2
Necessaries
of life.
Strength of
the Native
Army.
3. Necessaries of life .—Another result of the light rainfall was a somewhat
short outturn of the staple crops. This caused the prices of food-supplies to have
an upward tendency. Compensation, on account of the dearness of provisions, had
to be given very generally to native troops, but in no case was the enhancement so
great as to press extremely on the labouring classes.
4. Strength of the Native Army .—The marginal statement gives the number
of men present, absent, and the totals
during each of the past five years. The
absent column includes all men absent
on sick leave and on furlough, together
with those on out-post duty in small
detachments, at places where there was
no medical officer. The great increase
in the number of absentees during the
past year is very noticeable, and was, to
some extent, due to the increased number
of men on sick leave. Independent of any increase in sickness, the strength absent
has for some time been getting larger year by year, which has probably been owing
to the progressive facilities for sending away sick men to a distance, for change of
air. The absentees in 1875 amounted to 8.14 per cent. of the total strength, against
5 . 54 per cent. in 1874.
Years.
Strength.
Present.
Absent.
Total.
1871
28,702
1,247
29,949
1872
28,772
1,321
30,093
1873
28,162
1,493
29,655
1874
28,301
1,663
29,964
1875
27,791
2,465
30,256
Distribution
of the force.
Health of the
troops.
Military Command.
Average
Strength
present.
Presidency
2,857
Northern
2,680
Southern
3,174
Malabar and Canara
1,858
Mysore
3,516
Ceded Districts
1,565
Hyderabad Subsidiary Force
3,030
Nagpore Force
2,880
British Burmah
2,781
Saugor Circle
2,843
Bengal
607
Total
27,791
Years.
Admitted.
D a i l y S i c k .
Total
Deaths.
Invalided for
Dis-
charge.
Sick
Leave.
1872
29,104
895
370
520
670
1873
24,633
820
274
578
540
1874
22,981
867
297
885
636
Average
25,572
860
313
661
615
1875
22,183
842
357
911
729
Years.
Rate per Cent. of Strength to
Admissions
Daily
Sick.
Total
Deaths.
Invalided for
Dis-
charge.
Sick
Leave.
1872
101.15
3.11
1.22
1.72
2.22
1873
87.46
2.91
.92
1.94
1.82
1874
81.20
3.06
.99
2.95
2.12
Average
89.93
3.02
1.04
2.20
2.05
1875
79.82
3.02
1.17
3.01
2.40
5. Distribution of the force .—The
table in the margin gives the average
present strength of Madras troops in
each command, including a corps in the
Bengal territory. It will be observed
that of the entire force 18,238 were
located in provinces, not under the Civil
Administration of the Government of
Madras.
6. Health of the troops .—Th e
figures in the marginal table show that,
notwithstanding the general unhealthi-
ness of the year, both the numbers of
admissions and of daily sick were below
the averages of the preceding three
years. There was, however, a marked
increase of mortality, and in the numbers
invalided for discharge and sick leave.
The statement in the margin, which gives
the percentages to strength, puts the
facts which have just been adverted to
in a more striking light. The most
notable feature in this statement is the
death-rate, which increased to 1.17 in
1875, from 1.04 the average for the
antecedent three years.
Relative rates
of sickness in
the Cavalry
and Infantry.
7. Relative rates of sickness in the Cavalry and Infantry .—The annexed table
contrasts the health of the mounted and foot regiments during 1875, and, as in
previous years, the Cavalry were the healthier. The comparison is, however,