8*2 OUR CAVALRY. 



spirit of emulation would spring up amongst 

 those officers now unknown. The improvement 

 resulting from this system might be slow, and 

 confined, perhaps, at first, to one troop, then 

 gradually to others, while one or two might not 

 improve at all. The captains commanding 

 these last should be first encouraged to do 

 better, and reprimanded if the evil arose from 

 their want of will. From whatever cause the 

 inferior discipline of a troop might arise, it 

 must not be allowed to continue, though it 

 should become necessary for its captain to 

 leave a service for which he had shown himself 

 unfit. There would be no cruelty in this when 

 we reflect on the fatal consequences which so 

 often result when cavalry display a want of 

 discipline in action. 



The dragoons, when exercised in troop drills, 

 should move with very wide intervals between 

 each horse. Persons who understand riding, 

 and have seen much of our riding-schools, know 

 that they never turn out a good horseman ; and 

 the principal reason for this is, the confined 

 space of a school. But troops are in a school 

 when out of doors, unless made to move with 

 wide intervals. Dragoons cannot maintain 



