The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-10

have one pint Of beer and two drains Of rum,
or two pints of beer and one dram of rum.
NO one can get any more or IN any other way
except by getting comrades portion. Drunk
enness is rapidly decreasing in the British army.
AT 9o'clock every man must 60 to his barrack
room At fifteen minutes past the orderly
sergeant OF the day walks through, and every
man must be standing at his cot sober to answer
to his name At $3.50 p. NJ lights out, and there
is not to be light in the barrack room.
I'VE are greatly bothered by insects at night
mosquitoes and O. large black ant which is
half an inch long, and has very offensive odor.
LIZ is most prevalent during the wet or monsoon,
weather which lasts from April to about the LIST
OF June. Then af.erward gou would hardly
think there had been any wet weather at all, and
the heat sets in again. Lord Marc Ker, division
commander at Poonah, was the first to encourage
the Improvement of barraek surroundings. He
issued flower and vegetable garden seeds, and
spaces of ground were set aside for cultivation
outside the bungalows Now this is done at all
the military environments, many OF the men
raising large quantities of vegetables and others
indulgng their taste in flowers. We planted
over 800 trees through barrack lines at Poonah.
There is a workshop at the barracks Of each
regiment where sasfes, window -sasheS, doors
and other carpenting is done, as well as repair
Ing wagons, making chests and other things.
Those who work in these shops, if they are good
Holdiers, proficient in drill are not compelled to
attend parade or drill more than once a week,
usually on Wednesdays. These men are paid
money for whatever work they do, in addition
to receiving their pay as soldiers. The pay of
private in India is nine annas a day, that is one
shilling and three half pence. The soldier has to
pay for his washing eight annas, one shilling
per month. The native barber and he
is good one, shaves him each
morning for four annas a month, half shilling
for thirty shaves. Think of that, thirty shaves
for twelve cents! A majority of the soldiers,
however, prefer to shave themselves, having
learned to do so. The three suits of white cloth
ing, with careful handling lasts twelve month.
Nine out of ten soldiers in India save money and
bring it home with them. There is a savings
bank in each regiment, where the amount that
each soldier thinks he is able to deposit is kept
out of his pay each month. went in as a private
and was successfully promoted to lance corporal,
corporal, lance sergeant, sergeant and color SER
geant When came home had nearly $400
'@The term of enlistment is now six years
with the regiment and then, if one wishes, six
years in the irst-class army reserves at home.
There is no inducement in money, no bounty, for
a man to enlist, nothing except the opportunity to
acquire an education. After six years with the
regiment you come home and go into the re-
serves: Here you receive four pence day ana
are only liable for twenty-0ne days training
each year. You are at liberty to follow any &C.
cupation you wish, bat you are bound to answer
any call for service made upon you, and if you
do not so answer within twenty days from
the date of the call you liable to be treated as
deserter.
by the way, the legend that Nena Sahib is
alive still holds In India. A few years ago a
man was arrested in Nepaul and brought, be-
believe, to Bombay, the supposition being that
he was the redoubtable Nena. Several old Of
fcers were sent for to England to come and
identify him. They could not make up their
minds that he was Nena and he was released.
The British soldier in India is well fed and well
cared for, and his lot is, altogether rather a
comfortable one"