242 Hoi'ses on Board Ship. 



which consists of officers who have no special 

 quaHfication for the technical work they are 

 called upon to supervise and execute. Even 

 the slight recommendation of belonging to 

 the Cavalry or Horse or Field Artillery is 

 not insisted upon ; for we find many of these 

 gentlemen are recruited from the Infantry, 

 Militia, Volunteers, and even from the Navy, 

 without proof being required that they possess 

 any acquaintance with horses. In England, 

 horse-owners generally leave the control of 

 their hunters, trappers, and polo ponies so 

 much to their grooms, that the large majority 

 of them have little or no practical experience 

 of stable management, and are consequently 

 incapable of directing its details, which need 

 far more intelligent supervision at sea than 

 on land. 



