932 CO-OPERATION BETWEEN GUNS AND CAVALRY. 
To the lecturer I think much is due. I have heard him lecture before admirably 
in London on this ‘subject. Other lectures have taken place; and much greater 
attention has been paid to the subject of late than was formerly the case. 
It is I believe true—perhaps it may be partly the fault of some among ourselves 
——the cavalry—that we have not taken advantage of the opportunities that we have 
had of working with the Horse Artillery as much as we might. Although in 
England we have few grounds large enough for tactics of cavalry and Horse 
Artillery, and we know on the highest authority that the best tactician if he had 
to mancuvre cavalry with Horse Artillery on ground only a mile and three- 
quarters square would be at his wits end; still I think we have certain places 
where we might do more than we have done. Look at the Curragh where I have 
held command myself and at Aldershot. There are opportunities of teaching at 
both those stations, the “principles” upon which cavalry can work with Horse 
Artillery, and we might teach the “principles” of it though there is not much 
space for its “practice.” I hope that in future more advantage will be taken of 
those grounds and that cavalry and Horse Artillery will be stationed together and 
work together as much as possible. I wish that in England there were more 
places where it could be done; but we know what the difficulties are that stand in 
the way. Of course in India they have grand opportunities, which I feel sure are 
taken advantage of, and certainly our cavalry leaders, when they come home ought 
to be well able to command both arms. That such practice is wanted we cavalry- 
men and Horse Artillerymen all know. I have personally had the great advantage of 
having had for some years even as long ago as 1877, the command of a brigade of 
cavalry on many occasions and my batteries were officered by men of whom I 
have the very highest opinion (if I told you their names you would agree with 
me). Both they and I saw at once, I think, when we began to work together, 
that we had a great deal to learn. I must say that I have always felt most grate- 
ful to them for the way that they tried to meet my views and to help me on every 
occasion. 
I have had a good deal of opportunity of seeing and hearing abroad the opinions 
of great authorities on this subject. One of the most brilliant artillery officers, 
the Archduke William of Austria (the son of the great Archduke Charles), who 
met his death by a sad accident last year, the man who commanded the artillery 
at Sadowa and covered that retreat with his 160 guns which, with the lst and 
8rd divisions of cavalry saved the Austrian army from entire destruction, spoke 
to me a good deal about Horse Artillery. He said that he had always had a great 
prejudice against it, partly because of the great mass which it shows as a mark 
for the fire of the enemy, and partly because of its great expense; but he said 
that he had come to the conclusion that it was well worth the expense and the 
risk due to the great mark that it shows to the enemy. “I have entirely changed 
my views,” he said, “and I would have as much Horse Artillery as I could 
possibly get.” The Emperor of Austria himself told me at the time “ It is merely 
a question of money with us; we should have much more if we could afford it.” 
The lecturer has exceedingly well described that battle of Albuera in which the 
Horse Artillery and the cavalry did so well. Oné thing that I was thinking all 
the time was, what a pity it was that we had there as usual so few cavalry. It 
has always been the same with us. We had half the strength of the French at 
best—had we had more we might have saved many of the gallant men’s lives who 
fell on that day. The French with their masses of cavalry overpowered us. 
There were some remarks which the lecturer made with regard to tactics, which 
T hardly like to touch upon. The drill-~book is a book to be obeyed, and I would 
not say a word against it. I have no doubt that everything has been well con- 
sidered and carefully laid down in that book, and, at all events, it is not for me to 
discuss it. But one thing that he said was what Colonel French has already 
mentioned, and that is, as to the time that it takes for a division of cavalry to get 
