424 THE HORSE 



appointed, and fresh buyers would be put in our places, the 

 dealers were fairly lost in astonishment. " Do you mean to 

 say," was said on more than one occasion, "that they will 

 turn out you and Major Fife, after all the experience you 

 have had? Why, you know the country better than any 

 one in the trade, and they cannot possibly afford to lose you ! 

 If any firm was to conduct their business in such a way 

 they would be ruined in no time ! " But I answered that it 

 was even so, that I was quite sure what the result would be 

 — and I was quite right in my forecast. 



Although a private firm would undoubtedly be ruined, if 

 they were to send away their purchasing travellers after 

 three years of making a district, to start again with entirely 

 new employes, thus losing all the advantages of ties formed 

 and carefully acquired local knowledge, the War Office gaily 

 disregard any such business-like ideas ! In my case, no 

 sooner was it certain that I should be no longer required by 

 my own Government than a far-seeing foreign one at once 

 began negotiations, to secure my services and utilise my 

 experience in buying Remounts for them. 



Now the point I wish to make is that if the War 

 Office pursues a policy of constantly changing their buyers, 

 though they may have gained great experience and 

 served them well, and replaces them with untried men 

 without any special training for the post, what likeli- 

 hood is there of suitable officers being discovered, appointed 

 to, and retained in such a difficult post as the management 

 and direction of breeding establishments require? Too 

 probably it would finally result in a small proportion of foals 

 being born, and a still smaller proportion of these becoming 

 fit for Remounts at the age of three, or four years old. At 

 any rate, under the system of purchase there is something 

 to be shown for the money expended, whereas under an 

 attempt to breed instead there may be no produce whatever 

 for a like amount of money expended. 



If Government breeding establishments are out of the 

 question, and private breeders are not willing to speculate 

 in producing remounts, how can the requisite numbers be 

 supplied and an adequate reserve be formed ? 



