8
prejudicial effect on this market. I have consulted experienced Cavalry officers
in Sind and they are of opinion that more than sufficient for their wants are
brought to these shows. My own opinion and that of the Remount Officer
is that the horses obtainable here are superior to those brought in the Bombay
market. The First Bengal Cavalry stationed at Saugor, Central Provinces,
bought 20 at the last Quetta fair and. 30 at Sibi. Some of these were the
produce of Government sires. The North-Western Railway were asked during
the last Sibi Show to carry Government horses at reduced rates and they
immediately complied. The British India Steam Navigation Company have
also promised to convey horses from Karáchi to Bombay at a considerable re-
duction. I would again urge the necessity of thoroughly opening out this
market to the Bombay Presidency, as there appears to be hardly any limit to
the number obtainable, provided due notice is given to the dealers. If it is de-
cided to give the experiment a trial, timely warning should be sent as to the
number and class of horse required so as to enable dealers to collect and
bring them in. It is very essential that this should be done, as the majority
were so disappointed at the bad sales last year that it is highly improbable that
they will undertake the risk again without being told that if suitable horses are
brought, purchasers will be forthcoming. Few mature horses, the produce of
Government sires, are obtainable at the shows held in the Presidency, as the
best are procured when under three years of age for the Government rearing
depôts and the remainder are eagerly bought up by native dealers and taken
to different parts of India where a ready market is found for them. Such
being the case, I would again point out how desirable it is that the four
Bombay Cavalry Regiments should have another market besides Bombay, where
suitable horses can be obtained. Taking all expenses into consideration, I
think the average would compare very favourably with Bombay, and there can
be no doubt that these horses are far and away superior to the cheap common
under-bred waler obtainable at Cavalry prices.
Mules purched for transport.
29. This is a new return and shows during the year 151 mules were
bought up by the Commissariat Department for trans-
port purposes—vide Appendix X.
Castration of colts.
30. In Appendix XI will be found the number of colts, the property of
breeders, castrated by Government Salutris during
the year under report. The number castrated during
the last twelve years is given here:—
In 1881-82 ... ... ... ...
„ 1882-83 ... ... ... ...
„ 1883-84 ... ... ... ...
„ 1884-85 ... ... ... ...
„ 1885-86 ... ... ... ...
„ 1886-87 ... ... ... ...
„ 1887-88 ... ... ... ...
„ 1888-89 ... ... ... ...
„ 1889-90 ... ... ... ...
„ 1890-91 ... ... ... ...
„ 1891-92 ... ... ... ...
„ 1892-93 ... ... ... ...
11
71
129
82
122
68
76
98
72
127
320
326
The animals operated on this year being 326 against 320 last year,
exclusive of 63 colts castrated by the Ahmednagar Salutri from the Remount
Rearing Depôt. A slight increase is noticed, but the figures in my opinion
are unsatisfactory.
Mule-breeding.
Donkey stallions number of.
31. The number of donkey stallions on the
register on the 1st April 1892 was as indicated in
the table below:—
Arabs ... ... ... ...
Bokhara ... ... ... ...
Italian ... ... ... ...
Persian ... ... ... ...
Khorasan ... ... ... ...
Cyprus ... ... ... ...
Total ...
4
1
11
4
1
2
23