Page 43 - PERSIAN 2 1879_1883

RESIDENCY AND JIUSKAT POLITICAL AGENCY POR 1870-80. 31

The seventeen accepted were reported to have turned out very well, and
the following year twenty more mules being required (one for No. 1, and
nineteen for No. 2 mountain batteries then in Quetta), tho Adjutant-Gene­
ral of the Bombay Army in November 1878 wrote recommending this
number to be procured from the same dealer if possible. The'Political
Resident, Persian Qulf, was again addressed to this effect, and requested
to procure the twenty mules at the same rate as in . the previous year,
rRupees 300. It was found, however, that the dealers had increased
their prices (probably owing to the rejeetiou of the three mules of the last
Latch at Kurrachee), and would not undertake the contract at a less
price than Rupees 350 per mule. As the second mountaiu battery, for
which the majority were required, was on service, and delay was
inexpedient, this price was authorized, and the same dealer at ShinSz
accepted the contract. The mules were delivered in Kurrachee at tho
end of February 1879, and were all accepted, although four of them
were over the contract age.
Lastly, in October 1879, Major Probyn was deputed to purchase
mules in Persia for use in Afghanistan. Ilis instructions were to pur­
chase 100 mules for artillery purposes; age between five and nine years;
height not under thirteen two and averaging fourteen to fourteen two
hands; girth fifty i .dies for all bciow fourteen hands, and sixty
inches for all ah r our .*?en bauds. He was also to purchase about
2,000 mules for ti port purposes, size and standard not so high as for
artillery, but to l>e inorougbly cEcient as pack animals.
Previous to Major Probyn's arrival, endeavours were made to collect
in Busnirc a large number cf mules for his approval. 13ntta at twelve
annas a day per mule had to be allowed to induce the muleteers to remain,
and about 700 were thus collected at a cost of about Rupees 0,000. Major
Probyn arrived on the 27th October, and out of this large uumber of
mules collected could only select and purchase seventy-six at an average
price of Rupees 216. On the 1st November be proceeded to Shiraz, and
between the 13th November and 3rd December succeeded in purchasing
at that place 2G7 mules at an average price of Rupees 182. Major
Probyn then returning to Busbire embarked for Baghdad after buying
thirteen more mules in Bushire at an average price of Rupees 2J1. He
remained in Baghdad meeting with but indifferent success, uutil April
1880, when he went to Shuster, and there purchased 252 mules at an
average of Rupees 181 per mule. Major Probyn had every prospect of
being9able to secure large numbers of mules in Shuster, when the purchase
of mules was stopped on 7th April, and he was recalled to India.
In February, as the purchase of mules had been proceeding slowly
and speed was required, Major Probyn recommended the appoiutmcnt of
Mr. J. R. Prcece, Superintendent on the Persian Telegraph Line, to pur­
chase mules in Shirdz. This appointment was sanctioned, and during
the couple of months before the purchase of mules ceased, Mr. Prcece
succeeded in obtaining 850 mulo3 at an average price of Rupees 190: 233
of these were for artillery, and 170 of the remainder measured thirteen
hands and over.

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