vre designed to effect his destruction. The
general situation of the enemy's masses will, in western Europe,
always be sufficiently fixed by the trend of his railway communications,
checked by reports of spies, newspapers, &c., for, with neutral
frontiers everywhere within a few hours' ride for a motor cyclist,
anything approaching the secrecy of the Japanese in Manchuria is quite
unattainable, and, once the great masses begin to move, the only
"shadowing" which holds out any hope of usefulness is that undertaken by
very small selected parties of officers, perfectly mounted, daring
riders, and accustomed to cover distances of 100 m. and upwards. These
will be supported by motor cars and advanced feelers from the field
telegraphs, though probably the motor car would carry the eye-witness to
his destination in less time than it would take to draft and signal a
complete report.

PLATE I.

[Illustration: SIXTEENTH-CENTURY CAVALRY.

(Walthausen's _Art militaire de la cavalerie_, circa 1600.)]

PLATE II.

[Illustration: BATTLE OF STAFFARDA, 1690. (_From a contemporary
engraving._)]

[Illustration: ACTION ON THE BULGANAK, 1854. (_From a lithograph by W.
Simpson._)]

[Illustration: GERMAN GUARD DRAGOONS. (_Photo, Gebruder Haeckel._)]

Tactical scouting, now as always, is invaluable for securing the safety
of the marching and sleeping troops, and brigade, divisional and corps
commanders will remain dependent upon their own squadrons for the
solution of the immediate tactical problem before them; but, since both
sides will employ mounted men to screen their operations, intelligence
will generally only be won by fighting, and the side which can locally
develop a marked fire superiority will be the more likely to obtain the
information it requires. In this direction the introduction of the motor
car and of cyclists is likely to exercise a most important influence,
but, whatever may be the conveyance, it must be looked upon as a means
of advance only, never of retreat. The troops thus conveyed must be used
to seize villages or defiles about which the cavalry and guns can
manoeuvre.

_Formations and Drill._--Cavalry, when mounted, act exclusively by
"shock" or more precisely by "the threat of their shock," for the
immediate result of collision is actually decided some instants before
this collision takes place. Experience has shown that the best guarantee
for success in this shock is afforded by a two-