PRECIS 
AND 
TRANSLATION. 
“REVUE MILTTAIRE DE L’ETRANGER.” 
APRIL, 1896. 
THE MILITARY CYCLE IN GERMANY. 
BY 
LIEUT.-COLONEL J. H. G. BROWNE, late R.A. 
The military cycle, although only a product of yesterday, has already taken an 
undisputed place in modern armies and its employment has everywhere been 
officially sanctioned. 
The advantages offered by it, with regard to rapidity and to economy of forces, 
have made it pur excellence the means of communication, both on the march and 
when stationary. But the employment of cyclists has, until very lately, been 
generally limited to the modest, if useful, vole of carrying messages and, although 
some ardent professors of cycling have claimed for them the position of combatants, 
they have but indifferently succeeded in overcoming prejudices, which were all the 
stronger because no definite experiment had yet taken place to weaken them. 
Some isolated but successful experiments had, however, opened people’s eyes 
and led them to recognize the services which cyclists might render, not indeed in 
the combat properly so-called, but in the period of exploration and approach 
which precedes the actual collision. What was wanted for the further employ¬ 
ment of cycling was a trial made on a fairly large scale and under conditions of 
sufficient difficulty. During the Imperial Manoeuvres of 1895 in Pomerania, the 
German Army made such a trial and, apparently, with complete success. 
But before giving an account of it, a brief sketch of military cycling in Germany 
may be useful. 
The new edition of the “ Manual of Eield Services,” dated 20th July, 1894, 
mentions the cycle for the first time as the organ for transmission of orders. 
It recommends the employment of cyclists under the following circumstances—■ 
On the march, to keep up communication between the different parts of the 
advanced-guard, etc. 
On outpost duty, for the transmission of orders and reports. 
1. VOL: XXIV, 0 A 
