spoken of. The attack is never practised, even in the section, without first throwing out an enemy; according as the attacking body is a section, squadron, division, or regiment, a corresponding unit, or number of units, is marked in skeleton, each squadron being designated by the four section leaders and the squadron leader, and the whole being under the command of an officer. Men riding grey horses are usually selected for the duty, as the most conspicuous. No drill occurs without practising an attack, which, as a rule, is delivered in the following manner: The attacking body is retired behind any available cover, whether village, wood, defile, &c., and the skeleton enemy thrown out to a considerable distance, and ordered to form line. in a certain direction; when placed, the commander sounds the 'executive signal'; the retired force sends out patrols to the front and flanks, who, when the enemy is made out, send information back to the commander of the attacking body; he then debouches in column at a trot, and deploys to the front or to a flank, according to circumstances, as he gets room; when deployed he advances at a trot, and from this moment the commander of the skeleton enemy conforms his pace to that of the attacker, and advances to meet him; when at about 800 paces distant, he breaks into a gallop and gives the word 'Attack'; the men then draw their swords; at about 80 paces distant, he sounds the 'Charge' (Marsch! Marsch !), and at this signal the skeleton enemy wheels about and gallops off at full speed, the attacking line rushes

forward, shouting, swords at the engage, and closing the intervals; after delivering the charge home, the 'Rally' (Appel) is sounded, and the men fall into a trot, riding on and assembling behind their leaders, but are not halted for another 100 paces, or until the line is in order. As soon as the deployment is effected, each squadron leader selects the corresponding unit in the marked enemy as his objective, and leads straight on it; the leaders thereby acquire the habit of leading their squadrons direct on the enemy opposed to them, the men learn to charge home; a correct eye and a correct appreciation of distance and pace are also acquired, so essential to the vigour, momentum, and success of a charge So absolutely necessary do the Austrians esteem this, that to attack in the air (in die Luft), as they call it, is never permitted, but considered to be fraught with danger to all ranks. The advantages to be gained from this system of practising the attack are selfevident.

PART II.

CAVALRY EXERCISE.

THE squadron is the tactical unit of cavalry, and is divided into 4 sections.. Three squadrons form a division, 2 divisions a regiment, 2 or 3 regiments a brigade. Cavalry Divisions and corps are formed by the combination of several brigades under one command. A squadron, on the war establishment, consists of

I captain.

2 first lieutenants.

2 lieutenants.

I cadet officer's substitute.

I serjeant-major.

I pay-serjeant.

4 serjeants of sections.

8 corporals.

I trumpeter.

130 privates.

Mounted.

The only difference in the peace establishment is that the pay-serjeant is not mounted.

The squadron takes the field, in peace and war, with 150 mounted men.

SECTION I.-FORMATIONS.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES.

Cavalry is ranged in two ranks.

The men are placed with their stirrups nearly touching, each man occupying thus about 1 pace. This touch is always maintained when manoeuvring in close order. The distance between the ranks, from nose to croup, is 2 paces. A front-rank man with his coverer forms a file; a man without a coverer, a halffile.

The Section.

I. Line.

A section inclusive of guides must contain at least 12 men in the front rank. To make up this number men must, if necessary, be taken from the rear rank, but the strength of the rear rank must never be less than

D

half that of the front rank. When rear-rank men are called up to increase the strength of the front rank, Nos. 2 and 3 in the sections of fours are left blank; the flank files of the sections of fours must always be kept complete. When the section is formed, the centre-man is proved, and the front rank told off by fours from right to left, commencing with the guide, the rear-rank men taking up the number of their front-rank men. The section is then divided into 3 patrols, called 'right,' 'centre,' and 'left patrol,' the centre one being, in the event of an unequal subdivision, the strongest, having, supposing all three patrols to be sent out, to cover the march of the main body. The section commander takes post at rankinterval in front of the centre of his section. The accompanying figure shows the formation of the section.

Column of files is formed by moving off the files by twos or fours, the twos or fours covering, instead of