§ SIR H. MEYSEY-THOMPSON (Staffordshire, Handsworth)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the War Office receive systematic reports from South Africa about the horses bought in this country and sent out to the Cape; if so, whether there is any attempt to divide these horses into classes according to their quality, condition, and general suitability; and whether the reports are so arranged that the War Office can ascertain from them the opinion of our representatives in South Africa as to the respective merits of the horses selected and bought by each of our buyers in this country.
§ MR. BRODRICKVoyage reports on all horses arriving at the Cape are systematically furnished. When shipped, a classified return is forwarded to South Africa, showing horses for Cavalry and Artillery, and cobs for Yeomanry and Mounted Infantry. Communications are constantly passing between the officers at home and in South Africa as to the merits of the horses selected.
§ SIR H. MEYSEY - THOMPSONWhat I want particularly to know is whether there is any system of tracing horses to the buyers, and of classifying horses according to merit.
§ MR. BRODRICKAn effort has been made in that direction, and in some cases where complaint has been made the actual marks have been sent home and the question of the buyers has been gone into. But my hon. friend will see that it is difficult to follow very accurately horses which are distributed through South Africa.