The training of regiments in the duties of outpost work cannot be carried out really satisfactorily and thoroughly unless the regiment goes into camp for a few days. Otherwise, many of the real difficulties, such as the cooking and supplies of food, the off-saddling, watering, reliefs of sentries and pickets, lighting of fires, arrangements for men to get a good sleep, are never grasped. CHAPTER XIV SOME DETACHED DUTIES DESPATCH-RIDING One often hears a party of cavalrymen employed on reconnoitring work blamed because they continue to observe or follow up the enemy, whom they have just discovered, without a thought of conveying the information to those who sent them out. But this forgetfulness is not to be wondered at when we call to mind that in the first few weeks of the 1870 war German officers were sent on long rides of 60 or 70 miles, whilst little or no arrangement was made for the purpose of transmitting the information, obtained at great risk and trouble. It leads one to think that the subject of despatch-riding is one of those points connected with war of which the knowledge lapses or rusts in peace-time, or, like the manufacture of Waterford glass, becomes a lost art. To begin with, to train men in the duties of despatch-riding with anything like thoroughness entails a certain amount of prearrangement for food, forage, and shelter for men and horses; for it cannot be taught in the immediate vicinity of the town where the men are quartered. In war it may entail cross-country work, if capture is to be avoided; whilst the task on roads can often be carried out much better by cyclists. It is suggested that this little-practised art, despatch-riding, may be made to take a form which will serve an excellent purpose in the general instruction of the cavalryman. By it he will learn (1) to take notice of the country passed through; (2) to see a good reason for the trouble now taken to instruct him in map-reading; (3) to gain immensely in self-reliance; (4) to become an expert in campaigning horse-management; (5) to gain knowledge of pace.