Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-03
BRITAIN'S INDIAN ARM
Her Military Force in That Country Com
plete Establishment
Som. thing About the Troops Now
Being Drawn Upon for the
south African War.


From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The ever increasing prodigality with
whi,h England Is drafting upon her mill
tary resources, both at home and abroad
makes it pertinent to recall TO mind that
British India and her vast population OF
nearly R0HSO.Oo are practically kept III
check by only 10000 British troops Ihese
troops usually serve ten years IN lndfa anu
are transferred from one military STATION
to another every two years Io1iiny Al
ktns" Mt least when in India, is very
precious in the sight of the British gov
eminent AS he stands in his uniform.
disciplined soldier in the prime of health
and strength. he is said to have cost pa
ternai government the sum of 5000 Ameri-
can money and he is valued accordingly
His daily ratiOns are carefully examined
by medical experts, ard his one quart OF ale
and one ounce of rum are served out to MIN
with the greatest regularity When the
exigencies of the service permit he Is sent
in thes''hot season to the mountains, WAere
he works the roads and gets a laoorer
allowance besides his pay. men on the
plains everything is done that possibly can
be accomplished by his officers to make his
life pleasant, and if he behaves himself
good-cnnduct stripe is added To ms coat
sleeve and a penny day g cents or our
money! To his income. When he gets drunk
he goes to the cells for week or is given
a five days drill. In due time he returns 10
he does not fall victim to the climate. The
biggest outdoor attractions AZ the Indian
military stations are the cemeteries. the one
at Peshawar alone containing the graves OF
$50 British soldiers.
The full strength OF Great Britain's In
dian army. in round numbers. approximates
:}iH,OsBO men. of whom $4,000 are native and
10000 British soldiers. In addition to this
military force there are about 5000 en-
rolled European volunteers. and native
police, differed, by white men, nearly 10Y
600 strong The army proper is divided
into three main forces, known as the Ben
gal. the Bombay and the Madras divisions,
all of which are under the COMMANDMENTS
chief in India A native Sepoy regiment
usually consists Of $40 men, and is COM
manded by seven Engli. h officers. namely, a
commandment, two wing commanders and
four wing officers. There are also sixteen
commissioned native officers. eight Of whom
subadars. captains, and eight jenna
darS, or lieutenants- The non-commiSsiOned
officers are eighty in number. all natives,
forty of whom rank as havildars. or SER
geantS, and the remaining forty naikS.
or corporals. In the cavalry the captain
is styled risaldar; the lieutenant, risaidar.
The chief native officer OF infantry regi-
ment is the subadar (majoD. Every regi-
ment is divided into ten companies, each
of which is usually made up of different
nationality. such as GoOrkhas, Sikhs. Dog
ras. Pathans. Punjaubis, &c. 1t is owing
II this precaution that combination of
forces for the purpose of mutiny becomes
almost impossible. The GDorkhas and Sikhs,
whose loyalty IS rated the highest. are in
some localities permitted 10 constitute en-
tire regiments by themselves.
The pay of the Sepoy or native soldier is
$50 per month. with gradual increase af-
ter three years good conduct service. The
pension system Is particularly liberal and
Is really the magnet which draws the ma
tive recruit 1t is skillfully arranged
that there can be iObbery. and twice a
year the pension officers visit the great CEN
tiers of population TO pay the pensions.
When Sspoy soldier falls in action his
wiveS-dnd there are four of them-are all
pensiOned. as well as their young children.
As regards the artillery branch of the In
dian army. white men only are employed,
both as commissioned officers and in the
ranks. and the guns of all forts are entirely
manned by Britons.
As to the lighting qualities of these Sepoy
soldiers, the Goorkha ranks first: in fact
many English experts believe that the
Goorhha. who is native of Nepaul, is the
best soldier in the world Sturdily built of
an average height of ) feet 3 inches the
Goorkha Is equally good in hand to-ha nd
contest with the bayUnet or at long range
with the rifle. The Sikh ranks second as a
soldier Of the native contingent. He comes
from the Punjaub. averages six feet in
height and is supple, sinewy and athletic
as the stereotyped Red Indian. The Sikhs
and Goorkhas are ancient enemies and did
their best TO eXterIninate each other in the
SutleJ war Of 1876 The Pathan proba bly,
stands third in the native list as a warrior
hut does not class with the other two tribes
named above in the matter of endurance.
and there Is always doubt about his 10y
atty.
a unique native regiment in the employ of
the British is that known as the Guides,
which is composed of a motley race of free
hooters. who for many years We're the ter
rors of northern India. This old principle
OF setting a thief to catch a thief has
worked excellently. and the Guides have the
reputation of being the fiercest fighters of
the entire SepUy army.
Ii confederation were required of the mar
tial qualities Of the native Indian soldiery.
the Nepaulese war of 1914. and the siege Of
kaunga in particular will afford and need
ed Illustration AT kalunga $40 Goorkhas
were Intrenched in a stOckade and succeed
Ell in repulsing five fierce assaults of the
british 1t was only when this brave band
had lost 80 of their number that they
hnlSted the flag of truce. and the loss they
inflicted On the British amounted to thirty
officers and 40 men