HORSES FOR PRIVATE USE IN GERMANY. 33 



tions against it, and no objections based on the quality of the Ameri- 

 can horse. 



The American exporter as well as the German importer has the 

 same right as every German horse raiser or horse dealer to bring 

 American horses to the fairs held for remounting purposes and to 

 offer them for sale to the purchasing boards; but it must be taken 

 into consideration that in buying the horses for the use of the German 

 army the purchasing boards have the unlimited power to buy such 

 horses as they deem flit, and if they choose to reject horses they are 

 not expected to give any reasons for their action. 



It is very probable that these boards would not hesitate to purchase 

 at reasonable prices some American horses offered to them if they 

 considered them fit for the service in question, but the situation 

 undoubtedly would be changed in case American horses should be 

 imported in great number for army purposes. The officers consti- 

 tuting the purchasing boards are experts, and in view of the control 

 which the Government exercises over all imports it would be impos- 

 sible to conceal the origin of these horses for any length of time. 



The horses used in Germany in civil life for business purposes of 

 different kinds average in height from 1.46 to 1.54 meters. Dark 

 colors are preferred as a rule. For heavy horses, such as are used for 

 delivery wagons of breweries and for the delivery of freight, a larger 

 brand is in demand — horses weighing about 500 to 600 kilograms. As 

 a matter of principle, stallions are not taken, and geldings are pre- 

 ferred to mares. Horses raised in eastern Prussia and Mecklenburg 

 are considered favorites, but a great many of Danish, Belgian, French, 

 and American origin are used. The street-car companies pay for their 

 horses on the average 800 to 900 marks, and buy them at the age of 

 5 to 7 years. A street-car horse serves on an average for five years, 

 but there are cases where horses have done service for the street-car 

 companies up to twelve and even fifteen years. In the service of the 

 street-car companies are found a great number of Danish, Hungarian, 

 and French horses. In connection with this it may be stated that the 

 demand for horses for the street-car companies has greatly diminished 

 in the course of the last few years and is bound to grow less from 

 year to year on account of the establishment of street-car lines run 

 by electric power. In a great many of the larger cities in Germany 

 the use of horsepower for street-car purposes has already been 

 abolished altogether, and it is a question of comparatively a few years 

 when the whole system of street cars in Berlin will also be run by 

 electric power. The street car drawn by horses will soon be confined 

 to very small places. 



The omnibus companies as a rule use very large carriages for the 

 conveniences of the passengers, and accordingly need very heavy and 

 S. Doc. 35 3 



