The New York herald., 1876-12-19
Polo and Cavalry Tactfcs-Misjudge ed
Economy.


Economy.
In another column we present the views
of the West Point authorities concerning
polo an auxiliary to cavalry exercise.
With the quick perception of trained and
experienced soldiers they admit the merits
Of the game, though we apprehend that the
influence of long habit has bred an extreme
attachment to the old methods. 1t would
be unseemly in us to differ too boldly upon
any point of military training with officers Of
the ability and experience of General Scho-
field or Colonel Beaumont. We therefore
defer with great respect to their opinions,
while venturing the belief that polo
is far superior to the traditional
riding-hall tactics as method Of
trimming cavalrymen. In the riding
hall feat of cutting heads" and jumping
hurdles the trooper performs set tasks which
after long practice come to be merely
mechanical both horse and rider executing
automatically the mannuvres demanded of
them. The polo player, on the contrary,
has no such easy advantage. His move
ments must necessarily be sudden and un-
premeditated and his mind perpetually on
the alert. The cutting of a fixed s'head"
com mpares with the stroke at flying polo
bali about as shot at sitting bird COM
pares with a shot upon the wing. The action
Of the polo player can never become auto
matte. AS the ball shifts like lightning from
place to place he must follow it at every
tickle turn, not knowing until the very
instant how and at what point his stroke
is to be delivered. He can no moro
plan 'out his feats beforehand than cal
culate the next figures OF the Kaleidoscope
This continual alertness this necessity of
quick and accurate strokes delivered in all
imaginable postures, this familiarity with
the melee and this necessity of doing prompt
and perpetual brainwork for both man and
horse, form what We conceive to be the best
possible exercise for the development of
perfect cavalryman. We submit the opin-
ion. with our respects, to the learned and
skilful authorities of the Military Academy,
and we feel sure that when they have seen a
game of polo in full action they will deem
it not only a valuable adjunct, but an actual
necessity to their system.
The approval both of instructors and
cadets is not, we regret TO say, sufficient to
cause the adoption of this desirable addition
to the West Point tactics. It is a humiiat-
ing fact that the provision for the wants Of
the Academy is too scanty to permit the
slight expense of such an innovation. The
institution is even suffering for absolutely
necessary things. Last year Congress very
parsimoniously refused an appropriation for
the completion Of the new hospital, already
half constructed, notwithstanding the fact
that the Board of Visitors had condemned
the old hospital building as ''utterly unfit
for that purpose" A new water supply is
urgently needed, last summers drought hay
ing amply proved the insufficiency of the
present one. We believe Congress even
voted away the Superintendents small con-
tingent fund, leaving no provision for the
entertainment nf visitors, OF whom there are
many of distinction every year from all
parts of Europe. The nation owes a debt of
gratitude to West Point It is an institu.
ton to be cherished and literally dealt with,
even from more selfish motives than that of
gratitude In addition to an ample appro-
priation for ordinary needs Congress should
provide reasonable contingent fund to be
used at the discretion of the Superintend-
ent. When the judgment of that trusted
officer approves the introduction Of so valu-
able an exercise as polo his decision should
not be made to wait upon the restraint of
niggardly and undiscriminating economists.
Lot ~ okt 10 -
with just if not generous hand.