lisions, however, must be expected by every body of troops large or
small; hence each regiment--ultimately each squadron--endeavours to save
its horses as far as this is compatible with the attainment of the
special object in view, and this has led everywhere and always to a
demand for some intermediate arm, less expensive to raise and maintain
than cavalry proper, and able to cover the ground with sufficient
rapidity and collect the information necessary to ensure the proper
direction of the cavalry commands. Originally this intermediate force
received the designation of dragoons; but since under pressure of
circumstances during long periods of war these invariably improved
themselves into cavalry and became permanent units in the army
organization, fresh names have had to be invented for them, of which
Mounted Infantry and Mounted Rifles are the latest, and every
improvement in firearms has led to an increased demand for their
services.

It is now relatively easy to trace out the considerations which should
govern the employment of his cavalry by the officer commanding a force
of the three arms. Assuming for purposes of illustration an army
numerically weak in cavalry, what course will best ensure the presence
of the greatest number of sabres at the decisive point, i.e. on the
battle-field? To push out cavalry screens far to the front will be to
court destruction, nor is the information they obtain of much real
service unless the means to act upon it at once is at hand. This can
only be supplied economically by the use of strong advanced guards of
infantry, and such supplementary security and information as these may
require will be best supplied by mounted infantry, the sacrifice of whom
will disturb least the fighting integrity of the whole army.

Imagine an army of 300,000 men advancing by five parallel roads on a
front of 50 m., each column (60,000 men, 2 army corps) being covered by
a strong advance guard, coming in contact with a similarly constituted
army moving in an opposite direction. A series of engagements will
ensue, in each of which the object of the local commander will be to
paralyse his opponent's will-power by a most vigorous attack, so that
his superior officer following him on the same road will be free to act
as he chooses. The front of the two armies will now be defined by a line
of combats localized each about a comparatively small area, and between
them will be wide gaps which it will be the c