CO-OPERATION BETWEEN GUNS AND CAVALRY. 235 
One thing especially impressed me in the lecture (General Boyce Combe men- 
tioned it) and that is that the lecturer was under a great mistake in thinking that 
a lecture of this sort does not do good. I am satisfied that nothing can do more 
good than this sort of discussion. An able man looks out facts from ancient 
history and puts them before us; many of them we have not heard before; and we 
apply our own ideas and practice to them and we are at once impelled to think, 
and out of that thinking good must come. 
And I should think that there is nothing that requires more thought than this 
very question of the co-operation of cavalry and Horse Artillery. For as I was 
listening to the lecturer it seemed to me that, dealing with the question merely as 
a question of combined action of cavalry and Horse Artillery, the one important 
factor is that of “ time”’—you must arrange to save time. When an operation is 
about to occur and the hostile forces are in sight of one another, they both move 
so fast that there can be very little time indeed for mancewvres or for a decision to 
be taken as to the nature of the attack that is going to be made. That being so 
it seems to me that it is eminently necessary to settle definitely beforehand who is 
then to decide upon the policy to be taken up. It was rather suggested by 
Colonel French, I thought, that the artillery were to set the policy of the attack ; 
with that I cannot agree. It seems to me that the enemy’s cavalry are really the 
objective; that is what you have to destroy and it is by your cavalry that you 
have to destroy it ; therefore it must be the cavalry leader who is to decide what 
is the best way for his arm to attack the enemy’s cavalry. ‘That being so the first 
action of the artillery, it seems to me, must be subsidiary to that of the cavalry 
leader. I agree that whether it goes right, left, flank or front is immaterial, but 
the one thing that seems to me absolutely essential is that the artillery must be 
guided everywhere by the cavalry—it must not hamper the cavalry—(applause). 
It is necessary, therefore, I think that the artillery leader should be thoroughly 
in touch with the cavalry leader and should not only know what he is going to do 
but should know him well enough to be able to thoroughly appreciate his inten- 
tions ; not only know what he is going to do but should know it in such a way 
as to be able to realize how he is going to do it. If the artillery look to that I 
believe you will see what you so seldom see in history so far as we have any account 
of it, the artillery and cavalry acting well together. 
For that reason I must say that I personally most cordially endorse the 
necessity for, and would in every way that I could encourage, all possible practice 
together for cavalry and Horse Artillery; they are the two most expensive arms 
that we have; they are the arms which require the longest training and they are 
the arms certainly which require the greatest practice in working together—and 
therefore they ought to have it. 
I should not really be justified, from lack of experience, in remarking upon any 
other matter, but two points have been raised which I may perhaps touch upon. 
General Stirling and the lecturer both raised the question of mobility ; but with 
the Horse Artillery the question of mobility in our service has always largely hung 
upon that other fact which has not been mentioned to-day, namely, the question of 
fire effect. No doubt rapidity of fixe is an element of fire effect, but the weight 
and velocity of the projectile is also important and the question of the weight of 
the projectile has had a great deal to do with the weight of the gun. In the new 
gun there has been a certain amount of the power of the gun given up, and the 
Horse Artillery have now a gun of 30 ewt. behind the team; I believe it has given 
satisfaction, and I hope it will meet their wishes. But of course it is not as 
powerful a gun as was originally asked for. Iam told by the manufacturers that 
hitherto mobility has always been asked for, but at the same time a fire effect has 
been asked for which it was impossible to give with the desired mobility. I am 
glad to say that this year although the Army Estimates show but one more of 
