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THE BASIS OF ARMY ESTIMATES.

The Strength and Organisation of the Cavalry of the Line.

(Previous

Reference: Cabinet 56 (27), Con- clusion 6.)

7. The Cabinet had before them the following

documents relating to the Strength and Organisa-

tion of the Cavalry of the Line (Paper C. P.-178

(28)):-

A Report by Lord Salisbury's Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence, which had been appointed on the recommenda- tion of the Cabinet at the Meeting referred to in the margin (C. I.D. Paper No.872-B):

An Extract from the Minutes of the 235th Meeting of the Committee of Imperial Defence containing the following Conclusions:-

"The Committee of Imperial Defence

(a) Agreed to recommend to the Cabinet

that approval should be given to the Report of Lord Salisbury's Sub-Committee, the conclusions of which were as follows:

11. Leaving out of account the possibility of a reduction of the British Cavalry in India, which is out side our reference, from the point of view of economy we are unable on the evidence that has been laid before us to recommend any change in the organisation of the mounted arm which would produce a saving.

2. We recommend that the War Office policy (see paragraph XIII above), both in the conversion of Cavalry Regiments into Armoured Car Regiments and in the pro- gressive me chanization of the machine-gun equipment and transport of the remaining Cavalry Regiments, should be approved.

3. We would draw particular attention to the desirability, as increased mechanization becomes possible, of making the fullest use of the traditions of the Cavalry and of the spirit and special qualities of its personnel in its mechanized substitute.

4. Recognizing the capital cost involved in the full develop- ment of mechanization, we recom- mend that the change should be made with due regard to financial considerations.

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