VISITS TO REMOUNT DEPOT AT SAHARUNPORE. 851 
change. We are not sorry to see that our brothers in Russia 
are forward in the cause of liberty. 
NOTES MADE DURING VISITS TO REMOUNT 
DEPOT, AT SAHARUNPORE, NORTH-WEST 
PROVINCES, INDIA. 
By Charles Steel, Veterinary Surgeon, 16th Lancers, 
on Special Service during the Afghan Expedition. 
History of Studs ancl Depots .—As the Reserved Remount 
Depots of the present day were preceded by Government 
Breeding Studs, some points in the history of the latter will 
give an appropriate introduction to my subject, especially as I 
propose to glance at the whole system of remounting the army 
in India. The first breeding stud was established about 
1798 at Poosah, in Lower Bengal, by Moorcroft, the well-known 
veterinary surgeon, who was sent out by the East India Com¬ 
pany for that purpose, with a view to improving the breed of 
horses required for the army, the horses of the country being 
considered weak and deficient in size, although from some dis¬ 
tricts, as from the DecGan and Katyawa, good horses were 
obtainable for sporting or riding purposes. An extensive tract 
of land, amounting to about 3000 acres, was secured, a number 
of mares and a few stallions were imported from England, and 
to these were added some mares from the Deccan and other parts 
of India, together with some mares, said to be Arab, which were 
presented. Thoroughbred and three-quarter-bred mares were at 
first put to thoroughbred horses, in order to start a good stock; 
Moorcroft being thoroughly aware that whatever modifications 
might be subsequently desirable, without the basis of good blood 
the improvement could not be obtained. One drawback to an 
immediate improvement was very soon discovered, viz. that of 
degeneration of foreign breeds as the result of climate, it was 
therefore found that country-bred mares must be utilised. The 
wisdom of this cross, which was made at Moorcroft's suggestion, 
was not long in being manifested, for troops were in due time 
supplied with a much more suitable animal, and, consequently, 
the stud system was then declared a success. Encouraged by 
this success, the East India Company extended the system 
to the North-West Provinces, and Hissar, a place to the west 
of Delhi, was selected for a site ; this place was situated in a 
purely sandy district, dry, and at that time unprovided with irri¬ 
gation. Here a superior class of horse was also bred and sup- 
