AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. 215 



111 time of peace tlie total number of horses in the army is 

 69,950, Of this number 46,700 belong to the cavalry, 14,900 

 to the artillery, 1,620 to the infantry, and 6,730 to the train, 

 pioneers, and other services. In addition there are about 

 5,000 officers' horses. In case of mobilization the cavalry 

 requires a great many more trained saddle horses. In order 

 to have them available and not to be compelled to maintain 

 them in peace, every j^ear a certain number of horses of the 

 cavalry regiments are given, after six months' training, to 

 civilians for use. These persons must be in assured condi- 

 tions of life and must take the obligation to maintain the 

 horses in a serviceable state, and to return them within 

 twenty-four hours to the reginaent in question, in case of 

 mobilization. In addition these horses are assembled annually 

 during the autumn maneuvers, for periods not to exceed 

 twenty-eight days each, and every spring they are submitted 

 to a mustering commission which reports their degree of serv- 

 iceability. In case of good maintenance, the holder receives 

 an annual prize of $4, $2 of which is paid in the autumn and 

 $2 in the spring. If "the horse, by the fault of the user, is not 

 serviceable for war, the holder must render indemnification. 

 At the end of six years in Austria and five years in Hungary, 

 the horses become the property of the users without payment. 

 They are, nevertheless, subject to requisition upon mobiliza- 

 tion. In this case, however, their owners receive pay for 

 them from the public treasury. The number of these horses 

 in the service of private persons is 26,260. They are bought 

 over and above the annual contingent and are commonly 

 known as "horses on leave." The practical application of 

 this system has caused no criticism. 



In case of mobilization the horses can not be procured in 

 the same manner as during peace, as this would require sev- 

 eral months, and the mobilization would be delayed. For 

 this reason the horses required in case of mobilization are 

 supplied by conscription (requisition). This is regulated by 

 the horse-conscription laws of 1873. By these laws every 

 horse owner is obliged to give the government the horses 

 owned by him which are serviceable for war, for which he 

 receives ])roper indemnification. Horse owners disobeying 

 the call to present their horses will be forced to do so, and 

 will be fined if they can not justify their delay. The entire 

 horse supply is divided between the two states of the monarchy 



