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NELSON REPLIES TO MAJOR TOMrKINS. Canadian Turf Authority Says American Cavalry Officer Speaks from Individual Experience. Francis Nelson says in the Toronto Globe: "Major Frank Tompkins, a member of Ge-neral Pe-rsliings expedition into Me xieo. is c|iiote-d as declaring for the Arab against the thoroughbred for use as a ea fairy mount, basing his conclusions on his experie-nee in thai campaign. He- is described as riding Kingfisher, a pure-bred Arab.* but that is i, pen to eloubi. Pure-bred Arabian horses are e c ee-dingly scare-e in the Initeel States, and the credentials of Kingfisher, to be classed among them, are not stated. "Admitting that Major Tompkins experiences are convine-ing to him. it must be reme-mbi-ri-d that his is an individual case, resulting in ceuiolusions not agre-eing with those based on many years of campaigning in various climates, and under many conditions of warfare. It has long been accepted among the cavalry authoritie-s of Britain and France thai the- horse witli a large per .-enrage of thoroughbred blood is indispensable for their work, and both these countries have satisfied themselves by years of experience that there is practically nothing that the Arab can do that the Anglo-Arab, otherwise the thoroughbred, cannot do better. It will take more than the limited campaign of the Pershing expedition to upset that consensus of belief. The German. Russian and French governments do not pay great fortunes for Epsom Derby winners for any other reason than the conviction that these horses are the sort whose Mead is Beaded for the production of the animals required for military purposes. They lOOlld bag a dozen Arab stallions for the prie-e of one Ard Patrick, but they know that the modern thoroughbred so far exce-ls his eastern taproot as to justify tlie-m in going to the rae-e coaroei of England instead of the deserts of Arabia for what they need."
