'Report on the Persian Army' [‎68v] (136/170)

Infantry.
Pensioners.
Arms.
Armament.
12(5
The strength of the batteries in men and horses is as
follows:—
100 Mounted gunners.
32 Foot „
168 horses, of which—
100 the property of the gunners.
68 the property of the Government.
12 Waggon horses the ,, „ M
14 Extra horses the „ „ „
The 68 horses, the property of Government, were originally
imported from Russia and were of the heavy draught type.
These are now being exchanged as necessity arises for the
smaller and sounder Karabagh and Persian horse, whose legs
are found to stand the wear and tear of Persian roads much
better than the underbred Russian animal.
The infantry branch of the brigade came into existence in
1891), following on the increase of the budget, of which men
tion has already been made. The commandant, however, states
that he has no intention of permitting these men to remain
permanently embodied as infantry, and that, as soon as the
abnoimal rates for grain and fodder which have prevailed for
the la,st two years decline to the normal level, he will draft
them into the squadrons to which they are already attached by
name. In fact, the men are now serving under their own
squadron officers and non-commissioned officers, who are tem
porarily acting as dismounted men.
The battalion numbers 480 men exclusive of officers.
The pensioners now borne on the rolls and paid from the
budget of the brigade are men who have actuallv served in
the ranks, and have been invalided and transferred to the
pension list. They number 150 men in all.
Some few years ago the budget maintained a large number
ol refugee Caucasian officers or their descendants, to whom in
times past the Persian Government had been indebted for
service, these have now been altogether eliminated and have
no further connection with the brigade.
The cavalry carry a rifle slung across the shoulder, sword
and dagger. 1 he rifle is the Russian Berdan.
The infantry carry the same rifle, with side arms and
agger Ammunition is as a rule carried in a leather belt worn
round the waist.
W^wi! llery are . armed with the 8 ‘ 7 centimetre Krupp gun.
M Rh the exception of 1,200 Berdans originally purchased
by the Persian Government in Russia, the whole of the fore
going weapons, c aggers excepted, as also a large quantity of
ammunition have been presented at different times by ‘the
&° r ° u R n- 88ia t ° J the la , te Nasr-ed-Din Shah or his successor
’ r lld 11 . 1S hardl y an exaggeration to say that
fai aS ltS armame nt and ammunition are con-
’ 18 1Ga 6( i a8 < : om P onent part of the Russian army.
I he increase in strength in 1899 was followed by the departure
f