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FRENCH MOUNTS FOR AMERICAN ARMY There is a considerable shortage of army horses at the moment in France The ministry of war has instructed the remount to purchase preferably in France 90000 horses for military purposes 50000 of which will lie required to mount the American troops now on their way to the front This will come as a boon to the Normandy and Brittany light horse breeders who have passed through a terribly bad time The American purchases made on lahalf of the United States of America provide economy in transport and saves sea risks Prices were fixed by the ministerial circular of March 1918 as follows Heavy cavalry officers 525 men 493 Dragoons officers 455 men 400 light cavalry officers 420 men 310 light ar ¬ tillery 350 heavy artillery 415 and light draught horses 350 Authority has been given the remount to increase these prices by 30 per cent for horses having the requirements laid down by the army council and being over five and under fifteen years old The whole question resolves itself into one of price The supply is there and the breeder who has been sorely tried since the commencement of the war by the increase of cost of labor and forage is there also Those who saw the imported horses sent over at the commencement of the war in the government stables at Saumur where they were going through their military education were certainly not impressed with their appearance when compared with the halfbred which come from Nor ¬ mandy and Brittany Home breeders after a suc ¬ cession of lean years may now be induced t meet the remount In the question of price since it may Ite remembered that the government paid the record price of 14000 for that beautiful trotting sire Beaumanoir halfbred by Narquois halfbred that he might serve mares at the small official fee demanded by the government Paris Letter To London Sportsman
