The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-09 00:00:00

TIIE INDIAN ARMY.

On the motion that the house at its rising adjourn till
Monday,

Col. SYKES asked the Secretary for India what arrange-
ment etas being made for the medical charge of her Majes-
ty's native troops in India, regular and irregular, to insure
the language of the patients in hospital being understood
by the European medical officer prescribing fur them; and
what number of European officers were for the future to be
attached to each of her Majesty's native regiments in India,
regular and irregular. There would still be a large number
of native troops in India, and he regarded it as of the ut-
most importance that the hospitals provided for their ac-
commodation should be placed in charge of competent
medical men. Every sepoy officer knew that the most dan-
gerous prescriptions had been given from utter ignorance
of the native language. He trusted that greater caution
in the selection of medical officers would be exercised in
future. Upon that point, however, he entertained the
gravest doubts. A system was about to be established
which he might describe as the result of a lust for centra-
lisation. The second part of his question was sin of gre,t
importance. It was proposed, he believed, that in future
there should never be more than six European officers in a
native regiment. He could not help thinking that this
proposal, if .carried out, would lead to the most lamentable
results.

Mr. CRAWFORD said the house was aware that there
was a considerable number of natives of India residing in
this country for the purpose of going through a medical
education, with the hope of getting introduced into the
medical service in India by the process of open competition.
Great consternation had been produced among those per-
sons by a statement made by the Secretary for India some
days ago. They were apprehensive that, whatever their
attainments might be, they would in future be debarred
from entering the medical service in India. He hoped that
the impression which prevailed among them was without
foundation, and that the Secretary of State would inform
the house that in future all the services in India would be
open to all the natives of India without distinction of caste
or creed.

Sir M. FARQUHAR asked the Secretary for India
whether, in future, upon the appointment of officers of the
local or line regiments in India to the new Staff Corps, or
any civil employment, they would be struck off the strength
of their regiments, and whether the vacancies so caused
would be filled by the officers next in succession in their re-
spective regiments ; and whether there was to be any dis
tinction between the services in this respect. It appeared
from a letter which he had received from India, that the
general impression there was that when an officer was ap-
pointed to the new stall promotion would go in the regi-
ment. He was afraid, therefore, that a statement recently
made in another place, pointing as it did to a different con-
clusion, would cause much dissatisfaction in India. Hitherto
the great complaint hal been that officers were constantly
detached on civil and staff appointments, and that their regi-
ments had suffered in consequence. It was evident from
what had been said in another place that the soma practice
was to be continued. The result must inevitably be great
inconvenience in regiments, and a serious injury to the
whole service. He wished to know whether the two armies
were to be placed on the same footing in this respect.
Mr. VAN SITT ART, in asking the right hon. baronet the
Secretary of State for India whether it was his intention to
introduce any bills relating to India during the present
session ; and, if so, whether he had any objection to state
the nature and objects of such Ells, hoped the house would
permit him to offer a few very brief remarks. It would be
in the recollection of the right hon. baronet that on the 9th
February, 1860, he did himself the honour to submit a string
of resolutions relative to India, which embraced the open-
ing up of the Legislative Council by increasing its numbers
and powers ; the abolition of the Supreme Councils at the
different presidency towns; and the amalgamation of the
Supreme and Sudder Courts. These last two measures had
been strongly recommended by successive committees, and
by the noble lord the member for Lynn. His motion led
to a debate, which was brought to a close by the right hon.
baronet replying, " That these several questions were
under the consideration of the Indian Council, and that he
hoped before long to lay before the House such measures
as may become necessary for carrying out the decisions
which may ultimately be adopted. Under these circum-
stances he did not see what advantage would be gained by
referring them for investigation to a committee of the
nature applied for." A twelvemonth, however, having
elapsed since the right hon. baronet gave that reply, and
as it would be convenient to those who took an interest in
Indian affairs to be made acquainted with the nature of
the Bills to be introduced, he begged to draw his attention
to the subject,

Sir C. WOOD—In reply to the first question put to me
by my hon. and gallant friend behind) As to the medical ser-
vice in India, all I have to say is that the whole question is
under the consideration of the Indian Connell, and I am
not prepared to say what resolution theyare likely to arrive
at ; but this I may state, that every pains *ill be taken to
obviate the evils which have been so strongly felt in India
of putting medical officers in charge of the hospitals who
may be unable to converse with the natives under their
charp (Rear, hear,) In an3Wer to my hon. friend the
member for the city of London, I may say that the state-
ment to which he has referred was made) not 14 me, bitt by
the Under-Secretary for War, and related to the competi-
tion for surgeons in the general army of the Queen. What
was said was that there were many eases in Which natives
of India and Africa, subjects of the Queen, could not be held
entitled to servo in the general army. Ido not consider at
all that natives of India and Afrita have a tight to enter by
competition
generally into the army of the Queen. With
regard to the hon. and gallant etlicer's second qttestion, he
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shouldfour. Tbehesilit o;
is aware that the number oteers usually attached to an
commendation, substantially,
regiments lib chimp has at present taken
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regard to regular
place, My own belief is that regiments would be more effi-
cient, on the irregular system, of six officers, and certainly
it would lead to the economy of the service. With regard
to the question of the hon. bart. opposite, I have to state
that it is not intended to place both services on identically
the same footing. It is necessary to insure to every Indian
officer precisely the promotion ho has a right to expect. That
arrangement must be strictly maintained. 'When an officer
is taken from his regiment and put into the staff corps he
will be precisely in the same position with regard to that re-
giment in which he is at present on staff employment, and
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