242 REMOUNT SYSTEMS OF FOREIGN ARMIES. 



district may correspond directly with the minister ou current 

 matters. 



The commander of a district supervises the work of his 

 remount depots, apportions the men of the remount companies 

 in his district, and has in general the attributes of command, 

 visitation, and inspection. 



The depot is the business unit of the remount service. Its 

 commander is regularly a major of cavalry detached; he has 

 under him a captain or lieutenant of cavalry detached who 

 bears the designation of "permanent buyer" (at some depots 

 two such officers are employed), a veterinary, a disbursing 

 officer, and a detachment of remount men. 



Horse Boards. — The depot commander and his assistant 

 are permanent members of the board for buying horses all 

 the year round. During the active period, from October 1 

 to May 15, when the board travels about the country, a third 

 officer is usually detailed from a mounted command in the 

 region, and attached as "temporary buyer." Dejiots which 

 buy horses chiefly for the artillery may be increased hy the 

 addition of a captain or lieutenant of that arm ; he may be 

 permanent or temporary buyer. A horse board must in no 

 case, however, have more or less than three members. In 

 order that the requisite three members may be had for buy- 

 ing horses that may be presented at any time at the depot, 

 for attending fairs, etc., the commander of the depot may, 

 when he thinks it advisable, appoint his disbursing officer or 

 veterinary as third member, or he may ask for the detail of 

 an officer from the troops in the vicinity. He may make this 

 request directly to the commanding officer concerned. It is 

 to be noticed that horse boards do not use a veterinary in 

 their regular buying trips. 



The depots are scattered throughout the country at points 

 best adapted for receiving and caring for the animals pur- 

 chased, and are all in the horse-raising sections. The most 

 important annex is at Suippes, department of Marne, where 

 a great part of the young horses are collected and trained. 

 At Saumur there exists a special breaking and training 

 school for horses intended for the use of the other military 

 schools and for the use of general officers. Unmanageable 

 horses from the cavalry regiments are also sent to Saumur 

 for special training. The extent of these depots and the 

 money expenditures involved in their operations may be 



