GERMANY. 277 



the regimental commander, wlio convenes a board, composed 

 of a captain, two lieutenants, and a veterinary surgeon, to 

 examine the horse. The decision of the board as to the dis- 

 position to be made of the horse is final, its findings being 

 subject to no approval by superior authority and to no appeal. 

 If the horse is declared unfit for the service he is immediately 

 sold at auction. (It may be worthy of remark that the tend- 

 ency in the German army is to the decentralization of power 

 in the hands of the war ministry. Initiative and authority 

 is being extended to and centralized in the ofiBcers present on 

 the spot, who are held responsible for their actions. This 

 relieves the war ministry and heads of dej^artments of many 

 details of which they can have only a paper knowledge.) 



The money received for the sale of the horse is taken up in 

 the special fund which exists in all squadrons, batteries of 

 field artillery, and divisions of the train, for the improvement 

 of the horses. This fund accrues not only from the proceeds 

 of such sales, but also from the sales of the forage rations 

 which are authorized to be drawn for the animal after he has 

 been sold and until he has been replaced, and also from pay- 

 ments made by the one-year volunteers for the hire of the 

 horses used by them. The commanders of the organizations 

 purchase from this fund, in the open market, a horse to re- 

 place the one sold. The number of horses thus bought is very 

 limited. 



There are, in round numbers, 4,200,000 horses in Germany. 

 The number in the army is as follows : In the cavalry, 65,700; 

 in the artillery, 33,750; in the other branches, 5,270; draft 

 horses, 25,900; pack horses, 12; total, 130,632. There are no 

 mules in the army. 



The number of horses imported into Germany annually 

 averages: From France, about 7,000; from Russia, 32,000; 

 from Belgium, 21,500; from Denmark, 16,000; from Austria- 

 Hungary, 12,000; from Holland, 8,000; the total imports being 

 about 102,000, while the exports reach only about 10,000. 

 The import duties on horses over 2 years of age are $4.76 

 each; under 2 years, 61.19; colts following dam, free; mules, 

 $1.19. No export duties are charged on horses or mules. 



For use outside the continental empire, the horses for the 

 expeditionary corps in China were the only ones provided by 

 the army administration. No horses for use of the troops in 



