EASTERN FRONTIER DISTRICT.
245
16th (The Lucknow) Regiment native Infantry—Jalpaiguri and Dacca.
YEAR.
STATION.
PER CENT. OF STRENGTH.
Admissions. Deaths. Daily sick.
1870
Moradabad and Shaja
-hanpur, December 1868.
52.2
1.6
1.8
1871
Ditto ditto
56.9
.3
1.5
1872
Jalpaiguri and Dacca
145.0
1.9
3.9
1873
Ditto ditto
143.7
2. 2
5.1
1874
Tezpur and Dacca
205.1
.5
6.1
Average
120.6
1.3
3.7
1875
Jalpaiguri and Dacca
191.87
2.62
5.35
Surgeon E. Bovill reports
as follows:—
I. Medical charge. —Medical
Officers: At head-quarters at Tez
-pur, Surgeon Imthurn, Civil Sur
- g e o n o f D u r r u n g , w a s i n c h a r g e
from 1st January until 1st March
1875; Surgeon Bovill from 1st
March to 31st December 1875.
Surgeon W. E. Griffith, Offi
-ciating Civil Surgeon of Jalpai
-guri, was in charge of the detach
- m e n t t h e r e f r o m 1 s t J a n u a r y u n t i l
6th April 1875.
Surgeon Bovill, from 1st Jan
- u a r y t o 1 s t M a r c h , i n c h a r g e o f
the detachment with the Duffla
Field Force.
Medical
charge.
Le f t ha l f ba t t a l i on, Sur ge on Ghos e f r o m 1 s t J a n u a r y t o 5 t h Ma y ; Su r g e o n Fu l l e r t o n
from 5th May to 16th December 1875. The whole regiment was in Surgeon Bovill's charge
from 16th to 31st December 1875.
II. Location and movements.—The head-quarters and part of the right wing remained
at Tezpur, but the greater part of the wing was with the Duffla Expedition until the 1st March,
on which date it arrived at Tezpur and remained there until the 22nd March, when it
left for Jalpaiguri, proceeding down the river Brahmapootra to Dhubri by steamer, from which
place it marched to Jalpaiguri viâ Kuch Behar, arriving there on 6th April and remaining
there until 1st December, on which date it marched for Calcutta viâ Caragola Ghât and
Sahibgunge, arriving in Calcutta on 16th December, where the regiment went into camp on
the maidan until the end of the year. A detachment remained at Jalpaiguri from
lst January until 6th April, on which date the head-quarters arrived at that place.
The left half battalion was quartered at Dacca from the 1st January until 8th December
1875, when it proceeded to Calcutta by steamer as far as Goalundo, arrived at Calcutta on the
12th December, and remained in camp on the maidan until the end of the year.
The right half battalion was employed in the Duffla Expedition, and stationed at Tezpur,
Jalpaiguri, and Calcutta during the year. The left half battalion was at Dacca and Calcutta
during the year.
III. Topography. —The topography of Jalpaiguri (the station in which the regiment
remained longest) has been previously described by Dr. McLeod in Annual Report of 1868
( wi t h ma p) , Dr . A. G. Gr a nt i n 1869, a nd Dr . W. D. St e wa r t i n 1872. The r e i s no di f f e r e nc e
to note in it except that the river Teesta has come nearer the lines and appears to be slowly
cutting away its right bank. The most noticeable change in Jalpaiguri has been caused by
the construction of a railway, which is expected to be open for traffic in the latter part of the
year 1876. Tezpur was described in last years report.
No change is reported as having occurred in the lines or huts since 1874;
the drainage both of Tezpur and Jalpaiguri is surface, and at the latter place
much of the surrounding country and parts of the cantonments are under
water during the rains. The conservancy of the several cantonments was effi
- c i e n t l y c a r r i e d o u t , a n d a l a t r i n e , o n t h e m o v a b l e s c r e e n s y s t e m , w a s i n t r o d u c e d
just before the regiment left Jalpaiguri. Mr. Bovill, however, is doubtful whe
- t h e r t h i s l a t r i n e w i l l w o r k w e l l d u r i n g t h e r a i n s .
At both Tezpur and Jalpaiguri it is said that there was an ample supply
of good river water. The former station was situated nearly a mile from the
Brahmapootra, but nevertheless the men always brought their water from it.
There were also tanks and wells in the lines. As far as regards diet, it is
reported that the men are supplied with rations of atta, ghee, &c., at a
fixed rate of Rs. 3-8 per mensem, the Government bearing any extra expense
that may be incurred in the supply. There was some difficulty in obtaining
any extra articles of diet, such as vegetables, milk, meat and sweetmeats,
both at Tezpur and Jalpaiguri, but more particularly at the former station.
At Jalpaiguri many of the men kept cows to supply themselves with milk.
Mr. Bovill states that under-feeding did not exist to any extent.
No change has been made in the clothing during the year; the men wear
the ammunition boots and seem to prefer them, but it is not stated to what
extent they caused "blisters of the feet."
M 2
Location and
movements.
Topography.
Lines, huts,
&c.
Conservancy.
Water-supply.
Under
- F e e d i n g .
Clothing.