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THE ARMY AND ADMINISTRATION
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As to the constitution of the Sikh army under Ranjít Singh and his successors, we have fairly exact information from the pay abstracts and returns found in the Lahore offices after the occupation in 1846. The composition of the Fouj Khás, which was under the command of General Ventura, may be taken as a specimen. He resigned in 1843, disgusted at the growing anarchy, and foreseeing the ruin which must ensue. It was not before he had received practical proof of the danger of remaining after the death of his master; for both he and General Court had been attacked by three regiments of the latter's battalion, and Ventura had been obliged to use his artillery to protect himself and his friend.

The Fouj Khás was composed, before the Sutlej War of 1845, as follows:—

Regular Infantry 3176
Regular Cavalry 1667
Artillery with 34 guns  855
  5698


The infantry force included the Khás battalion, strength 820 men; a Gúrkha battalion, 707 men; Dewa Singh's battalion, 839 men; and the Shám Sota battalion, 810 men.

The cavalry force was composed of a grenadier regiment, strength 730 men; a dragoon regiment, 750 men; and a troop of life guards, 187 men.

The artillery was the corps known as that of Iláhi