LANCER. A cavalry soldier armed with the lance. Lancer regiments were first brought into the regular army service by Napoleon. They had previously been confined exclusively to the Cossack arm of the Russian service. The lance is from eight to eleven feet long, with a sharp, spear-like point made of steel, and a metal-en eased heel. A little distance below the point of the lance is placed a small pennon. Lancer regi ments have proved particularly effective when used against defeated or demoralized infantry, and have been increasingly employed in both the German and British establishments. The prob lem of their future, in view of recent develop ments in rapid and effective rifle fire, is the problem of cavalry in general. As an accompani ment to expert horsemanship, the dexterous use of the lance is of the greatest value. and the cav alry of all armies using it practice at various feats of skill. In single combat with a swords man (see FENCING) the lancer strives to keep his opponent on his left flank, thus securing the advantage of his longer weapon and freer play— and considerably handicapping the swordsman.
The foot soldier, armed with rifle and bayonet, attacks the lancer on his lance side, manoeuvring to get inside his guard, a form of attack which is specially advantageous, because of the unwieldi ness at close quarters of the lance as a weapon of defense. There Ire fifteen regiments of lancers in the Bengal cavalry division of the British Indian native army. During the British-Boer ‘War of 1899-1902 the British lancers were sue cessfully employed against the Boers. on the few occasions that contact between the combatants was possible. notably at Elaandslaagte. It was observed, however, that in field operations the lancer cavalry. owing to their lances, were readily seen at great distances by the Boers, and to that extent were limited in their usefulness. \Vhatever may he the future of cavalry in general, the opening years of the twentieth century witnessed a growing employment of lancer regiments. See CAVALRY.