§ But the interest of the House will be centred in the present position. We sent three months ago, to South Africa, two officers—Lord Downe and Colonel Hotham—to investigate the condition of the Remount Department there. Their Report, I am glad to say, is, on the whole, exceedingly favourable. Whatever the earlier mistakes may have been, the Department is now well manned, and well conducted. In a letter which I received two days ago from Lord Kitchener, and which I mention to allay any anxiety about the present conditions, he tells me that he 372 has 16,500 horses in the depots waiting for issue. But it is not very easy to keep up this supply, even by drawing on all the sources which we have available. A particular class of horse is needed, and we want an enormous number. While we are meeting the demand, we are also preparing for the future. We have purchasing commissions in various parts making inquiries, in order that we may be able to meet any future demand which may be made. For this Department we have already framed a scheme which will enable us in the future, I hope, to deal with this question much better than in the past. We are proposing to plant out buyers in the right districts, both here and in Ireland, who will be more in touch with the breeders and less with the dealers. With the assistance of the Board of Agriculture and of those societies which give prizes for special classes of horses, we hope to make a speciality of the class of horse required for the Army. In this we may have more difficulty than is usually recognised; but we hope to establish some connection with the Colonies. For many years to come South Africa will be largely drawn upon by its own needs. Australia is largely drawn upon from India already. But I trust that we shall have some support from the House if we endeavour to establish some permanent connection with Canada and the horse-breeders there. It will also be necessary in the future, as it has not been sufficiently done in the past, to keep in touch with the Continental sources of supply in view of this heavy demand which has been made on us. I cannot, of course, ensure that anything connected with horses will give satisfaction to everybody. No two men seem to agree upon a horse. A noble Lord said in another place the other night that out of a hunting stable the four worst horses had been taken, and that from £80 to £100 each had been paid for them. I asked privately for the name of the buyer, and found that the buyer happened to be, not merely the colonel of a cavalry regiment, but one of the most noted lovers of horseflesh, and the commanding officer of one of the best mounted regiments in the Army. Here is proof that the best men may make a mistake. But I have said enough 373 to show that we should beware of drawing general conclusions from such mistakes.