228 CO-OPERATION BETWEEN GUNS AND CAVALRY. 
hitting him—there was no Inniskilling on the spot afterwards—although he went 
anxiously to see. 
There is a burning point opened by the lecturer, but the Adjutant-General is 
here, and, if he were not, I hope that we all feel as he does on the subject of orders, 
and as we have an order now as to the much vexed question of the position of the 
Officer Commanding Royal Artillery attached to Horse Artillery, 1 suggest that 
we do not discuss that ; but it may be of interest to you to know that within the 
last four-and-twenty hours I was speaking to two men upon the subject, if I were 
to mention there names, which I am not at liberty to do, the cavalryman would 
certainly be considered here as a representative active man, a man of the nineteenth 
century, a leading man; and I spoke to a man in the regiment who would equally 
command your suffrages. I said, “Are you satisfied on that point now?” What 
was the answer ? The artilleryman said “ Yes, quite;”? and the cavalryman said 
* 1 should like to have seen it shoved a little more on to the cavalryman to decide 
for himself.” I say it is an interesting question, but we cannot discuss it, because 
there is an order at present; but the same time it is interesting to know that the 
two opposite poles have agreed, I do not say throughout the service, but two men 
on the opposite sides have agreed, that the thing is what is calculated to bring 
about the best results for the service, which is what we all want, to whichever arm 
we belong. 
Now as an artilleryman has been talking, and to my great pleasure! we will 
ask Colonel French first of all whether he will give us the benefit of some obser- 
vations. I must tell you that 1 have set three names down here, and after them I 
will ask Lord Roberts and the Adjutant-General if they will speak; we will ask 
them last, going on the principle of asking the juniors first, so that we may 
not be daunted by the opinion of any one senior to ourselves. 
CotoneL J. D. P. Fruncu—lI cannot help thinking, sir, that as cavalry officers 
we ought to be very grateful to Major May for the instances which he has given 
us of the combined action of cavalry and Horse Artillery. I think it must alto- 
gether dissipate the idea, if it ever existed, that historical examples of such action 
do not exist. Wesee that they do. But whatever lessons such historical examples 
gleaned from former campaigns may teach, I am quite convinced that we do not 
yet fully realize the value in modern war under existing conditions of a force of 
cayalry and Horse Artillery working together when they once thoroughly under- 
stand one another and are able to play into one another’s hands. I quite agree 
with the lecturer in what he said. I think the first thing we want is a closer 
mutual understanding between the two arms. Ido not think we understand Horse 
Artillery perhaps as well as we might, and I do not think they altogether under- 
stand us. Up to the present it has been impossible I know to bring us very much 
together; but it is to be hoped in future we may have more opportunities, and I 
am sure this will prove of great advantage to both. 
The lecturer has touched on one or two points with regard to the combined action 
of cavalry and Horse Artillery. He talked of the artillery position, and described 
the details of an action from its commencement, 7.¢., from the time when the hostile 
cavalry is first discovered. He talked about the artillery galloping out some dis- 
tance to the front, or some distance to the flank. Ihave often heard that question 
discussed, and I feel sure that officers of far more experience than I have had will 
give us their opinion presently ; but in my humble opinion it is not a question of 
galloping out to front or flank, but the ground must decide the artillery position 
and it must be chosen not only because it is good from an artillery point of view 
but also by reason of the existence of good and extensive cavalry manceuvring 
ground on one or both flanks, and I also think that you must look at the possible 
positions which the enemy’s artillery can occupy. As Major May says, it all has 
to be done very rapidly, so that to be efficient leaders we require immense practice ; 
