20
9. There can be no doubt that the number of pony mares covered during
the year was greater than last year. Very many of the donkey stallions in
Northern India had to be recalled to depôt to prevent their powers being
overtaxed. The returns are given as received, but they will remain unreliable
until the system of village registration by patwaris recently sanctioned is in
working order.
Demand
for
donkey
stal-
lions.
10. As noted in last year's report (paragraph 34), the demand for more
donkey stallion power continues, and it is to be regretted that the indents on
England for more jacks have not been fully complied with. Applications
from district boards, &c., to be allowed to purchase donkeys could not be met
owing to the paucity of Government jacks on the register. It was hoped that
some would be imported from Northern Afghanistan and brought for sale to the
Quetta Horse Fair, and it was recommended that Persian donkeys might be
obtained through the agency of a Persian horse importer; but the Civil Veteri-
nary Department were disappointed by not obtaining any from these sources.
Unless more jack power be secured, mule-breeding cannot possibly be develop-
ed. As recorded above, the demand by mule-breeders for more donkey stallions
remains pressing.
In this office letter No. 11-M.D., dated 15th February 1892, paragraph 4, I
stated: "I avail myself of this opportunity of reiterating my earnest sugges-
tions to have the sanctioned strength of donkey stallions raised from 300 to 600
by annual increments of not less than 50 in and after the year 1893-94," and I
still most earnestly advise that the number of jacks may be gradually increas-
ed.
In my letter No. 45-M.D., dated 9th September 1892, I wrote:—
"I have the honor to address you on the subject of the urgent demand that has been exist-
ing for more donkey stallion power in the breeding districts of the Punjab and North-Western
Provinces and a few Native States, where there is a desire to purchase jacks for the purpose
of mule-breeding.
"Consequent on my former recommendations, it was arranged in unofficial notes of April
1892 that the following donkey stallions be obtained:—
Italians ... ... ... ... ... ...
Persians ... ... ... ... ... ...
Country-breds ... ... ... ... ... ...
TOTAL ...
60
70
15
145
"Of these I learn from extract paragraph 10 of a Military letter from the Right Hon'ble
the Secretary of State for India, No. 110, dated 11th August 1892, forwarded to this office
with your Department endorsement No. 4159-D. of 3rd instant, that twenty Italian donkeys
are being obtained and forwarded to India. The cause why only 20 of the 60 required are
being supplied may rest on the fact that Mr. Sutherland, the purchasing officer of donkey
stallions in Europe, experienced difficulty in obtaining in Italy so great a number as sixty.
No. 136-R. & A., dated 9th September 1892.
" If this be the case, I would solicit a reference to my suggestion in unofficial notes that
Mr. Sutherland might be invested with the res-
ponsibility of obtaining suitable donkeys from
other European countries, such as Central Franco
and Catalonia, whence we have received through him very good donkeys, and that he would
have a larger area of county to select from.
" I would therefore repeat my earnest advice that another indent for forty more European
jacks may be submitted to the Right Hon'ble the Secretary of State for India as being most
urgently required to meet pressing demands.
" With regard to the Persian donkey stallions required, I find no action has been taken,
and so I venture to urge the importance of measures being at once adopted. I am informed
that no officer has been deputed by the Government of India this year to purchase horses and
mules in Persia, or I would advise that the seventy donkey stallions required from Persia
might be purchased by that agency. But I hear that a contractor has been directed to purchase
mules in Persia for the Government of India, and so I beg to advise that this contractor