The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-06-19
Russia's Cavalry.

w IltlnS "HueI udle VI May q, Vi Il re-
view held in St. feiershnrgh, in honor Of
the visit of the Emperor of Germany to
the Gar, the correspondent of the London
Daily News says:
The great attraction of the day was
the cavalry, and that tar surpassed any
thing which | have ever seen. The two
elements OF excellence were, OF course,
the horses themselves and the horseman-
ship Cf the riders. Can anybody explain.
the peculiar charm about Russian horses?
Without presuming to answer my own
question. | think | may point out that one
secret with trainers here seems to be to
educate the horse; to make him trust
worthy, faithful, and ambitious, and to
dispose of all those contrivances, which,
in more civilized countries, crush the
spirit out of the poor beasts. In what
other country can one see horses like
those which dash along the Nveska So
free, and fresh and graceful? In what
other country do they have such glossy
skin, such swan-llke necks, such delicate
limbs And in what other country do
they offer such material for cavalry? One
must reflect, too, that Russians of a Ger
tain class are born, like Arabs, in the sad
die. The horse is a member of the family,
a brother, a companion in every adyen-
ture. The Russian Government had,
therefore. good material but it has en-
ploved well, and the proof is the superb
horseman who to-day galloped along bv
Kaiser Wilhelm and his German officers.
The Russian cavalry has the ordinary
divisions found in all Continental armies
namely, hussars, dragons, cuirasslers,
uhlans, &c. rs well rs some species
peculiar to itself. pass over the former,
and only call attention to the horse
These sleek and muscular beasts had eN'-
IDENTIFY been selected rs carefully as The
men themselves. For each battalion they
We're all OF one color, now q glossy black,
now n rich brown, now Il light gray, and
the uniformity seemed to extend even to
their SIZE, shape, and motion. The effect
was singularly striking. The Tcheck and
Cossack cavalry has been 50 often de-
ScrI5ed that there IS nothing new to i'e
said about their appearance. The detach-
ment which took part in the ceremonies ot
to-day Wore bright red Jackets and sort
Of fur hats of the same color, and rode
chestnut ponies. On their backs carbites
We're strapped, and in their hands they
carried long red lances. They led the
cavalry division.
The first circuit Of cavalry was merely
for inspection the second was for evoiu
tions. How imratiently the Cossack-
went through the first, and how eagerly
they entered on the second, The ponir-.
even trembled with enthusiasm. As TIN
cayalcade approached the emperors, the
riders settled firmly in their saddIc~,
loosened the reins little, and-the word
given! Like 4 flash of lightning, and
simultaneously. the horses shoot off, aul
before the spectators have caught their
breath, are half way around the square.
What an astounding pace. If Il horse
should stumble, the rider would nevei
mount again. The CosSacks crouch low
in the saddle and shout like tiends; while
| their long glittering lances, stretching ont
| horizontally far beyond the horses, arr
terrifying even to friends and non-cOm-
batants. The Germans do not spare their
plaudits
They love the IThans who tramplrd
down the Turcos, am the Bismarck cuiIa--
siers who rode into the laws Of death Vt
Mars lie Tour, but nothing like these un-
earthly horsemen from the plains OF Rus
sia Let me not do negative injustice,
however, to the rest of the cavalry. Alter
the second turn around the field, the
whole body formed at the rear, opposite
the Emperors and the amphitheatre. TIN"
| front stretched the whole length Ot the
| field, somewhat lOnger-tO use 4 comphl.-
son which many English readers viii
appreciate-than from the Seine to IT,,
| barracks at the foot of the Champs a '
| Mars, and several regiments deep. There
were probably $4,000 in all-the cuirt--
sicrs, with their white coats and blrN
| horses, the hussarS with their pixies, tur
mounted grenadiers and Dragons, aud at
the wings the reckless Cussacks a4H,u.
The Grand Duke Nicholas waved his
! sword, and the entire force moved tow Wrri
| the Emperors and the spectators At ti.-'
it was 4 light trot, then an easy gal,"r.
| then faster aud faster, till one could q.
| see thousands of gIttering uniforms a.!
| superb horses dashing madly toward n .
| crowd. Nearer and nearer they c.m ..
and ever at the same terrific pace. 1t
be death for the Imperial party, who r
on the ground below Suddenly A.
Grand Dukes sword flies up again in ''
air; the officers pass the word alonl
| still the II, 900 horsemen shake the eal
The Grand Dukes sword falls, and lu'
mighty mass comes to a stop as If trlD
| fixed by an electric shock Perfect silcu r
reigns. Ehe long line of cavalry Is o..
calm and steady as the marble ps.u..
| itself, and far back through the centre ...
is tranquil That was Il glorious sigHt.
and worth n journey to St. Petersburgh
to see. shall never look on such spcc-
tacle again.