'Russia and India in 1903' [‎15r] (29/68)

THE INDIAN CAVALRY.
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their action. Whether we shall be able to afford, to feed
their mounts beyond our frontier is another question,
but the training of cavalry will have to be very different
to what it has been in the past if it expects to^take
the part that I hope to see it take in future wars.
This was a very frank expression on the part of the
late Commander-in-Chief. As to India being an ideal
mounted infantry country, there are no two opinions,
and it is worthy of note that the Russians have in their
Dragoon Corps and Cossacks upwards of 200,000
mounted infantry upon small horses, 1 and organised
apart from the infantry, an arm we reduce still
further in strength, to put them on horseback and
on every odd job. For frontier warfare, also, it is
claimed as essential by the most experienced^ that
every officer, and, if possible, every non-commissioned
officer, should understand signalling both by night and
day. It is usually the only means of communication.
It will thus be seen that the opinion left on the mind
of the traveller is that there is much, very much, yet to
be done before the Army in India can answer con
scientiously that it is ready —absolutely ready —for war.
But, nevertheless, the 20,000 infantry, the 6,000 cavalry,
the 8,000 horses, and the 124 guns assembled at Delhi
impressed all who saw them, and conveyed the assur
ance that, so far as officers and men were individually
concerned, the future, if heed be taken in high quarters,
will be worthy of the past .—The Army and Navy Gazette,
THE INDIAN CAVALRY.
There was certainly no subject of more general
admiration at the Delhi Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). than the cavalry of
the Indian Army. This is saying a good deal. But
the closer the inquiry into its composition and organisa
tion the greater the interest. There are nineteen