The climax. [volume] (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1887-1897, 1896-01-22
ENGLAND "SHY" OF CAVALRY
HORSES.


While England probably has the
finest navy of any other nation, and is
tolerabl we'll equipped with guns of latest
pattern and most Of The materials for war,
she is woefully deficient in Understandable
for artillery trains and for cava ry. Good
horses for these purposes have become
scarceu every year. Twenty FIVE orthirtv
years ago England depended upon Aus
tralia as a reliable source OF supply for Ar
tillery horses and cavalry remounts, an
exchange. A great draft was made upon
the country, not alone by Great Britain.
but Russia and France sought that mar
ket for horses In consequence there has
been an increasing scarcity of animals OF
the right stamp, TIE production of wool
in Australia lis far amore profitable indus
try than raising horses, and breeders
have turned their attention to sheep,
which can be raised at much less expense.
Some time ago a British officer
of the Remount Service was sent to Aus
tralia with the object of ascerldiuing the
resources of the Australian studs. He re-
ported that the number of horses good
enough for the army fell very far short o.
the number required. There was not
enough to supply the army in India.
much less ali the other England deEend
encies. 1t is no secret that England army
officers have viewed with alarm the de-
cline Of the class of horses required for
cavalry and artillery Outside Of Australia
and India there is no place for England
to look to for horses. The Persian gulf
sources of supply have been absorbed bv
Russia, and hoTses-breedIng in tropiral
India has not been a success The nation
Cf Europe cOnnOt spare horses for military
service, having immediate use for all
they can raise
Years ago Australian horse breeders
learned that if their horses were good
enough for army purposes in England
they were equally desirable as "bus"
horse to the London and other compa
MES, and. with other countries practi-
cally closed for horses of useful quality,
the demand on Australia more than kept
pace with the supply. When il became
apparent to the Australian farmer that
the rearing of sheep paid better than
horse breeding, he disposed of the Lest
4. Ii q
them in the stud, and this is the one
great reason why good horses of every
class have become scarce in Australia.
The folly of horse owners in being sue
cessfu.ly tempted to part with their best
mares has worked most disastr uslv in
England and her dependent provinces.
India does not, nor can not, produce a
horse suitable for cavalry. What is
wanted is a stout animal, with as much
breeding as possible, varying from an ac-
tive medium sized horse to useful
stock horse; and as the British soldier
and his accOutrements weigh from 200 to
225 pounds, it Is useless to provide him
with a weak and weedy animal. For
this description of horse tie English
Government is prepared TO pay good
price, but he cannot be found in
sufficient numbers. At the close Of the
last official year the Remount Service re
port shows a shortage Of nearly 800
horses. There were plenty of horses in
the market, but Of such an inferior
stamp the Government agents would
not buy them. Out of $50 or 300 horses
offered only One-third OF the number
were fairly good animals. The remain
| der were nothing but weeds which the
agent refused TO take. If this state of
things exists in times of piping peace
what would be the result If war should
/ ensue, when an enormous number of
| animals would be required for every de-
/ partment of the military service save the
navy. The War Department of the
! English Government has not evinced
lOres, glIt in contemplating the weakness
| IF the cavalry and field artillery servic G.
| lhere has bten DOthlng 10 prevent the
agents of foreign governments from
buving all the available animals and
shipping them out of this country. In
fact Captain d. NJ Taylor OF the Ord
nance Department L. S. A. did call this
| attention of the Government to the diff
ficulty OF the English Government in
obtaining Eorses suitable for the military
service and pointed to the fact lha
American markets we're open to the
world and foreign governments coult
obtain a supply which would stand then
in good stead in time of need.
Under existing circumstances tbii
government would take some step t
curtail any wholesale shipment of horses
from this country Stock Farm.