12
By the above it will be seen that 196 less were purchased this year
than in 1897-98.
64. The Army Remount Department purchased 129 head of young stock
as against 141 last year. The falling off is but trifling, especially when it is
considered that the standard has been very greatly raised.
65. The Bengal Cavalry purchased 845 against 821, and the Punjab
Cavalry 277 against 284 last year.
66. These figures are very satisfactory considering that two Regiments
bought no country-breds at all and one Regiment bought only one. These
Regiments were 4th Bengal Cavalry, 8th Bengal Cavalry and 14th Bengal
Lancers. This must mean that they are remounting themselves entirely on
Australian horses.
67. One point connected with the purchase of these remounts is, however,
not quite satisfactory. I allude to the number purchased at Lahore and
Amritsar. From both these places, 838 or about 50 per cent. were obtained;
this points to the fact that the trade with dealers is increasing, and I cannot
but help saying that I regret it, for it is neither to the interest of the Regi-
ments nor of the breeders. I carefully watch the class of horse purchased by
the dealers and often wonder where they intend to place them. I afterwards
see them in their yards fattened up, with their tails banged, and then I
understand that they are intended for Native Cavalry. They look fairly
well in the yards, but they are a bad stamp, bought at a cheap price, and
will never do good work.
The number of remounts bought whose pedigree is known is very
satisfactory.
68. In the Remount Department, the greatest percentage of failures is
amongst those whose pedigree is not known, and I am glad to see that
pedigrees were obtained in 107 cases of the 129 purchased.
69. In the Punjab Cavalry, 27 per cent. of known pedigree horses were
obtained, but in Bengal Cavalry only 9.5. This is in a great measure due
to the fact that so many are purchased from dealers. These men, as a rule,
cannot produce the Produce Certificates, or, if they do, they are not reliable.
70. The Senior Military Member of the Judging Committee remarked
last year that it seemed rather the exception than the rule to find Native
Cavalry Remount Officers at Shows, and I feel compelled to endorse this
remark again this year. I know full well that the time of British Officers in
Native Cavalry Regiments is now fully occupied, but bearing on the question
of the supply of Remounts for this branch of the service, I feel compelled to
bring it to notice. Their absence drives the trade into the dealers' hands. On
this subject, the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, North-Western
Provinces and Oudh, states:—
"The decrease in the number of purchases for the Native Cavalry may be accounted for by the meagre
attendance of Officers from these Regiments. Only one British Officer was sent from Bengal Cavalry to pur-
chase remounts at the six Fairs and Shows held in these Provinces."
71. The supply of Remounts in Baluchistan is increasing yearly, and as
their excellence is not known to most of the Native Cavalry Regiments, I feel
I cannot do better than to give the following extracts from Veterinary-Captain
Maxwell's report. This year the Trans-frontier horses were reduced greatly in
numbers, but the locally-bred horses were more numerous and were certainly
of excellent quality. If only a few Regiments could purchase young stock of
two years of age, many most promising ones could be obtained. The largest pur-
chasers at the Fairs in Baluchistan are the Lahore dealers; this is to be regret-
ted. Veterinary-Captain Maxwell states:—
"The following details show the number of remounts purchased at the two Fairs held at Quetta and Sibi
during the year under report:—
A.—QUETTA.
"Captain Gough, Army Remount Agent . . . . . .
"Major Peirse, 5th Bombay Cavalry
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Captain Templer, 19th Bengal Lancers . . . . . . . .
"Lieut.-Col. Monteith, 6th Bombay Cavalry . . . . . . .
"Lieutenant Henslowe, District Supdt. of Police, Quetta . . . . .
11
29
18
19
8
110
"Total 110 against 198 last year.