Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 2.djvu/640

578 made by the Commander-in-Chief by selection from the qualified officers ; appointments on Personal Staff are made on the recommendation of the general officer. The total numbers of officers employed on the staff of the army are 241 in the United Kingdom and colonies (British establish ment), and 278 in India (Indian establishment). About two-thirds of the staff on the British establishment belong to regiments, and are borne on their establishments, the remainder being officers on half-pay or iinattached. In India the rules regarding staff appointments vary a little, and most of the appointments, with the exception of the higher^ commands, are filled from a special &quot;staff corps;&quot; but some are also held by officers from the British regi ments serving in India.

Cavalry. The cavalry consists of 31 regiments : viz., 2 of Life Guards and 1 of Royal Horse Guards, forming together the &quot; Household Brigade ;&quot; 7 regiments of Dragoon Guards, 3 of Dragoons, 5 of Lancers, and 13 of Hussars. The Household Brigade form the body-guard of the sove reign, furnishing the escorts on all state occasions. They are recruited regimentally, and take none but picked men, of good character, and over 5 feet 10 inches in height. They wear helmet, cuirass, and long jack-boots, and are armed with a breech-loading carbine and long straight sword, 40 inches in the blade. From the great size of the men, added to the weight of the cuirass, they ride very heavy from 21 to 22 stone when equipped for service. They are quartered in or near London, and are only sent abroad in war. The other regiments are classed as &quot; heavy/ &quot; medium,&quot; and &quot; light.&quot; The dragoons are classed partly as heavy, and partly as medium ; the lancers as medium ; the hussars as light. The heavies recruit from men of 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 1 1 inches in height, and ride, in &quot; service marching order,&quot; from 19 to 20 stone; the mediums from men of 5 feet 7 inches, to 5 feet 9 inches, and ride from ISi to 19 stone ; the lights from men of 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches, and ride from 17 to 18-^ stone. The dragoon guards, dragoons, and hussars are armed vnth breech- loading carbines and sword. The lancers carry a bamboo lance (9 feet long), sword, and pistol. The colour and facings of the uniform vary in different regiments, the dragoons mostly wearing red, while the hussars and lancers wear blue. The dragoons wear helmets, with the exception of the 2d Dragoons (the &quot; Scots Greys&quot;), who wear bearskins ; the lancers, the lancer square-topped cap ; and the hussars, a busby with plume and bag. The Household Brigade are the only cuirassed regiments. A regiment of cavalry on war footing consists of 8 troops, forming 4 squadrons in the field, and numbering 1 lieutenant-colonel, 1 major, 8 captains, 12 lieutenants and sub-lieutenants, 5 regimental staff officers, 11 staff sergeants, 8 troop sergeants-major, 24 sergeants, 32 cor porals, 8 trumpeters, 20 farriers, shoeing smiths, and saddlers, and 504 privates ; in all, 27 officers and 607 men, with 559 horses. They take with them in the field 2 forge- waggons, 1 small-arm ammunition-cart, and 7 baggage and store- waggons. The peace establishment is 29 officers, 506 men, and 320 horses. Of the 28 regiments of the line, 9 are usually in India, and 19 at home. The prin cipal cavalry stations in the United Kingdom are Alder- shott, the Curragh (with Newbridge), and Dublin ; at each of the two first there is a general commanding the cavalry, who also inspects all the cavalry regiments in that portion of the kingdom. The depots of regiments serving abroad, and the riding establishment, are at Canterbury. Cavalry regiments are not connected with particiilar counties or districts, but recruit throughout the kingdom. The horses for the cavalry are mostly obtained by purchase from dealers, at the headquarters of the several regiments; no breeding establishments or special arrange ments for securing a sufficient supply of a good class of horses, such as have been generally introduced on. the Continent, exist in England. The horses are usually bought at four years old, 40 being the maximum govern ment price; the average height is 15 hands 2 inches. Officers provide their own chargers, but are allowed to select from the troop horses under certain restrictions and on payment of 50; sub-lieutenants are provided with horses and horse equipments at the public expense. The oldest cavalry regiments are the Horse Guards, raised by the Earl of Oxford, and first known as the Oxford Blues ; and the two regiments of Life Guards, raised in 1661-2. The privates in these regiments were for the most part of good family, and were addressed as &quot; Gentlemen of the Life Guards.&quot; The youngest regiments, the 19th, 20th and 21st Hussars, were formed from the European regiments in the East India Company s service at the time of the amalgamation.

Artillery. The artillery, notwithstanding the great augmentations it has received of late years, consequent on the increased importance of its arm, still retains the title of the &quot; Royal Regiment of Artillery.&quot; It consists of 205 batteries, forming 28 brigades, of which 5 brigades, or 31 batteries, are horse artillery; 10 brigades, or 83 batteries, are field artillery ; and 1 3 brigades, or 9 1 batteries, are garrison or siege artillery. In addition to these, there is a depot brigade of 12 batteries, and the &quot;coast brigade&quot; of 10 batteries. The battery is the true unit of our artillery, the brigade being rather a grouping for administrative pur poses ; in the field and horse artillery, the batteries are almost entirely independent. The establishment of a battery of horse artillery on war footing is 1 major, 1 captain, 3 lieutenants, 1 assistant- surgeon, 1 veterinary surgeon, 2 staff sergeants, 6 sergeants, 12 corporals and bombardiers, 2 trumpeters, 10 artificers (including shoeing smiths), and 153 gunners and drivers; altogether 7 officers and 185 men, with 206 horses and G guns, 9 ammunition-waggons, and 5 forge, store, &c., waggons. The peace establishment varies; the present home establishment is 5 officers, 151 men, and 113 horses. The guns now in use are 9 -pounder rifled muzzle-loaders, of wrought iron. In the horse artillery every man is either mounted, or carried on the limber or ammunition-waggons, to enable them to keep pace with cavalry. A battery of field artillery on war footing has the same establishment of officers and non-commissioned officers, but more gunners and drivers, and fewer horses. The numbers are 7 officers, 197 men, 184 horses, 6 guns, 12 ammunition and 4 miscellaneous waggons. The peace establishment at home is 5 officers, 152 men, and 85 horses. The guns in use are 16-pounder rifled muzzle-loaders, drawn by 8 horses. A garrison battery consists of 1 major, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 1 staff sergeant, 5 sergeants, 10 corporals and bombardiers, and 140 gunners. They are all dismounted, and are employed in garrisons in working the heavy guns, at sieges, and on other similar duties. Besides the above, heavy batteries of position, mountain batteries, and ammunition columns are formed in war time. A heavy battery has 4 guns only, 40-pounder breech-loading rifled guns on the Armstrong principle. Mountain batteries are only organised when the nature of the warfare requires it, and their detail varies accordingly. Artillery and infantry reserve ammunition columns are formed when an army takes the field, one being attached 