measure it describes the Cape horse that reaped so much fame in the 

 Indian campaigns. "The horses are required to be not less than 

 nor more than 6 years old on delivery, and not under 14y9 hands 

 high. Each horse must be free from vice or blemish or any defect 

 whatsoever, which may constitute unsoundness of wind, limb or 

 vision ; to be of good constitution with free action, sufficient bone, 

 general substance and symmetry to render him in every respect fit 

 for artillery and European Dragoons ; to be judged by a Committee 

 of officers at Madras."®* In short a perfect animal for £57:10, ir- 

 respective of all risks. 



Such a Government invitation has been in force for fourteen 

 years and only met with one response. Out of 13 horses landed 

 only 6 were passed by the Committee, whilst the importer had to 

 bear the loss of 8 which died on the voyage.^^ 



There is a large amount of proof of the unfairness, unscrup- 

 ulous judging and even utter ignorance displayed by this Com- 

 mittee as well as others of its kind twenty years earlier. 



In a letter to the Indian Sporting Review, 1858, Lt. Col. Bower 

 writes that "the Cape farmers will never submit to the freaks of 

 the India Remount Committee, for the blunders of such tribunals 

 on all occasions of Cape horses being inspected are too notorious. 

 Poor Havelock's horses sent to Bombay in 1837-8 were disapproved 

 of, yet they proved themselves hardy, and kept in good condition, 

 perhaps better than others and took in addition to their own work a 

 share with the Gulf Arabs in doing the work of the Bengal stud 

 breeds which had to be lead. Again the Cape horses purchased by 

 me in 1839, were condenmed by a Committee in such terms as ex- 

 posed me to censure of the Board of Directors; yet they earned 

 for themselves such a reputation in the service which obliged the 

 Madras Government so much that they retracted all their condemn- 

 ing remarks. ' ' 



The same is to be said of Havelock's condemned horses. Capt. 

 Gall in a report to the Adjudant General at Madras, writes : ' ' Out 

 of the 44 horses purchased by the late Col. Havelock in 1837 and 

 which were disapproved of at first sight and distributed amongst 

 the Dragoons, Horse Artillery and Native Cavalry in the Bombay 

 Presidency, no fewer than 37 were actually present in the ranks 

 after having done eleven years of service. 



(84) Cape Monthly Vol. IF. 1858. 

 (85) .Blueooohs of 1858. 



44 



