40 
SHORT NOTES ON PROFESSIONAL SUBJECTS. 
Hay nets one per horse. 
A horse requires six gallons of water per day in hot weather, in cool weather 
five. 
Oats are superior to gram, the latter frequently causing gripes. 
Chloride of zinc should be freely and frequently used. 
The men’s accommodation should not be bulk-headed off from the horses. 
It should be whitewashed once a week, and the horse deck every ten days. 
The same paper contains the following information regarding Land Transport 
and Cattle Transports from Lieut. G. Allgood, who was Dep.-Asst.-Qr.-Mr.-Gen. 
to the 1st Division of the Expeditionary Forces in China in 1860 :— 
Land Transport. 
Great waste of life occurred amongst our land transport animals in China. The 
manner in which they were shipped (those sent from Bombay excepted), and 
the wretched condition in which they remained until the end of the campaign 
in spite of the abundance of forage always available, may be attributed to the 
following causes:— 
(1) The Military Train under whose immediate supervision the animals were 
placed, were unaccustomed to look after them, and ignorant of fitting and looking 
to their gear. The syces were composed of Indians, Manilla men, and others, and, 
with few exceptions, could neither understand, or be understood by the officers and 
men placed over them. The syces were wretched, and uncared for, and as a 
natural consequence the animals were neglected. 
(2) The faulty pack saddles gave the animals sore backs, little attention appears 
to have been paid to fitting them. The only good pack saddle was the pad pack 
saddle , sent with the mules from Bombay. It can be injured with difficulty, 
seldom gives sore backs, and is easily repaired. No other should be used. 
(3) The fittings of the ships which carried the ponies were often flimsy. The 
ponies were stowed away like sheep. In one vessel from Japan seventy-five 
ponies perished by the fittings having given way in a gale. To judge by the 
condition of the ponies brought from Manilla, Japan, &c. but little care can have 
been bestowed on them during the voyage. 
(4) There appeared to be little or no system in the management of the 
transport animals. 
Should an expedition be again sent to China, Persia, or Egypt, the land transport 
should all go from Bombay, and a special corps organized composed of efficient 
men. 
The officer selected to command, as well as those under him, should be especially 
chosen on account of their activity, knowledge of the treatment of animals, and 
also of the vernacular. Their pay should be such as to secure the best men. 
Intelligent privates from Dragoon regiments, men with a good knowledge of the 
vernacular, and smart attentive men should be placed over the syces and drivers as 
non-commissioned officers, in the proportion of one non-commissioned officer to 
twenty syces. A similar number of intelligent natives, as jemadars, should assist 
the non-commissioned officers. 
One syce should be embarked with every two mules or ponies. 
The corps should be divided into divisions, subdivisions, &c. and a regular 
system of internal economy and control established. The non-commissioned 
officers should be armed with hunting whip and revolver only; and should be 
mounted on ponies. 
