BRITAIN'S WAR-HORSE SUPPLY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1020, 9 January 1911, Page 8

BRITAIN'S WAR-HORSE SUPPLY.

THE FARMER HOLDS THE KEY. Speaking upon the national horse lupply at tho annual dinner of the Cutcombo Farmers' Club; West Somerset, England,,. Sir; , Alexander Acland-Hood caid.it might bo possible in time, of war to substitute motor power for artillery "horses and for transport, but they could not .at. the present moment replace the horses required in tho cavalry regiments. Ho . could not conceive sUch.a modern novelty in warfare as a cavalry regiment, charging in motorcars. . We could not trust to cliauce for (the , right; sort of ihorses when they were, wanted; we had soma experience of that during the late South African War. , -

To secure that end we must rely moro on the British farmer; Farmers wished, to realise their stock as soon as possible, and it was,"hopeless for,anv : ,Gov-. e'rnment .to think that they ; could, ill-; duce. them .to. keen .horses until .'.they! were' three or' four "years old'.

The Government must "buy; thein .at three .years old and take : the 'risk.' We should not continue to allow our best mares to, bo bought by the foreigner with, the possibility of their progeny being used against us in some future war, ; and'it should, not be left to local societies to. encourago breeding..- 'sThtifc was a rpatter' which' : -the Goveruniwi't; should 'do, as was done abroad, by the sffering of prizes."