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are lost to the State owing to the absence of purchasing Officers, the result being that these animals are sold to dealers
who of course must make their profit subsequently. About 200 young stock were purchased by Bhojpuri dealers at
the Nauchandi Show alone.

    The number of purchasing Officers attending at each Fair is as follows:—

    These numbers include those sent from Imperial Service Troops.

    Bannu Horse Show. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department,
states:—

    There were no remount purchasing Officers present at the Show, and I only saw 3 or 4 horses likely to meet
the requirements of Native Cavalry. Most of the stock for sale is kept for Rawalpindi and Amritsar Fairs, where the
owners say they get better prices.

    Bahawalpore Horse Show. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment, states :—

    It is to be regretted that no purchasing Officers for Native Cavalry were present, as several good remounts
could have been obtained. Lahore dealers had purchased seven for Native Cavalry purposes, and were negotiating
for others.

    Delhi Horse Show. The Judging Committee state :—

    No Native Cavalry Officers attended. Had the Native Cavalry Officers attended they might have obtained
about 3 remounts (Heratis) bought by the dealers Aziz Khan and Abdulla Khan, both of Lahore, from the recent
Jacobabad Fair, and a couple of 3 year old fillies exhibited in Class III (a). There was thus no field of selection.

    Dera Ismail Khan Horse Show. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary
Department, states:—

    Three remounts were purchased by the 2nd Punjab Cavalry stationed at Dera Ismail Khan, no other pur-
chasing Officers being present.

    Jhang Horse Show. The Committee state :—

    This is the third successive Show at which not a single remount has been purchased for the Native Cavalry
service, though about half a dozen could probably have been secured, and at which this service was not represented.
To the knowledge of the Senior Member of the Committee, Jhang was at one time regularly visited by remount
parties from his regiment, and by Army Remount Agents, and not without good result.

    The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, states :—

    There were no remount purchasing Officers, either for British or Native Cavalry present at the Show (Jhang),
so the Remount classes fell through.

    The Deputy Commissioner, Jhang, states :—

    I may mention that there were several animals suitable for remounts and Native Cavalry but nobody to buy,
and I heard several zemindars say disappointedly that they were unable to sell at the Fair.

    Kapurthala Horse Show. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department,
South Punjab, states :—

    A few very nice remounts could have been obtained at the Show.

    Kurnal Horse Show. The Judging Committee state :—

    The winners of the 1st and 2nd prizes in Class III (a) were somewhat above the usual stamp required by the
Native Cavalry, which service was not represented ; had it been represented, about 6 remounts could have been
obtained. There were no dealers or dalals at the Show, but the Committee understand that the agents of the horse
dealers, who have transactions with the Native Cavalry, visit the district regularly and obtain the refusal of the
young stock, some of which is reared in the Mandi State in the hills.

    Lahore Horse Show. The Judging Committee state :—

    No Officer attended to buy, 2 obtained in 1897.

    The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, states :—

    Two remounts were bought by the Remount purchasing Officer for Hapur Depôt. There were no purchasing
Officers for Native Cavalry.

    Umballa Horse Show. The Judging Committee state :—

    The Government purchasing Agent, Captain Gough, attended the Fair but found nothing suitable. The
Native Services were not represented. Three or four remounts might have been obtained (if the stamp were approved
of) and a greater number in the near future might possibly be procured if the colts and fillies by District Board
sires are not got rid of, and grow into remount size. There is hope of their developing to the fullest extent possible
in each instance, as the animals seem well cared for but the colors are not very level.

    110.    I do not say that many remounts could have been obtained at the Fairs
and Shows that were not attended, but even if only half a dozen were secured at
each, this would be an addition to our remount strength, and would tend to lessen
competition at others ; but viewed from the breeders' point of view, the absence of
purchasing Officers is to be regretted, for, as stated by the Deputy Commissioner
of Jhang, disappointment is caused when breeders cannot sell at a Fair and this
must prove injurious to horse-breeding interests.

    111.    When accounting for the decrease in the number of remounts purchased,
which was 71 less than last year, the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department,
North-Western Provinces and Oudh in his Annual Report, forcibly refers to this
subject and points out that at the 7 Horse Shows and Fairs held in those Provinces,
only 9 British Officers attended, and that of these, 5 attended at Batesar which
is purely a dealers' Fair. He is of opinion that breeders should be given greater
encouragement.