'Report on the Persian Army' [‎72r] (143/170)

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supposed to be attached to the battery, as also 24 mules for
baggage, tents, etc.
Each battery has two mechanics and two shoeing smiths
attached.
The composition of a battery of mountain artillery of cm.
Euchatius is as follows (General Wagner) :—
The battery consists of 4 guns.
1 Commandant, Sarhang or Yawer.
2 Commanders of sections (2 guns) Sultan or Naib.
1 Commander of ammunition, Sultan or Naib.
2 Vakil Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. aval.
4 Vakil Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. doyum.
f> Sarjugeh or dehbashi (corporal).
10 First class gunners (Tupchi).
30 Second „ „ ( „ ).
2 Trumpeters.
12 Horses for mounted men.
16 Mules.
On active service extra mules are attached for the
ammunition, baggage, tents. About 40 extra mules in all.
As a rule the mountain gnus are drawn, the shafts being
attached to the trail (timon fourchette), and not carried on
the backs of the mules.
Mules for the mountain batteries are supplied for the mule
breeding establishments of Mazanderan, etc., or are obtained by
purchase. The Persian mule has a high and well merited
reputation as a weight carrier. Large numbers are bred by
the tribes in Southern and South-western Persia.
The supply of horses for the artillery is arranged for by a
special department administered by a farming contractor
(Rais-i-stable-i-Topkhaneh). The annual budget makes allow
ance for 4,000 horses.
The horses are drawn from the Shah’s breeding establish
ments of Sultanieh in Azerbaijan, Ujan, and Tehran, from
whence a small number are annually drafted into the service;
owing, however, to the system of farming by which the higher
posts are regulated, the establishment is kept at the lowest
possible figure, and it is more than probable that less than 1,000
artillery horses could be accounted for at any given moment.
On emergency the department impresses or hires horses, and
as they are seldom wanted for more than a few hours at a time
the contractors find little or no difficulty in meeting such
temporary requirements. The writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. has only been able to
account for an actual distribution of the following numbers of
horses:—
Tehran
# #
.. 300
Tabriz
. #
.. 150
Ispahan ..
• •
• •
50
Meshed
50
Total
» *
.. 550
Composition
of a
mountain
battery.
Horsing of
the artillery.