The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-07 00:00:00

A TROOP OF SCINDE HORSE
__ _ •

Tho Herald correspondent dates from Mulkatta, January
19. Here is an extract sheaving what he thinks of the
Scinde Horse :—" No troops have landed, with the excep-
tion of considerable numbers of the Scinde Horse. I was
anxious to see this regiment, which I have seen highly
praised in books, but which Indian officers, with whom I
have conversed on the subject, have generally spoken of
in terms the reverse of complimentary. I confess that
their appearance is not imposing. The men are dressed in
long green frock coats, green trousers, black belts, and
sabretaches, red sash round waist, and round turban—a
picturesque uniform in itself, but the long coat has a
clumsy effect on horseback. Their horses are, without
exception, the very ugliest set of animals I ever set eyes
on. A greater contrast between these men and horses
and the smart 3rd Cavalry at Sensid could hardly be
conceived ; for the 3rd, in the way they sit their
horses, in their carriage, equipments, and steeds,
might compare without disadvantage with a crack hussar
regiment ; and yet the men are individually a fine set of
fellows, inched, are almost too heavy for cavalry. The
great point which has been urged in favour of the Scinde
Horse is, that they carry their own baggage, and are We-
Pendent of commissariat or transport train. This is, of

course, a most valuable quality ; and in India, where I
forage and provisions are purchased readily enough, it
is probable that the regiment may be able to move
about to a great extent upon its own resources. Here it
is altogether different, and the regiment have indented
upon the Transport Train for just as many baggage animals
as other cavalry corps would require. The only use of
the herds of ponies which they have brought with them is,
to carry very large kits for the men's use—a matter of no
advantage whatever to the public service, and, on the con-
trary, involving great expense, as these ponies were
brought from India at the public expense, and have now
to be fed and watered. I shall probably have to return
to this subject during the campaign, as this system is
one which has been strongly advocated and as strongly
attacked among Indian officers. The railway continues
to creep forward, and the first engine made a trial trip
to-day upon it. Although there is little more to do than
to lay the sleepers into the sand and to affix the rails, there
is at present only a mile complete. One dry watercourse
has been crossed, and here iron girders have been laid ;
but these nullahs should be no obstacle whatever to the
progress of the work, as parties ought to be sent forward
to get the little bridges, or any small cuttings there may
be, finished in readiness, so that no pause may be occa-
sioned in the laying of the line. The country, with the
exception of these little dry watercourses, which are from
three to five feet deep, is perfectly flat, and the railway
might, at any rate, be temporarily laid down with great
ease and rapidity, especially with such a number of men
as are employed upon it. As it is, it is impossible even to
predict when it will be finished to Koomaylo."