an, lacking the
_elan_ and spirit of the cavalryman, to meet the situation?

[Page Heading: TOO MUCH CAUTION]

French takes an attitude somewhat midway between these two extremes.
He, of all men, has developed cavalry most successfully on what might
be called mounted infantry lines. That is to say, he has taught his
men to fight on foot, to take cover at every opportunity, and to
master the whole art of reconnaissance. But at the same time, he
objects to extremist[18] views as to the abolition of the cavalry
spirit. "One or two distinguished foreign soldiers who have publicly
commented upon that campaign have said that what is termed the
'Cavalry Spirit' is opposed to the idea of dismounted action. They
hold that the cavalry disdain to dismount, and they see in riding the
end instead of the means. They consider that events in the Far East
teach us that we must render our cavalry less devoted to 'manoeuvres'
and to 'tournaments,' in order to enable them to fit themselves to
take part in modern fighting; that the times have come when the
methods of warfare should be changed; and that the cavalry must
determine to defeat the enemy by dismounted action entirely.

"I cannot speak with any certainty as to what has happened in European
Armies, but as regards the British Cavalry, I am absolutely convinced
that the Cavalry Spirit is, and may be encouraged to the utmost,
without in the least degree prejudicing either training in dismounted
duties or the acquirement of such tactical knowledge on the part of
leaders as will enable them to discern when and where to resort to
dismounted methods.

"How, I ask, can the Cavalry perform its role in war until the enemy's
Cavalry is defeated and paralysed? I challenge any Cavalry officer,
British or foreign, to deny the principle that Cavalry, acting as such
against its own Arm, can never attain complete success unless it is
proficient in shock tactics.

"Cavalry soldiers must, of course, learn to be expert rifle shots, but
the attainment of this desirable object will be brought no nearer by
ignoring the horse, the sword or the lance. On the contrary, the
_elan_ and dash which perfection in Cavalry manoeuvres imparts to
large bodies of horsemen will be of inestimable value in their
employment as mounted rifle-men when the field is laid open to their
enterprise in this role by the defeat of the hostile Cavalry. That the
Cavalry on both sides in the recent war did not distinguish
them