XIV.-POHTUGAL. 



[From "Zucbt uml RemontiiuugdL'iMilitai-I'fenlealleiStn;»teu, " bv Pr. Paul Goltlbeck, Berlin, 10(11. 



As horse breeding receives no support from the Govern- 

 ment, it has reached a very low stage, and no exact census of 

 the number of horses and mules exists. 



Portugal has 8 regiments of cavalry (32 squadrons), 32 bat- 

 teries of field artillery, 2 batteries of horse artillery, and 2 of 

 mountain artillery; and in the reserve, 8 groups of cavalry 

 (16 squadrons) and 4 sections of artillery (16 batteries). In 

 the standing army there are 6,394 horses and 4,34:2 mules, and 

 in the reserve 3,121 horses and 1,992 mules; total 9,515 horses 

 and 6,334 mules. 



Remounts are purchased for the army by a general remount 

 commission, consisting of a colonel of cavalry as president, a 

 captain of cavalry, a lieutenant, and two veterinarians. The 

 amount to be expended each year on remounts is fixed by the 

 war minister. The prices have ranged for the last few years 

 between $130.75 and $138.38; for officers' mounts from $181.20 

 to $214.42 are paid. The age limits are between 3 and 7 years. 

 The average length of service of a horse is calculated at ten 

 years. The following are the rules with regard to size : 

 Horses 3 to 3i years old, 14i hands; 4 years old, 14^ hands; 

 4 to T years, 14f hands; for horses of generals, and general 

 staff, cavalry, and lancer officers, 14f hands ; for all others, 

 14| hands; mules must measure 14^ to 14f hands, according 

 to the service for which they are intended. Seventy per cent 

 of the horses purchased are of Spanish origin, the remainder 

 of Portuguese. 



(323) 



