1 270 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS.
2 cavalry is sufficient; and so it will be in irregular
3 cavalry when the number of the latter shall equal
4 fifteen regiments; but surely there ought to be
5 two complete regiments of European cavalry in
6 the Company's service, or even more; and the
7 men enlisting into the Company’s service would
8 furnish numerous candidates for this important
9 branch.
10 Three more In the event of the Punjab being annexed to our
11 Baoan. territory, there will necessarily be required five
12 any eau complete regiments of European infantry and one
13 of European cavalry for each Doab, in addition to
14 a considerable force of Native infantry, cavalry, and
15 artillery ; at least, until the refractory spirit of the
16 Sikhs should be completely broken. The Euro-
17 pean regiments of infantry, making five in all,
18 should each be kept complete to the strength of
19 1000 bayonets.
20 No clemency It may be here observed, that it is alleged, the
21 Seed from expense of maintaining such a force in the Punjab
22 the Sikhs. would more than counterbalance any immediate ad-
23 vantage to be derived from its possession. This may
24 or may not be true; but the aspect of affairs is so
25 completely changed in that country within the short
26 period of six months, that force alone can maintain
27 its tranquillity; and before annexing it to the
28 British possessions, it may be necessary to anni-
29 hilate the whole race of disorderly Sikhs who live
30 by the sword alone. Such a war of extermination
31 will of course be avoided if possible, for humanity
32 shudders at the bare idea of extensive bloodshed ;