YII.-GREAT BRITAIN. 



[Reported by Capt. E. B. Cassatt, Thirteenth Cavahy, Tniteil States Military Attache at London.] 



1. The remounting of the British army at home is carried 

 out under the orders of the inspector general of remounts, the 

 details of whose work are shown below. 



2. The regular army abroad, in normal times, has no 

 mounted trooi^s except in South Africa, Egypt, and India. 

 For these it has been the custom to purchase locally. In 

 South Africa and in Egypt the horses for the British and the 

 native cavalry are Syrian Arabs. 



The artillery in Egypt is remounted from England. 



In India all the remounting of the army is done under 

 orders from the local government. 



The only irregulars are the troops of the native states who 

 are remounted by their own rulers. 



The regulars are, first, British cavalry, horse artillery, field 

 artillery, mule batteries, and elephant batteries; second, 

 native cavalry regiments, which are, for the most part, what 

 is termed "silladar," that is to say, horse, clothing, arms, and 

 equipment are the property of the trooper. In former times 

 the trooper enlisted bringing with him his own horse and 

 equipment, but now he brings money, and everything is 

 found for him, the money being refunded on his discharge. 



The Madras cavalry regiments are not "silladar," but are 

 remounted by the government. 



3. There are no mounted troops maintained in the colonies, 

 except a few in Australia who are remounted by local 

 arrangements. 



•4. In the United Kingdom horses are acquired by purchase 

 in the open market, from any dealers or private individuals 

 who may produce suitable horses when required. They are 

 purchased by the inspector general and assistant inspectors 

 of remounts, assisted by veterinary surgeons, who examine 

 for age and soundness. 



(385) 



