CAPTAIN VIVIANsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary for War a question relative to the use of the lasso in cavalry regiments. He was aware that Sir Francis Head, on his return from South America some years since, drew up a Memorandum, in which he strongly recommended the lasso, especially for purposes of draught, and pointed out the propriety of training cavalry soldiers in the use of it. This Memorandum was submitted to the late Duke of Wellington, who was much struck with the suggestion which it contained, but it was not carried out, chiefly, he believed, in consequence of the cavalry officers objecting to the horses being used as draught horses. Latterly the system had been tried at Chatham, where the use of the lasso had been taught to a certain number of men in each troop, and found to be most efficient, but no regular means were given for carrying out the necessary training. He therefore wished to ask the Secretary for War whether the suggestion of Sir Francis Head has been been brought under the notice of the Military Authorities, and whether it is their intention to introduce it into general use in our Cavalry barracks?
GENERAL PEELsaid, that the sugges- 1062 tion of Sir Francis Head had, when brought forward many years ago, received the approval of the Duke of Wellington and many eminent military authorities. It was not, however, carried into effect. Since he had received notice of this question from the hon. and gallant Member he had had some conversation with his Royal Highness the Commander in Chief, who approved of the suggestion, and he understood that orders had been given that ten men in each troop of cavalry should be furnished with the lasso, and that reports should be made half-yearly to the Horse Guards, with respect to the exercising of the men and to the amount of proficiency they had attained in their use. Every regiment now at home had been furnished with their proportion of lassos, which had also been distributed to that branch of the Engineers to which the hon. and gallant Member had referred.