ied with
a weapon which admits of accurate practice at long ranges, and for
which the greatest number of rounds can be carried. This would entail,
on the one hand, an increase in the length of the weapon carried; on
the other, a reduction in calibre, which should be made as small as
possible. We might thus safely go down to a 6-millimetre bore, and
increase the ammunition accordingly. The desire to retain the same
cartridge as the Infantry, to facilitate mutual assistance in
ammunition supply on occasions, seems to me of quite secondary
importance. As long as the Cavalry were still tied to the Infantry on
the line of march this consideration had indeed some weight; but now
that it moves far in front of, or on the flanks of, the Infantry
columns, and has its own arrangements for ammunition supply, the case
is quite different. The point nowadays is to make sure of that degree
of effect which is unconditionally necessary to our purpose, and for
this we require a weapon specially adapted to our particular need.

Our method of carrying our cartridges in the pouch attached to the
cross-belt is also impracticable. The bandoliers of the Boers would be
undoubtedly preferable, and could at the same time be made use of to
secure the carbine on the back.

It is also a matter for serious consideration whether cycle
detachments should not be attached to the Cavalry,[19] and I think I
am not going too far in estimating fifteen to twenty cyclists per
regiment as a suitable number to perform the many duties which may
fall to their lot. On the advantages they confer I have already dwelt
(Book I., Chap. VIII.), and further, I would advocate the addition of
portable or wheelable Maxims to the Cavalry to add to their fire
power. The latest patterns of this weapon are capable of easy
transportation, and can come into action very rapidly. Naturally such
heavy batteries as we now possess should be avoided. As regards this
latter weapon, one should not think of it primarily as destined to
take part in the real Cavalry duel; one should do nothing in this
direction to rob the horsemen of their confidence in themselves by
teaching them to lean on the firearm for support. Even the effect of
the Artillery in this respect is not always and everywhere
advantageous. One is too much inclined to make the action of the
Cavalry depend on the effect of the guns, and thus to sacrifice the
initiative when opposed to an enemy's horse. Nor would there be many