§ MAJOR RASCHI beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office, in view of the statement in the confidential Report on Mobilisation, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, 1895, that no cavalry regiment can avoid losing efficiency by the influx of registered horses which cannot work up to the bit or answer the leg, and to expect a regiment under such conditions to face good European cavalry would be to court disaster, will he explain what steps, by supplementing the stallions in the congested districts of 1061 Ireland, or otherwise, the Government proposes to take to provide an efficient horse reserve?
MR. POWELL-WILLIAMSThe passage which the hon. Member has quoted occurs in a confidential Report, and relates to horses which have only been subjected to one week's drill. The peace establishment of regiments is always below the full war strength; and cavalry establishments must of necessity be made up by the addition of horses untrained to military work though broken to bit and bridle. The Secretary of State fails altogether to see how the measures proposed in the question would effect the object which the hon. Member apparently has in view.
§ MAJOR RASCHasked, if the hon. Gentleman was not aware that the stallions in the congested districts of Ireland were absolutely useless?