§ VISCOUNT VALENTIA (Oxford)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War (1) whether horses aged four years and under have been lately supplied to regiments in the 1st and 2nd Cavalry Brigades, these regiments being on the higher establishment, and so fit for service at a moment's notice; (2) whether volunteers (having four years' service) have been recently called for from the 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers), a regiment in the 1st Cavalry Brigade, to supplement deficiencies in the 5th Lancers, a regiment abroad belonging to a corps different from that to which the former regiment belongs, and whether these trained soldiers will be replaced by recruits; (3) whether a draft has been, or is about to be, ordered of 150 men from the 10th Royal Hussars for service with the 20th Hussars; and (4) whether, if these steps are being taken, it may be assumed that it is not proposed to adhere to the system of cavalry organisation announced this year?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. W. ST. JOHN BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordThe answers to the first two Questions are in the affirmative. The 6th Dragoon Guards is being prepared for service in India, and the men who volunteered from it to the 5th Lancers would not have had sufficient service remaining to enable them to go to India. They will be replaced by men eligible for Indian service. A draft is about to be sent from the 10th Hussars to the 20th Hussars, but the number of men has not been determined. It will be made as small as possible. It is fully intended to carry out the policy which was announced to the House on the introduction of this year's Estimates, but it is not possible to give effect to it at once in its entirety.