his royal visitors to judge OF the Austrian military
tactics. When it Is considered that Austria on
1t must be admitted that two battalions Of in
Jantry two squadrons OF cavalry and q battery OF
field artillery do not constitute her administrative
army; but the object Of the review yesterday was
not to display numbers, but to enable the critical
spectators to form some Judgment With regard to
the manner Of Austrian drill. The topic can hardly
fail to have some interest for the readers Of the
HERALD. America is not, it is true, warlike ma
tioH IN the sense that she maintains, as do the
chief States OF Europe, large standing armies;
but from her midst the memory OF perhaps the
most herculean war OF modern times has not died
out, and in her population are military men
whO not the less for their nominal citizenship,
are keen students of the art Of war. 1t may then
interest large number OF your readers If give
brief sketch Of the tactics which the Emperor
Franz Joseph showed to his august visitors on the
Exercier PlatZ.
The two Dattalions OF infantry were BO-
hemians, who constituted the most valu-
able contingency Of that somewhat heterogeneous
body, the AustrO- Hungarian army. Physically the
men were all that could be DESIRED and the equip.
xnent was at once neat and serviceable AS regards
their infantry, however, the Austrians notwith-
standing the experience OF 1866, seem scarcelJ to
have emancipated themselves from the teachings,
admirable in their day, of such men as Frederick
The Great IA foreigner yet not less an Austrian
military INSTRUCTOR, Prince Eugene and the Arch
duke Albert. Their drill Is formal and antiquated
To eject the result of a given formation l
noticed that they more than once marched,
n
distance that was necessary. had the
simplest method been adopted. The practical genius
Of the American military man went early to the
root OF the question orformal drill, and believe all
those present yesterday qualified to judge will bear
me ont in the assertion that American troops OF
the line, whether mobized with rapidlty yet
drilled with reasonable efficiency as was the case
In the war which so bloodily sgnalizes your annals
have nothing to learn from the smart but rather
buckram battalions Of Austria Nevertheless, TO
these their due must be given. They march with ex-
celent dressing and with quick and seemingly
lasting stride, their pace being about 1ls to the
minute. They are armed with useful wear-and-tear
smalLbored breech-loader and with sword bayo.
net; their knapsacks are sung SO as to save their
chests, and their boots, perhaps the most impor-
tant item in serviceable campaigning as many an
American knows so welfare well made and
70 all appearance durable. soldier who has wit
messed parade OF the infantry OF various European
nations would not be inclined to do more than regard
the Austrian infantry as serviceabe, troops to
whose drill some improvements would be obviously
desirable. The Kaiser. after closely parading the
two battalons, put them through course OF COM
pany and afterwards of battalion drill which con-
Guided with q march past executed in a careful
and, it may almost be said, brilliant manner.
CAVALRY DRILL.
When the cavalry exercise began it was apparent
that something that was new to at least the
British section OF military spectators was about
being enacted. 1t is hardly the place in your COL
umns, however fascinating is the topic, to engage
in description of the characteristics of one had
almost said, the ldosyncracies OF the cavalry OF
the different European nationatiess Rather lie t
me allude in a few words to what is on record with
regard to the capacities OF the cavalry, necessarily
for the most part improvised of your own country.
The smallness Of your standing army admits not OF
long continued equation drill or OF careful in
struction in very careful cavalry duties. In the
United States according to your present and, 1t is
10 be hoped, your constant army organiza-
tion, a large force Of cavary-if unfor-
tunately, necessity should ever again &C.
cur for its being raised-must, in the
nature OF things, partake somewhat of scratch"
and make shit character. This attribute must, as
individual intelligence Of the men and the acute
ness OF the officers. The time has passed for the
world, and 1t may, without arrogance, be said,
more especially for the United States, to spend
year in teaching biped how to bestride quadru
ped at trot without stirrups and without
tumbling OF. The emergencies Of modern war
fare demand that the dragon must almost be like
the poet-"born, not maden-or, at least that he
must be habituated to his saddle and to the duties
Df the professional cavalry soldier in less time
than under the Old Hanoveran regime when 1t
used to take cavalry recruit months to learn
how TO hold his rens. At the risk OF abiding to
circumstances calculated 10 dsinter unpleasant
memories, where now all is at peace between
North and South, one need only refer, as evidenc-
ing the efficiency OF what l may call ready. made
cavalry, to the brilliant dongs Of the gallant Con.
federate General stewart to the not certainly less
brilliant doings of the Federal cavalry during
tie remarkable ride OF Sheridan, and to
some minor but not less illustrative exploits OF
the dragons whom Sherman commanded in his
notable campaign in Georgia. IL would seem. then,
Judging from what know OF American cavalry
tactics, and recurring to them In the side light
thrown upon them by the evolutions to which l
was q witness yesterday morning, that American
tacticians, should 1t unfortunately be their lot
again to use the lessons taught, either by their
own countrymen or by foreigners, have less to
learn, and what is still probably greater matter,
less to unlearn in regard to cavalry work in gen.
eral than the soldier-teachers OF almost any other
nationality.
AUSTRIAN PROFICIENCY.
Still there was much for them that was instruc-
hve, and, indeed, for every jealous cavalryman,
IN the Few and comparatively simple man9uvres
o. the TWO squadrons the Emperor drilled on the
Exercise Platz yesterday msrnng. The dun pla-
teau was studded thick with Obstacles such as
are common In what England would be termed
fair hunting country. hedges, bitches, dykes,
lone stone walls and other fp,pedimenta not for.
midable TO tho nraGticed fonoAr hnt such as are