220 REVIEW— STATE OF THE FRENCH CAVALRY, &c. 
especial study. I will not suffer the government or others to 
condemn the insufficiency of our cavalry, without plainly and 
honestly directing them to the source of this evil, and fully ex- 
posing the incessant cause of destruction which renders it so dif- 
ficult to retain our cavalry in efficiency, or rapidly to increase 
their numbers when the prospect or the exigencies may require it. 
The lodging of the troops in barracks has existed from the re- 
motest antiquity. It was so with the Greeks and with the 
Romans; and many noble ruins in various parts of Italy testify 
their frequency and their grandeur. This system was gradually 
adopted by the French monarchs, and brought to considerable 
perfection by Louis XV. It was not, however, until the period of 
the revolution that the horses used to be crowded together, and 
their health did not materially suffer: but when, from many cir- 
cumstances the number contained in the same space was in- 
creased, disease, and particularly glanders, began to appear and 
spread, and whole companies, and even whole regiments, were de- 
stroyed. The evil was evident enough, and it began to be ruinous 
to the treasury, yet no proper means were taken to arrest the 
destruction. Even after the revolution of July, and war threaten- 
ing, 600 horses were frequently enclosed in buildings that had 
never before contained more than 400, and glanders began to 
rage with renewed violence. 
“The effective cavalry force from the revolution of July until 
December 1836 should have consisted of 32,432 horses, out of 
which, allowing an average of eight years as the service of each 
horse, 24,384 would probably die ; whereas, in point of fact, 
35,931 died, or 11,553 more than were calculated upon were 
purchased. 
“ This is too clearly explained by the insalubrity of the quarters. 
Almost all of these buildings are faulty — the openings are not well 
calculated for the escape or entrance of air — and they are deficient 
in the height and the size of the building. Crammed for room, 
the horse is unable to lie down, and, consequently, cannot obtain 
his proper rest. The air which he breathes is too soon vitiated — 
its temperature is elevated to a degree beyond all proportion to 
that which he would inhale without ; and hence it follows, that 
when he goes out to feed, or to drink, or for exercise, he keenly 
