Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-01-06
WORKMANSHIP
IN THE U. 5. ARMY
Officers Must Pass the Riding
Tests Prescribed by Presi-
dent or be Retired.
GEN. BELL SUBMITS REPORT.
In Europe Mounted Officers Must
Keep Themselves and Mounts In
Fit Condition for Instant War.

Washington. Jan. 5,-Thirteen photo
graphs from life. illustrative of hair
raising exploits in horsemanship, form
the unique exhibit sent to Congress by
direction OF the president to accom-
pany recommendations from himself
and the chief of the STAFF for the bet
terinent of army riding. These pictures
are Intended to show how far ahead
of American military men are Euro
peans in the art OF riding. They cer-
tainly constitute remarkable series.
one Of the most thrilling pictures rep
resents an Italian cavalryman riding
over 20-foot perpendicular cliff the
photograph being taken In series to
illustrate the sagacity of the horse
and the skill of the rider in maintaining
a pose within the center of gravity in
different stages of the descent. There
are pictures of German student officers
apparently leaping from hill to hill, of
fat majors and observation-disclosures of
the game nationality going through
boys and swamps, over hedges. French
obstacle riding the famous drag-hunt
of the German army, and stirring pic
lures of the hounds in full cry on boar
hunts.
these pictures consists of a letter from
the president 10 the secretary of war
on Dec. 80 last, requiring of him to So
cure legislation regarding infantry
mounted officers and establish remount
depots saying:
Both of these measures are essential
to the Improvement of horsemanship
in the army"
Another letter from the president to
the chairman OF the house committee on
military affairs transmits report
from Maj.-Gen. Bell. chief of staff.
explaining the photographs the pre-
sident saying:
1.-THE field officers of our army can
not be held exclusively responsible for
the poor riding which has been fire.
quently observed among them. The
quality OF our horses does not equal
that of mounts used in foreign armies.
Furthermore though all infantry cap
tains IN European armies are mounted.
an infantry officer in our service has
little opportunity TO practise riding I'M
til ne becomes field officer"
Gen. Bell prefaces his report by quot
ing note from the president referring
to "a number OF press comments, APP
parently inspired by the impression
that such test riding ability was
somewhat extraordinary and unheard
Of and requesting him to state the
III lOTPlRH armies III lillS
respect. Speaking generally the re-
port shows that the rule in Europe is
that all mounted officers of every
grade shall keen themselves and their
mounts In fit condition for instant war.
and most OF them maintain schools
where student officers are constantly
under instruction in horsemanship.
Moreover. the conditions of European
service are so different from our own
that the daily work of nearly all
mounted officers Is performed under
the eye of their superior officers, af-
fording ample opportunity to judge of
their qualifications In horsemanship,
so that special tests are superfluous.
The great annual maneuvers also afford
practical testing fields OF all officers,
and any officer deficient in horseman-
ship at any time is assigned to some
kind of duty not recurring physical ac-
tivity. practically shelved or becomes
subject to retirement without further
examination. Cross-country riding to
hounds is participated in by all mount
ed officers. whose efficiency in riding
is as well known to everybody as their
personality.
Taking up the great military coun-
tries separately, Gen. Bell praises the
French cavalry All officers of caval-
ry take a two months course in
equitation and In ordnance whenever
AliSS DttOiie at Hdkeb varying
from 80 to So years and weights rang
ing from 1873 pounds TO $50 pounds The
course includes obstacle jumping hedge
and water jumping and cross country
work generally, The school horses
are used and changed every day, and
the officer spends about four and a
half hours daily in the saddle. Be
side this. he exercises his own two
or three private mounts. Steepe-
chasing is frequently INDUCED in. and
ii is not an uncommon thing TO see
gray-haired majors or lieutenant colo
nels indulging in this sport One French
test last year consisted OF one day OF
school work, one day for a march APP
proaching As miles at an average speed
of eight miles an hour. one two-mle
steeplechase and one days obstacle
jumping.
In Germany II Is a common thing to
call goodly number officers OF the
rank of captain and higher from the
army for deficiency in riding or endur- |
ance in the saddle. when brigades |
and divisions frequently march 90 miles |
per day mostly at night, II can be |
seen that very considerable demand !