for forced marches to advantage if beforehand we are clear
about the conditions on the side of the enemy, and hence can act with
a certain degree of confidence.

One factor must never be left out of consideration--viz., that under
modern conditions the difficulties of action by surprise have been
enormously increased, and the enemy is under certain circumstances
enabled to paralyze the tactical results of surprise. This factor
arises from the existence of railways and telegraphs, and it will act
most detrimentally against us when moving in the enemy's country,
where both arrangements favour our opponents. Telegraphs carry the
news of the appearance of Cavalry far and wide beyond the points where
they have been seen by the enemy's troops, and the railways forward
supports to the threatened districts.

It is, therefore, of particular importance to destroy by means of
advanced patrols both telegraphs and railways all over the district on
which one hopes to act by surprise, and to repeat such active
destruction again and again. In such enterprises there is a wide field
for slimness and craftiness--qualities which might very well be
combined in greater undertakings.

Sudden changes in the line of advance behind the screen of advanced
troops, unexpected concentration of separate columns at decisive
points, separation and surprise reunions of one's forces,
dissemination of false news, feints on points of subsidiary importance
to distract the attention of the enemy--all these things can lead to
the deception of the enemy, and in one's own country they will be
materially supported by a friendly population; but timely and accurate
information of all the circumstances of the enemy remains always a
most necessary condition.

If the importance of these measures is particularly striking in these
cases where we are dealing with surprises, ambushes, and so forth,
they form also in every other type of Cavalry action one of the
principal foundations of success, for they alone insure timely
resolutions and the consequent initiation of the movements necessary
to bring about concentration and separation.

The Cavalry Commander must, therefore, always choose his position when
on the march, with the troops in immediate contact with the enemy; or
if his troops are quartered in the neighbouring villages, then
immediately behind the advanced line of cantonments, so that whenever
possible he can see with his own eyes and base his decisions