NOTES ON GERMAN MANQ@UVRES? 73 
the head of the column near the General Officer Commanding, ready to 
convey orders to corps marching in rear. Hven if the roads are some 
what blocked a bicyclist requires but very little lateral space, and under 
such circumstances he can make more rapid progress than a horse- 
man. ‘The marching discipline of the German army is very good, when 
halted, even for a few minutes, troops immediately take up a position 
on one side of the road, leaving the centre of the road clear. 
Nothing could be better than the German horse blanket, it is made 
of a warm fleecy material and is very much larger and heavier than the 
saddle blanket in use in our service, it completely takes the place of 
our numnah, being folded in three for this purpose, the thick, soft 
material, from which the blanket is made, affording good protection to 
the back. The blanket when opened for use as a covering is about 
seven feet long by six feet broad, and covers the horse from head to 
tail, the breadth allowing of the belly and legs to be well protected ; 
the saddle surcingle is used for keeping the blanket on the horse, the 
front corners of the blanket being knotted together across the chest. 
The ration given to the horses of artillery and cavalry differs very 
materially from what we allow—two pounds more of grain, and about 
one-half the quantity of hay, being given. In barracks the allowance 
of straw is seven pounds daily, but the climate of Germany is so dry 
and the seasons so regular, that bedding can be disposed of much more 
economically than in Hngland. Most of the officers to whom I was 
speaking were of opinion that the ration of hay was not sufficient. 
During manceuvres every horse gets in reality much more than the above 
allowance ; bedding is always supplied to an unlimited extent by the 
farmer on whom the horses are billeted, and a very considerable increase 
is generally made to the Government allowance of hay through the same 
source, so that one cannot judge fairly at manoeuvres of the condition 
of the horses as fed solely on the Government ration, as the latter is so 
largely subsidized from the farmers’ stack yard ; this gift of forage is 
not always made without a considerable grumble. The amount of kit 
carried on the horse is much smaller than in England, as no spare 
clothing is taken by the men, the only cloth clothes allowed being the 
one suib which is actually in wear, while the only change of clothing 
allowed is a loose jacket and trousers of stout canvas. .These make an 
excellent change after a march ; in summer, directly the men come in, 
the cloth clothes are exchanged for the canvas suits, while in cold 
weather the canvas is worn over the cloth thus giving a great deal of 
extra warmth. This white dress always looks neat and clean, and is 
well suited for all work about stables and such like duties. 
A certain amount of change has been introduced of late in the 
equipment of the German soldier. It is now intended that in the 
actual engagements of importance that the knapsack should be left 
behind. The total weight carried by the infantryman is just under 
sixty pounds, an immense load for a man to march and fight under, so 
on the day of battle the knapsack will be left behind, and a few articles 
of absolute necessity will be carried in a small canvas bag, known as 
the “sturmbeutel.” This bag much resembles an ordinary cartridge 
bag, it weighs a few ounces, and when not in use it is carried at the 
