2? 2 REMOUNT SYSTEMS OF FOREIGN ARMIES. 



have four annexes Avhicli contain 400 more. Horses for the 

 Saxon army are j)urchasecl to a great extent in East Prussia 

 arid Hanover at an average price of $214.20 each. 



The remount depot for Wurttemberg was established in 

 1897 ; before this date its horses were bought in the market, 

 generally in Prussia. The depot of Breitholen can not fur- 

 nish all the horses necessary for the army of Wurttemberg ; 

 some direct purchases are therefore still made, and arrange- 

 ments are made also for obtaining horses from the remount 

 depots of Prussia. 



The province of East Prussia is celebrated for its fine 

 horses, and furnishes nearly half the horses for the Prussian 

 army. In all the depots the horses are kept in stables, and 

 have stalls, but are not tied up, being left free to walk around. 

 A tin tag bearing a number is hung on the neck of each horse. 

 By this number the animal is known until the end of his mil- 

 itary service. The numbers differ in the various depots, so 

 that it can be immediately determined from which establish- 

 ^nent a horse comes, also by whom he was purchased. The 

 horses distributed to the light cavalrj" (hussars and dragoons) 

 must be from 15 hands 2 inches to 16 hands in height, and 

 for heavy cavalry (uhlans and cuirassiers) from 16 to IT 

 hands. The horses of East Prussia are regarded as the best 

 horses in Germany. 



The purchasing commissions for the remount horses consist 

 each of one permanent president and two oflQcers of cavalry 

 or field artillery detailed each year. Each commission has 

 also one veterinarian, one secretary, and one or two orderlies. 

 Each commission operates in a designated district. This 

 plan enables the members to become well acquainted with 

 the character of the animals within their zone of action. The 

 commissions are in session only during the time necessary for 

 the purchases. They are convened during the month of May 

 and adjourn by the 15th of September. The president is the 

 only permanent member. During the winter the presidents 

 work at the office of the minister of war. The other mem- 

 bers are detailed annually from among officers having special 

 knowledge of the horse, and who show promise of becoming 

 qualified to act as presidents of commissions. After the pur- 

 chases have been made, these officers return to their organi- 

 zations. The commissions publish in the newspapers the 

 dates on which they will hold what is called here "the 



