282 MILITARY COMMISSION TO EUROPE. 



All the advantages of extra duty pay ought to be secured both to the veterinaries and 

 farriers. 



PURCHASE OF HORSES. 



It would be advantageous to detail officers of cavalry on this duty, just as they now are for 

 the recruiting service. In cases when cavalry officers are recruiting in districts where horses 

 abound, they could attend to both duties at the same time. 



It might at jiresent be proper to select the purchasing officers for their knowledge of horses ; 

 but it is believed that the effect of the education received at the proposed cavalry school would 

 be such that, in a few years, all officers would be capable of purchasing. Animals bought in 

 this way, as occasion offered, and not in large numbers at a time, would be obtained for a more 

 moderate i^rice, and more careful selections could be made. 



They should all be sent to the cavalry school, when the commandant, and a certain number 

 of the senior officers on duty there, would constitute a proper commission to inspect the animals 

 and direct the service. 



There should be regulations determining approximately the height, age, conformation, and 

 qualities that the horses should possess; also a maximum, or rather an average price, varying 

 from time to time, according to the state of the market. 



UNIFORM. 



I would recommend that the epaulette be entirely dispensed with for regimental officers ; it 

 is useless, expensive, and inconvenient ; the strap on the undress uniform is a sufficient distinction 

 of rank. 



For the men, I would replace the scales by a strap of cloth, of the same shape as that on the 

 old fatigue uniform, but sewed fast to the jacket. 



They should also have a police cap, without vizor, and of such a nature that it can be folded 

 up, and carried in the pouch, or wherever may be most convenient; the Scotch bonnet, Turkish 

 fez, a Greek cap of knit or woven wool, a flexible cap of the shaj^e of the old forage cap— any 

 of these would answer. 



For service on the jjrairies, the men shoiild have a loose flannel coat, leaving their uniform 

 coat in garrison; the ordinary dark blue sailor's shirt, cut open in front, and provided with a 

 lining and pockets is as good as anything that can be devised. 



The French fashion of giving the men a merino scarf in the field, instead of a stock, is worthy 

 of consideration. 



It would be well, on many accounts, to reinforce the pants with thin leather. 



The amount of clothing to be carried by each man should be limited ; I do not see that they 

 need more than 2 pairs of drawers, 1 shirt, 2 pairs of socks, a towel, soap, and hair comb, in 

 addition to what they wear ; during very long expeditions, extra clothing should be carried 

 in the train, never on the horses. 



The method of cold shoeing, as described in the report upon the French cavalry, should be 

 enforced, and the shoes carried by each man should have been previously fitted to the horse. 



In my different special reports will be found full information as to the cooking utensils carried 

 in the field by the European cavalry ; it is very important that competent cavalry officers should 

 fully consider this subject, and adopt a set suitable to the requirements of our own service ; the 

 proper principle would be to have small messes in the field, each mess consisting of the smallest 

 number that are likely to be detached as a unit, so that they may always have their cooking 



