§ LORD RIBBLESDALE,in asking the Under Secretary of State for War whether the necessary instructions permitting the purchase of three-year-old remounts exhibited at the forthcoming Dublin Horse Show would be issued, said that the present regulations did not permit of the purchase of these horses until October 1, while the show was held on August 23. The object of the Royal Dublin Society in instituting this class of three-year-olds was to encourage farmers to breed Cavalry horses, and to bring the Government and the breeders of horses into communication. The course taken by the Royal Dublin Society would probably be followed in England. Under the circumstances, he thought the Government might make these regulations sufficiently elastic to permit the purchase of three-year-old remounts at the show five weeks earlier than the date now fixed.
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Lord HARRIS)said, that on July 19 last, by direction of His Royal Highness the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief, a circular letter was addressed to the commanding officers of Cavalry Regiments at home me, as also to each inspecting general of Cavalry and to Colonel Ravenhill, R.A., the purchaser of horses for the Artillery and Engineers, calling attention to the horses show under the auspices of the Royal Dublin Society, and to the probably favourable opportunity of purchasing remounts if arrangements already made up to October 1 for the supply of horses to regiments would admit. It was not in contemplation to issue any further instructions upon this subject. With regard to the purchase of three-year-olds before the 1st of October, such a proceeding was contrary to the regulations laid down to guide officers in the purchase of remounts, and it would not be fair to give this privilege to the Royal Dublin Society's show without extending 495 it to such dealers as had made arrangements for supplying remounts after that date.
§ LORD FITZGERALDsaid, that the exhibition in Dublin was a very large affair indeed, and that it was desirable that encouragement should be given to the production of Cavalry remounts. The farmers in the southern counties in Ireland had entered into the business of breeding a hardy type of horses which were peculiarly fitted for military purposes, and which they supplied to the Army at a very moderate profit. It would be a very great advantage if, at the show at Dublin, the military purchasers could be brought into direct communication with the producers, because thereby the exhibition and production of these horses would be very much encouraged.
§ LORD RIBBLESDALEexplained that his only object was to benefit the public service, and it was mere red tapeism not to anticipate the date when the remounts might be purchased by a few weeks.
LORD HARRISstated that a very large proportion of the horses required for the service had been bought in Ireland for a long time under arrangements with a certain number of dealers in Ireland, by which the horses purchased were not taken over by the Government until the 1st of October. If the proposal of the noble Lord were adopted, the result would be that horses purchased by the Government would have to be kept for six weeks longer at the expense of the country. He believed, as he had said, that the requirements of the Service for the coming season had already been met by these purchases; and if the concession was granted, there was not much hope of there being any purchases.