67
383. He travelled 11,043 miles by rail, 919 by road and 1,592 by steamer,
and spent ten days under canvas.
384. The officers employed on duty connected with Imperial stallions (vide
Table XXII, page lx) were as follows:—
Veterinary
„
„
„
„
„
-Major G. J. R. Rayment, North-Western Provinces and Oudh.
Lieutenant F. B. Drage, North Punjab.
„
R. L. Cranford, South Punjab.
„
H. P. Turnbull, Derajat and
„
H. M. Maxwell, J Baluchistan.
Captain J. W. A. Morgan, Bombay.
385. Three thousand and sixty-seven mares were branded for horse-breed-
ing against 1,659 in the previous year. This increase must be looked upon as
satisfactory.
386. Most careful selection of mares for horse-breeding appears to have
been made; only 1,951 having been branded out of 6,199 presented for inspec-
tion in North-Western Provinces, Punjab and Bombay.
Remounts
for Native Cav-
alry.
387. Complaints are at times heard that difficulty is experienced by Native
Cavalry officers in obtaining remounts in sufficient numbers at a reasonable
price. It is urged that the competition by the Remount Department adds to
their difficulties; but as the Department purchases mainly young stock from
1½ to 2 years of age, I feel convinced that if this most desirable system were
either discontinued, or if a lesser number were bought, the result would only
be to drive the young stock into the hands of the dealers and the prospects of
the Native Cavalry would not improve to any appreciable degree.
388. The non-purchase of grey horses, in addition to depriving this branch
of the service of some of the best horses, which stand the climate better than
darker-colored ones, adds to the difficulties in obtaining remounts. The dislike
to grey horses has, I am informed, increased since the abolition of the grey
squadrons; and the Deputy Commissioner, Hissar, in his report on the show
held at Hansi, states that some Remount officers absolutely refused to buy
grey horses, and that others did so, but at much reduced rates. He therefore
asks that grey sires should not be bought. Whilst I do not in any way agree
with the rejection of grey horses, still, if they are not bought, I fully concur in
the opinion above expressed, as by issuing grey sires we are adding to the
number of grey horses in the country and causing disappointment and loss to
the breeders. I have therefore solicited the orders of the Government of India
on the subject.
389. The remedy for the scarcity of remounts for Native Cavalry lies mainly
in bringing the purchaser and breeder more in touch with each other and in
every possible way checking the dealer.
390. I feel that much might be done in this direction by the collection of
stock fit for Native Cavalry at different times of the year in different centres. This
has already been alluded to in the Summary of the Horse Fairs and Shows.
391. Sufficient care is not exercised by purchasing officers in obtaining
produce certificates: in this way much valuable information is lost. I have
therefore solicited Government to issue such instructions as will ensure the
more careful record of the sires of the various remounts purchased. With this
view I have instructed the Superintendents, Civil Veterinary Department, to
afford purchasing officers every assistance, and have pointed out that in so doing
they will be placing another check on the zilladars whose work is, I fear, most
unreliable. This subject has been referred to before, when remarking on the
want of reliability of statistics.
Class of Im-
perial stallions
most required.
392. I have already alluded to this in the body of the report, but would
record my opinion that the time has now arrived when in old-established districts
where half-bred and Norfolk Trotter strains have existed for some lengthened
period, a strain of thoroughbred English or Arab blood is urgently called for.
The Deputy Commissioner, Multan, complains of the Norfolk Trotter strain, and
says that the progeny is loosely put together and has not the bone or power of
the sire.