, 1873-06-01
RUSSiA'S CAVALRY,

| Riding.
| Writing under date Of May 2, Of review helt
in st. Petersburg in honor Of the visit OF the En-
peror Of Germany to the Gar, the correspondent
Of the London Daily Netos says:
The great attraction OF the day was the cav.
airy, and that far surpassed anything which
have ever seen- The two elements OF excellence
| we're, OF consse, the horses themselves and the
horsemanshlp Of the riders. Can anybody OK.
plain the peculiar charm about Russian horses
Without presuning to answer my own question,
think I may point out that one secret
With trainers here seems to be to educate the
horse; to make him trustworthy, faithful, am-
trivances which, in more civilized countries,
crush the spirit out Of the poor beasts. In what
other country can one Eee horses like those
which dash along the Nyeska 80 free, and fresh,
and graoefmf In what other country do they
have such glossy skin, such swan like necks,
such delicate 1imbs7 And in what other country
do they offer such material for cayaIry2 Ono
must reflect, too, that Russians of certain class
are born, like Arabs, in the saddle. The horse
is member Of the family, brother, compan-
mont had, therefore, good material but it hns
employed it well, and the proof is the superb
horsemen who to-day gauoped along by Kaiser
Wilhelm and his German officers. The Rus
sian cavalry has the ordinary divisions found in
all Continental a11nies, namely, hussars, dra-
Roons, crirassiers, uh1ans, Gc.,-as we'll al some
species peculiar to itself. pass over the for
mer, and only call attention to the horses. These
sleek and muscular beasts had evidently been se-
lected as carefully as the men themselves For
each battalion they we're ali Of one color, now a
glossy black, now a rich brown, now light
gray, and the uniformity seemed to extend even
to their size shape, aud motion. The effect Was
singularly striking. The Tcheck and Cosaack
Is nothing new to be said about their appear
ance. Tho detachment which took part in the
ceremonies OF to-day wore bright red jackets
and o sort Of fur hats Of the same color, and
rode rode chestnut ponies; On their backs carbines
long red lances. They led the cavalry division.
The first circuit Of cavalry WAS
mere merely for ~ inspection the second
eagerly they entered on the second! The ponies,
even, trembled with enthusiasm As tho caval-
cade approached tile Emperors, the riders set
tied firmly in their saddles, loosoned the reins
Little. and-the word is given! Like flash Of
OIL, and before the spectators have caught their
breath, ure half way aronnd the square. What
an astounding pace! It 3 horse should stumble,
tho rider would nerer mount again. The Cos
aends; while their long gitterng lances, strstch-
ing out horizontally far beyond the horses, are
terrifying oven to friends and nou-combatants.
Tho Germans do not spare their plaudits.
Lucy lOFG EQo Qll1DS VINO tr2mpi6Q
down the Turcos. and the Bismarck
Cuirassiors who rode into the jaws Of death st
Mars le Tour, but nothing like these unenrthly
horsemen from the plains Of Russia. Let me
not do negative injustice, however, to the rest
OF tho cavalry. After tho second turn around
the field tho whole body formed at the rear, op-
poslte the Eraperors and the amphitheat1e. Tho
front stretched tho whole length Of the field
somewhat l0nger-to use 4 comparison which
many Engliah readers will appreciate-than
from the Seine to the barracks at the foot Of tho
Champs de Mars, and several regiments deep.
There were probably Is, 900 in al1-the cuiras-
siers with their white coats and heavy black
horses, tho hussars with their pixies, the |
mounted grenadiers and the dragons, and at
the wings the reckless CossackB again. The |
Grand Duke Nicholas waved his sword, and the /
entire force moved toward the Emperors and |
the spectators. At first it was light trot then
IN easy galIop, then faater and faster, till ons |
could only see thousands Of Glittering uniforms |
and superb horses dashing 1nadIy toward the
crowd. Nearer aud nearer they come, and ever
vt the same terrific pace. It will DO death for !
The Imperial party who are On the ground be-
low! Suddenly the Grand Dukes sword flies up
again ii tho air; the officers pass the word
a1ong; still the is GOO horsemen shake the earth.
The Grand Duke'a sword falls, and the mighty
LASS comos to stop as if transflxed BY an cleo
TIC shock. Perfect silence reigns. The long
inc Of cavalry is ns calm and steady as the mar
ole palace itself, and far back through the CEN
res all is tranquil That was q glorious sight,
md worth journey to st. Petersburg to see.
Rhall never look on such spectacle again.