ntry. On heavy, steep, and stony roads,
on which the tyres are only too apt to be punctured, the cyclists are
obliged to dismount; against a head wind they can only make progress
with difficulty. Nevertheless, there can be no doubt that for the
transmission of reports from the advanced lines, as well as for
communication between separated bodies of troops within the district
controlled by our Cavalry, they are of inestimable service. Granted
that in particularly unfavourable weather and bad roads they must be
supplemented by Cavalry, they, nevertheless, on the whole, make it
possible to expedite materially the delivery of despatches. This is of
all the greater importance because in case of War the German Armies
will be relatively weak in Cavalry, and under certain circumstances
they will have to fight against a great numerical superiority.

Even though the principal use of the cyclists lies in the transmission
of information in which they can help the Divisional Cavalry most
materially, nevertheless one must not base too sanguine hopes on their
activity.

The reason is that because of their wheels they are tied to the roads,
and in consequence they can neither reconnoitre nor provide for
security independently. If for these purposes Cavalry patrols are
attached to them, the chief advantage of their greater mobility is
sacrificed, but without such supports in difficult country they are
tolerably helpless against surprise attacks. If one further takes into
account that a hill takes off from their speed to such a degree that a
horseman can easily catch them up, one must admit that they afford no
sufficient guarantee for the fulfilment of independent missions
outside of the country which our own Cavalry commands. In such
districts they can only be employed on relays, as already pointed out.
Here the duty of providing safety can best be fulfilled by the
Cavalry, because it is not a question of rapid advance, but only of
the protection of stationary posts and certain defined road stretches.
But for the defence of these posts, and for the transmission of
intelligence, the cyclists will do even better service than the
horsemen, because they can cover the ground faster, and when fighting
are not hampered by their horses. Their employment here is all the
more desirable because the relay service makes enormous demands upon
the Cavalry. That was proved up to the hilt in the War of 1870-1871;
the complaints under this head repeat