The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1910-07-15

| A modern army requires vast mum.
| bers of horses not only in time of wal
but also in time Of peace to furnish
remounts for the cavalary and field
| artillery and draught ard saddle ami
mails for other purposes. The mill
tary service requires particular kind
| Of horse with qualities differing some
what from those required for civilian
| use; consequently most nations raise
their own horses for the army. 1t is
'ery important in time of war that
every nation should be able to supply
its own army with all the horses
needed for the field and not to be de-
pendent on any other nation
Until recently the United States
had taken no steps to establish breed
ing farms for horses for the army,
but lately study of the subject by the
General Staff has emphasized the fact
that such establishments are abso-
lutely necessary not only to fit out
our armies, but also to keep them
supplied with serviceable animals in
time Of war.
Recently the Quartermaster-G
eral Of the army entered into nego-
tiations with the Department of
Agriculture and selected representa-
tives to undertake the development
of system by which the Department
of Agriculture would be able to breed
a horse suitable for military pur-
~ r,,o 81 l.
ture will be represented in this work
by the animal husbandman of that
department, George M. Rommel, and
the Quartermaster's Department by
cavalry officer, Captain Casper H.
Conrad. Jr., now on duty to purchase
horses for the apmy. Army remount
depots have been established at Forts
Keogh and Reno and elsewhere.
The establishment of horse breed
ing farms for the army has been adj
vocated for number of years in this
country, especially by the cavalry and
the Quartermaster' Department, and
several years ago General Carter on
his way to the Philippines was di-
rected to investigate the subject in
Europe. Later, in 1907, the officers
detailed to witness the maneuvres in
Germany, with General Edgerly Can
experienced cavalry Officer) at their
head, were also instructed to study
and report upon the horse breeding
establishments in Germany and Aus
tria. Finally an excellent report on
the subject was submitted to the De-
partment in Washington by Consul
General A. M. Thackara at Berlin,
and this became the foundation for
the system which is now being carried
into effect
The horse breeding establishments
are generally under the Department
of Agriculture in all European coun-
tries, and we are profiting by the ey-
perience of these nations. Russia is
the only country that has these es-
Establishments entirely under military
control, but in Austria they are or
ganized in a military way and the
War Department has charge of their
inspection and supervision, although |
the management Is left entirely to the |
of Agriculture.
Germany, on account of her large |
and important army, is naturally the |
model for such establishments. The
stud farms of Germany |
are noted in the military world for !.
their excellent practical systems and |
the results they have attained. OF |
these the most noted are those of |
Prussia and Trakehnen, Graditz and |
Beberbeck. The purpose of these is
to improve the breed of horses in
the country and to produce distinct
breeds for various purposes. The
Prussian stud farms alone contain
about forty grown stations, and 500 /
mares, and 1000 young stations and !
mares.
The number of horses in the Ger
man army in time of peace amounts
% about 10000. Every year at the
end of the autumn maneuvres, when
he new recruits also enter the army,
he horses unfit for service are dis