Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

The Sair ftationed in the country Rocketmen have in general thirty rupees; that with Cavalry the army forty rupees for man and Difmounted troops horfe per month.

Lafcars

The Bayed, or marauding horfe, Artillerymen called alfo Looties, have forty rupees per month, and account to the Cirkar for half the plunder.

Tippoo's army, and troops of every kind, are paid by the month, and are always mustered at the time they are paid; but the month is allowed to run from forty to fifty days, fo that in fact they receive one third lefs than above ftated, or only eight months pay in the year. The accounts of the cavalry of the feveral denominations Tawela, Sair, and Bayed, are each kept in a separate Cuchery or public office, under which they are mustered and paid.

Tippoo, fearing that he has reduced his cavalry to too low an establishment, has lately fent Delil Dil Khan, Buckfby, or commandant and paymafter general of his Sair cavalry, into the district of Sair, where he is to remain for three years, for the purpose of engaging 2000 Sair or hired horfe, which are to confift of people belonging to his own country.

INFANTRY.

ift battalion of infantry gre-
nadiers, compofed of Moor-
men, or Hindoos of large
ftature

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

500

590

2d ditto of common ftature 500
3d ditto of ditto ditto
4th ditto of Chatigars or Arsil,
men of low cafts, called by
us Topaffes

500

250

2000

Total 2850

There are only five pieces of cannon at prefent attached to each cufhoon; viz. one cavalrin, or long twelve-pounder, and four fhort fix-pounders.

The rocketmen, who form part of the cufhoon as above stated, are not included in the establishment of a cushoon in Tippoo's regulations for his army, probably from their belonging to the Cundachar, or irregular infantry, which are mustered and paid under different Cuchery.

The cufhoons march in the above order, except the artillerymen and Laf cars, who are of course attached to the

The regular infantry confifts of fixteen cufhoons or brigades, or perhaps more properly legions, being a regular, body compofed of different kinds of guns. The cavalrin, guarded by a comtroops, though chiefly infantry.

pany of grenadiers, the cavalry, the fix pounders each in front of its respective battalion. The cufhoons march from their right by files, and are ftrictly enjoined to keep order on the march. They can march about three miles an hour, and have frequently made forced marches of thirty miles a-day. His elephants and ftrength of cattle are the great means of facilitating the movements of his army.

The following establishment of a cufhoon is taken from Tippoo's regulations for his army, which he publifhed about two years ago, and will not only fhew the manner in which his cufhoons, brigades, or legions, are formed, but will alfo account in a very fatisfactory manner for the exaggerated reports made of his army, in the ftrength of which they include every man that is muffered and receives pay, although The infantry, or rank and file who. merely followers, inftead of reckoning carry firelocks, according to this calcu only fuch as carry arms. lation of zooo men in each cufhoon, would amount to only 32,000; but there is reafon to believe that Tippoo has at prefent twenty-four inftead of fixteen

Tippoo's culhoons at prefent are faid to confift of nearly the following num

bers

[ocr errors]

cufhoons,

[blocks in formation]

9

II

7

4

Ditto zd Battalion

Ditto 3d and 4th Battalion

Artillerymen

Lafcars

Rocketmen

Pikemen and Pioneers

Cundachar, or irregular infantry

LIST of the Minifters and Officers of the
Civil Department of the State.
Pay per month, rupees.
Puruia, Prime Minifter, Grand
Treafurer, and Jewel Keeper 1000
Kifbin Row, Deputy
1000
Both thefe minifters held the fame
employments for many years under Hy-
der. Puruia generally remains in Se-
ringapatam, and his deputy attends the
army; when both take the field, Puruia
has the command of the baggage.
Dewan, Grand Aumil, and Re-
ceiver General of the Revenues
Deputy

Moonfbies, or Secretaries under
Dewan

1000

300

100

of

life and death in their refpective commands.

STAFF OFFICERS.

Yafeen Cawn, a Moorman.

Mahomed Afgil, do.-Said to be

killed in Floyd's action. Mahomed Tippoo, do.

Sheik Zyn al Abud Deen, do. each 500 Thefe four Ameers are officers of great experience, who are always in Tippoo's fuite. In the field they are mounted on elephants ftationed to obferve the motions of their own and the enemy's forces. They are each attended by two Orderlys on horseback.

TIPPOO SULTAUN is a strong, active, robust man, somewhat above the middle fize, rather given to be lufty, of a tawny yellow colour, his neck and vifage long, his features regular, his eyes large and penetrating, has ftrong black whif kers, but not much beard, his age about

bout forty.

He was educated with great care, is a man of confiderable talents, but he is tyrannical and avaricious in his difpofition, and in his deportment commanding and fevere, and wants both the liberality of character, and the open manly appearance and addrefs, which diftinguished Hyder. He is, in general, difliked by the Moormen of rank in his fervice, not being fufficiently liberal in his encouragement to them; and appears himself to have more confidence in Bramins and Raja poots, who hold the places of firft truft in his court. He has fix children, two fons and four daughters: his eldest fon is a promifing youth of feventeen years of age, called Hyder Saib, after his grandfather.

The revenue of Tippoo Sultaun's country is faid to amount to five crores Leventy lacks of rupees, about five millions feven hundred thousand pounds fterling. His treasure, in money and jewels, is estimated at nine crores of rupees, or nine millions fterling.

The Rajah of Myfore is about twenty-two years of age, not yet married. He is fhewn to the people in great fplendor during the nine days of the Gentoo feaft in September, on which occafion Tippoo comes with all his court to wait on him, and is the first to make his falam, but the Rajah is then at all times kept a prifoner.

SOME ACCOUNT OF BANGALORE.

The fort of Bangalore is about two miles and a half in extent, has two walls faced with stone, flanked by small towers, a ditch that is mostly dry, but deep and pretty wide, a glacis all round covering the fecond wall, a fauffe braye with baf tions in it. On the weft, fouth, and eaft, faces two gates, one to the fouth, not far from which are fome tanks that

would afford an enemy cover, and one to the north, which projects with a work containing travafes, like those of country forts in general, that defends that face by a flanking fire. The fort is fupplied with water from a well within it, which is brackish, but mostly by conduits from one of the tanks on the fouth face, which is under ground.

The Pettah, fituated north of the fort within an hundred yards of it, is very extenfive, and contains a great number of inhabitants. It is encompaffed by a mud wall, outfide of which is a broad thick hedge with a ditch in front, in which are four gateways.

The Pettah would be eafily carried, if not evacuated on the approach of an English army, and the poffeffion of it would facilitate approaches to the fort; the weft half face of it parallel, and next the north face of the fort, confequently very near, and not being enfiladed by the gateway, would afford cover for fome battalions, and enable them to make a lodgement upon the glacis the night of breaking ground.

There is a bank of a tank on the east, and in a line with the north face of the fort, near it, and so high, that it would likewife afford cover from every gun òn the eaft face, if not from the guns upon the towers of the north face, but the guns on the gateway would enfilade it until filenced. The advantages are in fupport of approaching the fort from the northward, but the beft encamping ground is to the weftward and fouthward, being high and healthier. tanks upon the fouth face, likewise a tank, and padoga upon the west face, would alfo favour approaches from thence, but perhaps the ground is rocky. The large tank, the bank of which is before defcribed, is in front of the east face.

AGRICULTURAL REMARKS AND OBSERVATIONS.

ON SALT AS A MANURE.

THE following obfervations on falt as a manure, were communicated to the Agricultural Board, by Mr Hollingfhead, Cheshire,

The

"THERE is no fubject in common life, deferves greater attention than agricul ture; and nothing appears better calculated to promote its progress, than the difcovery of proper manures; that

can

can be obtained in plenty, and at a moderate price.

Manures, when divested of their falts, are reduced to mere lifeless matter: therefore, to procure falts proper for vegetation, without any extraneous mafs, would be an important difcovery. It has been proved by experience, that thofe lands which have been covered by the tides, produce grafs and corn fuperior to any other: and when the farmer was allowed foul falt to improve his fields, they never failed to return abundant crops; which is a clear demonstration that common falt is replete with the fame fertilizing qualities as fea water. It is also known, that common falt contains an alkali equal to the nitre, which enriches the lands in India, and the low grounds in Egypt; but common falt will be found preferable to nitre, because pure nitre fuffers the extra heats to exhale moisture; while the alkali, which is combined with the acid of common falt, is fo fixed, as to attract an additional moisture. This, then, is a true magnet to water; for heat, equal to boiling water, will not dry a falted foil. As it is generally agreed, that air and water, with what is diffolved in them, conftitute the food of plants; to cultivate land in such a manner, as to make it retain a proper quantity of air and water, would, in all probability, be the best means of rendering it fertile. In that view, a foil, to be perpetually fertile, must be endued with powers to retain air and water fufficient for its plants, and at the same time must be of a nature that will not harden by moisture. Salt mifes to answer all thefe different purpofes; for it will prevent the foil from being hardened by water, and alfo invigorate the fame by its retentive, alkaline, and acid qualities. Thefe fuggeftions almoft amount to a proof, that common falt is that defireable object, which, when properly ufed, will prove to be the real and true acid folvent, fo effentially neceffary to prepare

VOL. LVIII.

matter proper for the food of plants:
but all its merit is of little worth, fo
long as it is fubject to the high duty
impofed by the legislature. If govern-
ment would be pleafed to attend to these
remarks, and abolish the duty, and
fubftitute an additional land-tax of
three-pence in the pound, it would raise
more money into the Exchequer than
the prefent duty. Salt would then be
the cheapest, beft, and most universal
manure in nature; and alfo be the
means of advancing botany, gardening,
and every branch of agriculture, with
chymistry, and alfo the metallic arts,
to a certain degree of perfection. Be-
fore the prohibition of foul falts, when
the farmer propofed to turn his lands
to tillage in autumn, he fowed a double
quantity of falt, in order to destroy
grafs, ruw, weeds, gorfe, fern, broom,
worms, fnails, &c.
The whole was,

by that means, converted into a rich
manure, which fupported three fucceed.
ing crops, and left the foil, after all,
in good condition. This mode of pre-
paration appears fuperior to any other.
Some farmers have fown about 1900lb.
of falt on one acre of land, as foon as
ploughed, in order to meliorate the foil,
before the feed was fown. They have
also laid, on meadow grounds, as foon
as cut, and pasture lands in the winter,
about the fame quantity.

As foon as falt can be procured duty free, it may be prefumed, that all parks, lawns, commons, rabbit-warrens, hills, and mountains, will exhibit as rich a verdure as a falt-march; and effectually prevent the rot in sheep, deer, and rabbits. pro

Salt would also be used in compofts, hot-houfes, hop-grounds, &c. It may then be used to great advantage in the Weft India islands, for the culture of fugar canes, indigo, cotton, rice, and all other crops of thofe countries; as it will fave great expence, by deftroying weeds and reptiles; befide fupporting the growth of plants, by the retention of moisture in thofe hot climes. Fruit trees and plants fhould

4 R.

have

have falt fifted round them, feveral High duties may be proper where there

times in the year. Every load of hay fhould have a quantity of falt fcattered on it when houfed: which will caufe the bay to retain its juices, and to feed nearly equal to grafs. Cows, horfes, &c. fhould have falt given them in almoft every feed of ground corn, grains, &c. Spruce fir tea, and milk, with falt, fhould be given to cows and horfes at any time when not well.

The utility of common falt to mankind, for culinary purposes, is fo well understood, that it is needlefs to expatiate on that fubject: yet as its medicinal virtues are not generally known, I beg leave to recommend the following bath as a fubftance, to accommodate those whom bufinefs, diftance, or inability prevents from having the benefit of fea-bathing. All families ought to bathe every Saturday night, in a warm bath, made with three pounds of falt to each gallon of foft water, or with fea water. One tea-fpoonful of common Glauber's falts fhould be put into a bafin of milk, and fpruce fir tea, in lieu of India tea, for the family's break faft.

A

is a probability of the article being exhaufted, which makes it neceffary to limit the confumption: but that is not the cafe with falt; for on a thorough investigation of the falt rocks, and fprings in Chefhire, they appear fufficient to fupply the demands of all Europe for ever. The rock lies about thirtyfix yards below the furface, in thicknefs from ten to forty yards; covers a tract of twenty miles in length, with fome miles in breadth; and over the whole diftrict arife fprings, which are generally made into falt. Coal too are there plentiful.

Chymistry, and the metallic arts, would require great quantities, if falt were reduced to a moderate price. Some French chymifts at Liverpool, have obtained a patent, for the ufe of a pure alkali, extracted from common falt, fuperior to pot-afh, for the bleaching of calicoes, muflins, &c. It gives them immediate colour, and filkiness fimilar to India gocds. They alfo extract from falt feveral other degrees of alkalies, for the manufactories of foap, glafs, &c. but the high duty prevents their general use. If the legislature were to fubftitute the aforefaid tax, the revenue would be advanced more than double, and at the fame time, fave to the nation several hundred thousand pounds, expended annually on imported alkalies. A minifter merits reproach who lays a duty, equal to a prohibition, on any article that would fo effentially promote the interefts of agriculture.

At Droitwitch in Worcestershire, in Lancashire, and feveral other counties, are likewife good falt fprings; befides, quantities of falt are procured from sea water.

Great Britain contains about 12 mil

lions of people, and its produce barely fuftains them; and when any feason of the year happens to be unfavourable, the inhabitants are alarmed at the profpect of famine; but when falt is brought into general ufe, the lands of Great Britain will maintain ten times twelve millions of people; for it is a certain fupport to vegetation, when extra heats and colds are predominant. The land owner will then reapfuch plentiful crops, as to enable him to pay chearfully all the wants of government; for the confolidation of the taxes, the legislature fhould always have in view. The manufacturers will then live cheap, and alfo be freed from thofe fhackles which now retard their progrefs. This, and this only, would enable us to rival every other state, and would also be. the means of raising this nation to an incredible height of opulence and power. A petition from the Royal and Agricultural Societies fhould be prefented to Government, praying the indulgence of falt, duty free. Experiments would then be made throughout the kingdom, and its excellence and utility, as a manure, &c. it is humbly apprehended, would be fully demonftrated and con

firmed.

« ZurückWeiter »