'Report on the Persian Army' [‎37r] (73/170)

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quarters for the men. “ The camels required for service were
kept on some adjoining ground, while the others were stabled
in villages not far from the city.” The strength of the re
organised corps was as follows in 1847 :—
1 colonel.
2 majors.
4 captains.
8 lieutenants.
25 musicians.
200 gunners and corporals.
240
The corps was divided into four dastehs (companies) of 50
men each. The officers were mounted on horses, the 225 men
on camels, and there was also a reserve of 20 camels for replacing
animals dying on the march. Thus the total number of animals
of the corps was 15 horses and 215 camels. The gunners
received a pay of 9 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. per annum, and their uniforms
consisted of a blue cloth tunic with red facings, wide blue
cotton trousers, high black boots, and grey long-sleeved
mantles. Each gunner carried a cavalry sword with white belt.
The musicians, whose camels had “superb trappings,” announced
sunrise, curfew, solemn entries of the Shan into the city,
receptions at court, etc., “ with drums, tamtams, and clarions.”
The guns are of iron and 70 centimetres (28 inches) in length,
have flintlocks, and, fixed to the breech, a piece of wood 40
centimetres long (10 inches) like the stock of a musket. The
weight of the ball is 80 miskals (13 ounces). Each camel
carries in two saddle-bags 50 cartridges with ball and 20
cartridges with powder only, the latter for salutes. Colombari,
from whose paper in the “ Spectateur Militaire ” the above details
have been taken, proposed some useful improvements, better
saddles, better system of mounting the guns on them, increased
strength of the company, etc., but Muhammad Shah’s death
intervened and abruptly ended Hajji Mirza Akassi’s artillery
reforms. The Zambureks now (1899) in use are, I believe,
identical with those of 1847, and the following further details
from Colombari’s paper may be useful:—
r
Weight of
gun, pivot, and spunge
124 batmans =
81 1
5)
saddle, felt saddle-cloth, girth,
bridle, stirrups, ornaments ....
15
>5
974
J5
saddle-bags and munition
19
5’
1234
provisions, £ batman of bread,
1 of barley flour rolled into
balls, and 2 of straw
34
r „ =
22f
gunner
25
55 =:=
162|
Total weight carried by camel....
75
batmans, or
4874
The only useful pace of the dromedary for military purposes
is the amble, the trot and gallop (very few camels can be made
to gallop) fatiguing the rider too much, and besides completely
damaging the load in a very short time. The following table