§ CAPTAIN COTTON (Cheshire, Wirral)asked the Secretary of State for War, What is the present strength, as regards men and horses, of the Horse and Field Batteries in the First Army Corps, which he has stated are ready for mobilization; and, what is the additional number of men and horses necessary to raise those batteries to a war establishment?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. E. STANHOPE) (Lincolnshire, Horncastle)The strength of the Horse and Field Batteries in the First Army Corps will be found in the Army Estimates, page 10. To bring a Horse Battery of the First Army Corps to war strength will require 17 men and 74 horses. To bring a Field Battery to war strength will require nine men and 52 horses. It may be interesting to the House to compare this with the French and German state of preparation. In Germany it requires 69 men and 151 horses to bung a Horse Artillery Battery to war strength, and 67 men and 105 horses for a Field Battery. In Franco a Horse Artillery Battery will not he complete without the addition of 74 men and 129 horses, nor a Field Battery without 66 men and 95 horses.