TARTAR SOLDIERS 



175 



I brought back with me from the cadres a great admira- 

 tion for the willing and cheerful manner in which Russian 

 soldiers set about anything they are told to do by their 

 officers, who are certainly physically inferior to their men. 

 In our army, it is the other way about, thanks to the athletic 

 training carried on in our public schools and colleges. Seeing 

 both Tartar and Russian soldiers together in the same cadres, 

 I often asked if the former were as good for military purposes 

 as the latter, and always received the reply that practically 

 there was no difference between the two. Although from 

 personal knowledge I have a very high opinion of the men 

 of our Indian cavalry, Guides, Hyderabad Contingent, and 

 of our Sikh, Goorkha, Rajput and Patan infantry regiments, I 

 would not like to compare them with the Mr. Thomas Atkins 

 who is in India. The young Mr. A. who has had only home 

 service is not such a formidable individual, as his more travelled 

 brother. 



