New-York tribune., 1908-07-30
HORSE GUARDS TO GO
Disbandment of King Ed1cards S
Historic Blues. "
DOWNRIGHT. lsos. by the brentwood coaapany.j

ro,,rt. society and. in fact. the general public
are greatly wrought up in England over the news
that the Secretary of War in Difference TO the per-
o-npto-v demands of the Treasury for reduction
= ,ba current army estimates by least. $1,000
40 has resolved upon sweeping reductions in the
strength of the standing army, and that among
the regiments marked for disbandment are the
1r,ss Guards and either the Royal Horse Guards
or else the 20 Life Guards.
The Royal Irish Guards. as now organized are
relatively modern corps, and although their dls-
rance would excite very natural III VIII
n The Emerald Isle, yet it would not excite nearly
s much feeling among all classes Of the popula-
-ion as the Nipng out of existence OF either the
Horse Guards or of the two regiments of Life
Guards For these are among the most historic
regiments Of the British army, and. although they
constitute the bodyguard of the sovereign ana OF
she -eIgning house. in no sense OF the WORD
how troops having distinguished themselves
greatly in the battle OF Dettingen under George
y where they carried the day; also throughout
,Se Pennsuar war, under the Duke Of Yelling
- as well as AT Waterloo. where their charges
90 historic likewise in Egypt. IN 1882. at the bat
+,s of Tel-el- Kebir In fact. had II not been for
,hei- wonderful rapid ride across the desert to
cairo Immediately after the battle and for the fact
,ra+ they reached the ancient metropolis of Egypt
long before they were expected, taking completely
h,- surprise the insurgents the latter would un-
5or1bedlv have fulfilled their intention Of reducing
me entire city TO flames Just as the Russians did
n. MOSCOW when the first Emperor Napoleon IN
R11SS Horse
,-s. he said indeed to have saved Cairo. with ell
,,e historic buildings and monuments As camel
co-rs they again took part in Lord WolseleE : sue
cessruI expedition up the Nile in 1885 to rescue
Cz,-5on at Khartoum- And. last but not least they
te5 their fair share fighting in the South Afri-
o,r var The three regiments constitute single
o-ranization and are a magnificent body OF men.
ssch one of the rank and file being six foot or over
their stature being still further increased by their
,,r1 silver plated brass mounted and pluned he'll
,,a+s They are superbly mounted, the chargers
being all Of them over sixteen hands high ana
-oo--esponding in size 70 their riders.
The regiment was-or. rather, the three regiments
- first instituted in 1850 by King Edward VI
and were then revived by King Charles II at The
F5sC1e when negotiations We're in progress Tor the
-as,o-atIo1 Of the monarchy in England Having
around him upward OF three thousand cavaliers
che wreck Of those fine armies which had fought
en- valianfly for the royal cause during the civil
War he on Nav II OF that year, formed the pick
of them into a corps. which he named His Maj
estv's Guards. To the command Of this noble
hand. all of whom were men OF gentls> birth, ne
srpofnted Charles Lord Gerard, of Brandon. after
ward Earl Of Maccesfeld When he sailed from
Holland he was accompanied by this corps OF Life
Guards who. mounted huge Flemish chargers
constituted his escort when he rode into London
4 few months afterward they were placed on the
establishment Of the British army, and, in addi-
ton 10 the ordinary duties OF furnishing mounted
escorts for the royal family. they were intrusted
more especially with the task OF watching over
the safety of the monarch The chief response
bilty IN this connection rested with the colonel,
who such required TO be in attendance on
the Kings person from the time OF his Tisng until
his going TO bed and known by the title of
the Gold Stick in Waiting. Because Of his honor
able and important Office he carried in his hand
ebony staff with gold head, engraved with the
sovereign's cipher and crown. A major lieu
tenant colonel OF the corps assisted him IN his
duties bearing ebony staff tipped with silver,
and was known the Silver Stick in Waiting.
In the course Of time the single corps Of Life
Guards was developed into three regiments, known
respectively, to this day, the lst and % Life
Guards, whose Iunics scarlet, and the Horse
Guards, whose tunics blue. and who known
as the Blues" All three regiments wear steel
cuirasses For more than = century they were re-
crJited exclusively from men OF birth and educa-
tion, and were officially described as the Gentle
OF the Life Guards Nowadays the rank and
Hle is composed Of men taken from the humber
classes OF life, although frequently young fellow
Of birth who has come 10 grief financially enIists
In these splendid regiments whose pay IS superior
to that Of the cavalry regiments OF the line.