'Russia and India in 1903' [‎15v] (30/68)

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RUSSIA AND INDIA IN 1903.
regiments of Bengal Cavalry, seven of Bombay, four of
the Punjab, and two of Central Indian Horse. These
have four squadrons, each with a British squadron
leader and squadron officer, a British colonel, and a
medical officer. There are also three regiments of
Madras Cavalry, and four in the Hyderabad Con
tingent. But these latter seven corps have three
squadrons instead of four, and their organisation is on
a different footing to the thirty-two regiments first
named. The Government mounts and equips the
Madras and Hyderabad Cavalry. The others are on
the Siladar basis—that is, they mount and equip them
selves. Nor is there on that account any lack of
recruits. They have not to be attracted by bounties
or specious arguments at the street corner. They are
eager to serve for the honour of serving. Of what
class are such men ? Nearly all landowners or the
sons of landowners—real yeomen, in fact. Whence
come they ? Despite the nomenclature of Bengal and
Bombay, the great* majority of troopers are furnished
by the fighting races of the north—not a few even by
the Pathan tribes, to whom war is second nature.
They either bring a serviceable horse, accepted as a
charger, or a capital of from 200 to 250 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. (about
^15), and in some regiments even more. They have
to furnish high testimonials. If after such probation
as to the colonel seems proper, a recruit is accepted, he
passes beneath an arch of swords or lances, and issues
an admitted sowar In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman. . His capital is placed to his
credit. From the Chunda Fund he is supplied with a
horse. The regimental stores supply him with uniform,
equipment, saddlery, and other requisites. The cost is
repaid by instalments from his monthly pay. Against
this, too, are debited many subscriptions—some obliga
tory, such as 3^. \d. to the horse fund, %d. a month to
the pony fund or mule chunda, as also the expenditure
for food and forage with the regimental purveyors, and
any deductions in respect of quarters.