New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-30
THE DOGRA SEFGi
A LITTLE KNOWN But BRAVE CONSTITUENT OF
THE INDIAN ARMY
From The Indian News.

THE INDIAN ARMY.
From The Indian News.
OF all the martial races OF the north who fur
nish recruits for the ranks of our native army,
the Dogras OF the kangra Valley are, undoupt-
cdly. the least known. The gallant little Gurk-
has the daring and impetuous Pathans and the
grim warrior Sikhs have all a worldwide repu-
tation (the man in the street at home can tell
you all about them) but the DOgras, good and
sterling soldiers though they have proved them
selves to be, have not yet attained like PIN
nacle of fame. And yet our Dogra sepoys nave
done us equally gallant service, as the records
Of our frontier expeditions amply prove, and on
many a hard-fOugnt field have shed their blood
freely for the honor of the British Raj. hill
man. like the Gurkha, the Dogra also possesses
i'm measure the sOderly qualities of the sikh
and Pathan. and withal excels all three in in
telligence The D0gra loves his fair native MUS
and valleys much as the Pathan trlbesman
does his rugged Businesses and Dogra sepoys
more thrifty than their spendtnrift Pathan
comrades money steadily in order to re-
turn to their homes.
The Dogras are natives of the hilly country
lying along the base of the snowy Himalayas,
| extending from the Sutlej in the south to the
Chenab in the north These hill regions con
sist of a series Of parallel ranges divided by
longitudinal valleys. which increase gradually
in elevation they recede from the plains and
approach the snowy barrier which forms the
northern boundary. Here every zone of climate
and variety of vegetation are to be met WITH
from the scOrchiAg heat and eXuberant growth
of the tropics to barren heights destitute of
veTdure and capped with perpetual snow Tie
four Dogra classes which furnish recruits for
our army the Brahmins, Rajputs Rathees
and Grths, and these four classes comprise up
ward OF four-ffths of the entire population of
their hills 1t might well be imagined that, on
service. the caste prejudceS of the DograS
would create difficulties and tend materially to
depreciate their value az soldiers This, how
ever has been proved not to be the For
example. the Dogra, particular as he is about his
drinking water in environments, will on active
service cheerfully drink out of a mussuck.
In appearance the Dcgra is distinctly pre-
possessing. his features being well formed, and
his complexion. owing to the temperate climate
of his native hills decidedly fair. In stature
Dogras seldom exceed medium height and it
must be admitted that in bodily strength and
vgOr they compare unfavorably with the stall
wart Skhs and Pathans. However, their
physique and strength are quite up to the
standard required by our recruiting officers, and
as regards their inferiOrity in stature to the
latter races, it must be remembered that it is
not always the biggest men who can stand the
most fatigue and hard work As "Wardens of
the Marches" the Dogras have proved them
selves well worthy of confidence, and the recall
citTant border trbesmcn know to their cost
that in them they have to deal with foes whose
martial instincts are as highly developed
their own. and who. moreover, in discipline and
intelligence are UNNECESSARILY their superOrs
Dogras also enlist in the Bengal cavalry reg-
ments. and "A rule, prove excellent h1rsemen.
4 few years ago TIE experiment Of forming class
regiments of DO2ras was tried, and the 3Ith
and 3Sth Bengal Infantry became the 31th and
;;Sth Dcgras. The experiment has been wholly
succe ssful. as the records of both these corps
short though they be-are extremely fine ones.
The 31th D1gras served with credit throughout
the Chtral campaign. while the deeds Of he
3Sth Dogras during the operations of the Maa-
kand field force are still fresh In our memory.
Dogras seem more suitable than any other race
to form into class regiments, and we could well
DO with few more regiments entirely COM
POSED OF them. There is no more loyal and
faithful soldier in the native army than the
Dogra. whose motto and watchword may with
truth be said to he 'Semper Fidelis."