Page 147 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

Chapter VI. 125
(in) Kosidency Escort allowance,

132. In 1881 an allowanco of Us. 400 por mensem was sanctioned for 15
or 20 horsemen, who were to be
P. C., 8th Juno 1811. Nm. 30 32. ontortained for the purposo of
Ua. 400 ilialributcil a* follow*
Bs. A. r. collecting information, carrying
Moioty r'»y wUli hfitta of Treasury gunnl despatches, otc. The allowance
cont'iillng of ono nmk ami uino aepoya ... 98 8 0
Fay.etc. of o.coit conalatlnjf of ouo DixITa. was reduced in 1862 to Its. 240 per
*lar, nlno lioraomcn, threo groMm, and mensem under the orders of the
three rcona ... ... ... 101 8 0 Foreign Department, as conveyed
Total ... 400 o o in tho letter to the Accountant-
General to tho Government of
India, No. 525, dated 17th April
Proceeding*, No. 80 of Fin&nco H , April 1862, No*. 84-86.
lbG2. Tho escort then consisted
of ono Duffadar, six horsemen and three grooms in all 10 men. In 1880 one of
these grooms was discharged.
133. In 1879 when proposing an increase of pay to the men, Colonel Miles,
Paragraph 18 of Proccedingt No. 179, General B., then in Baghdad, pointed Out thattllO
UoTcmbcr 1879. No*. 179—iso. rent for escort lines and stables stood at
the high figure of Its. 37 per mensem, and that, “thus heavily weighted, the
allowance apponrs to have been hardly enough to keep the escort efficient
and, as a portion of the building was used as native infantry lines and store­
room, ho did not think that the full rent of tho stables was a fair charge in the
escort allowanco.
134. The sufficiency of the escort allowanco was further discussed by Mr.
Plowden, who said that the balance, after
Paragraph i of Proceedings, No. 397. General B.,
May 1881, Kos. 391-399. paying tho men, was sufficient when
prices were normal; but—
“ it is insufficient when the price of grain stands, as it did in the summer months, at nine and
ten seers for tho rupee.”
135. Mr. Plowden thoroforc considered it would be best to continue tho
plan which has been adoptod $incc May
Proceedings No. 399 of tho above Proceedings.
1879 of charging Government with the
actual expenditure of each month.
136. Tho proposals submitted by Mr. Plowden were sanctioned in May
1881, when the strength aud cost of the escort were as follows:—
Rs.
1 Daffadar • •• «•» ... 24
6 Horsemen @ Its. 12 each ... 72
2 Grooms @ Rs. 12 aud 8 oach ... 20
Total ... 116
and thoso figures continue to tho present time,
137. In 1887 tho Finance Committee suggested that it might prove more
economical to fix the pay of tho daffadar
Bxtfm.il A., November 1837, No*. 113—117.
and horsemen, so as to include the keep
of horses and noticed that the number and pay of horsemen had not been fixed.
Colonel Tweedio pointed out that—
"this has sometimes been thought of here. But before it could Ixj done tho wholo establish­
ment would have to ho remodelled. At present it consists entirely of natives of this country.
Not only are theso less of soldiers thau of messengers, performing mixod duties ; hut, ns sub­
jects of a foreign Government, they aro but imperfectly amenable to our discipline and
authority. If tho feed of their horses rested with them, they would starvo them, and if
troubled too much about them, or about the state of their equipments, very likely one of them
would occasionally rido away altogether with a horse for tho purchase of which he had perhaps
just been assisted with au advance of money.
138. With reference to the number and pay of tho escort, Colonol Tweedic
stated that—
“ neither item has undergone theso many yoars any increase or diminution. Neither is it
possible for it to do so without tho sanction of tho Government of India being first of all
obtained. Total cost of establishment, in so far depending on prico of barley and other
forage, must necessarily he fluctuating; the prices offorago of every description haying all this
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