In the same way no expense was too great for
him to spend on the breeding and nurture of elephants, for they were
very valuable animals for the warfare of that day. His stables
contained from five to six thousand well-trained elephants. The
breeding of camels and mules he also advanced with a practical
foresight and understood how to overcome the widespread prejudice in
India against the use of mules.
Untiringly did Akbar inspect stables, arsenals, military armories, and
shipyards, and insisted on perfect order in all departments. He called
the encouragement of seamanship an act of worship[13] but was not able
to make India, a maritime power.
[Footnote 13: Noer, II, 378.]
Akbar had an especial interest in artillery, and with it a particular
gift for the technique and great skill in mechanical matters. He
invented a cannon which could be taken apart to be carried more easily
on the march and could be put up quickly, apparently for use in
mountain batteries. By another invention he united seventeen cannons
in such a way that they could be shot off simultaneously by one
fuse.[14] Hence it is probably a sort of _mitrailleuse_. Akbar is
also said to have invented a mill cart which served as a mill as well
as for carrying freight.
Pages:
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37