208 REMOUNT SYSTEMS OF FOREIGN ARMIES. 



permitted by the war ministry to purchase their remounts 

 directly. Organizations which have not this permission may 

 occasionally buy particularly good horses, rendering a de- 

 tailed report of the transaction to the war ministry. 



There are seven permanent remount purchasing commis- 

 sions, stationed as follows: At Budapest, Szegedin, Nagy- 

 Kaniza, Bilak, Lemberg, Rzeszow, and Miskolcz. Each of 

 these commissions is composed of a colonel or lieutenant 

 colonel of cavalry as president, a retired officer as recorder 

 and accountant, and of a veterinary surgeon. Certain of 

 these commissions have at their disposal a retired field officer 

 of cavalry to replace the president when deemed necessary. 

 The purchasing commissions of the troops that buy their own 

 horses are each composed of a field officer or captain of cav- 

 alry as president, a retired officer as recorder and accountant, 

 and of a veterinary surgeon. Certain of these commissions 

 have also at their disposal a retired field officer of cavalry to 

 replace the president when deemed necessary. The com- 

 mander of the troops is nevertheless responsible for the mili- 

 tary value of the horses bought by these commissions, and it 

 is also his duty to see that the necessary number of horses is 

 obtained. All the horses purchased are procured within the 

 limits of the empire. Most of them are bought during the 

 autumn. In the spring and summer only as many are pur- 

 chased as are necessary to supply the losses that have occurred, 

 and the 3^-year-olds which go to the remount de^jots. The 

 purchasing commissions publish in the newspapers the dates 

 of their meetings. Horses are procured as far as possible 

 from the raisers; it is only exceptionally and only in the 

 absence of the latter that the commissions have recourse to 

 the merchants. From 50 to 60 per cent of the horses are 

 bought without an intermediary. In addition to the horses 

 purchased at the seats of the commissions, the presidents of 

 the permanent commissions visit the markets, the raising 

 centers, and the private breeding stables in order to procure 

 especially suitable animals. The horses acquired for issue 

 direct to the troops must be at least 5 years old, 7 at the 

 most. The commissions are authorized to buy a limited 

 number of 4-year-olds if particularly strong and well devel- 

 oped. Only healthy and serviceable animals are purchased. 

 The minimum height is 15 hands 1 inch for horses for the 

 cavalry, for noncommissioned officers' saddle horses, and 



