It is difficult to determine accurately the strength of the Ahom naval force. From the data available in different sources only a rough assumption can be made. Before Siu-Hum-Mong, considering the appointment of the Naoboicha Phukan by Tao-Kham-Ti (1380-89), it can be assumed that during his reign the Ahom navy attained a certain strength at least comprising of 24,000 Naoboichas. In the time of Siu-Hum-Mong (1497-1539) who created two new posts viz. the Naosaliya Phukan and the Naosaliya Barua for better management of the department, the Ahom navy grew stronger than before. Due to this fact, the Ahoms had been able to defeat the Chutias in the naval battles at Dikhowmukh and Dibrumukh and the Muslims at Buroi. The naval wars against the Chutias, the Koches, the Muslims and the Mughals might have induced and compelled the Ahom kings to strengthen its navy further. In the reign of Siu-Seng-Pha the Ahoms kept 300 war boats for the purpose of choki or guard duty at Kajali when Saiyad Abu Bakr invaded Assam. (p.395, Baharistan, Vol. l) Again at Hajo the Ahoms fielded 4000 war boats of the class of mand, bachari, kusa and kus during the Ahom-Mughal conflict. (p.488, Baharistan, Vol. ll) Mir Jumla captured around 300-400 boats loaded with heavy canons after the naval battle above Kaliabar. (p.35, Tarikhe..) After the …show more content…
In terms of function these are regarded as predecessors to muskets and cannon. (p.30, Firearms, A Global History to 1700, Kenneth Chase) The credit of invention of gun-powder also goes to the Chinese and saltpeter is the critical ingredient for dating the discovery of gun-powder. In a Chinese alchemical text from 492 it is noted that saltpeter gave off a purple flame when ignited, providing for the first time a practical and reliable means of distinguishing it from other inorganic salts. (p. 31, Kenneth