The Press. — 1857-11-28 (London, England)

OUR INDIAN ARMY. TO THE EDITOR O 1 "THE PRESS."  Sir,—There appears to be a strong feeling on the part of mans persons that, after what has occurred and is occurring in India, the natives on the Bengal side are no longer to be trusted, and that hereafter our soldiers must be Europeans. As a substitute for the native army, " Indophilus " would introduce a native police throughout the country; but, as the Times very justly observes, " Such a body of men must of course receive some organisation, and of course, also, considering the expeditions on which they will often be despatched, they must carry arms, &c. (to This, however, being admitted, we zonfess we do not discover where the great change would be eff-cted, except in name, &a. . .It appears to us they will be sepoys in all but title."  There can be no doubt of the truth of the remark of the Times, and it may be added that they would not be so efficient as the sepoys, as there would be few officers to control them.  The number of European troops in India was certainly not sufficient for such a crisis as is now (we may hope) passing away. But we cannot hold India without the aid of native troops. There are duties to be performed which must be done by native soldiers. If none of the natives on the Bengal side of India are to be trusted, where will Europeans of any rank who reside in Bengal obtain domestic servants, who have every facility for poiaonina or in some other way murdering their masters ? A gentleman generally keeps six, eight, or more servants; and when things settle down, and something like peace is restored, such servants will be employed, Mussulmans and Hindoos, without any apprehension on the part of the master of being murdered. Whenever a reorganisation of the Bengal army, or that of the other Presidencies, takes place, it should be a settled rule that no native shall ever be an artilleryman ; neither should any native be permitted to enter the laboratories, or be instructed in preparing the composition for fusees, percussion caps, portfires, carcases, &c., in making or cutting fusees, or in preparing any ordnance ammunition. Such duties are always performed under cover. Europeans may therefore safely be employed without detriment to their health. The Europeans who serve the guns, should ride on the horses that drag the carriage. Syces (native grooms) always accompany the horses. Thera should be a detail of gun Lascars attached to every troop and company, to clean the guns and carriages, to assist in packing and unpacking ammunition, also to perform other duties from which it is desirable to relieve the European soldier. These Lascars should be armed with a sword in cantonments, but in the field each man should have a pistol. Natives should Lot be instructed in mining; they know too much of it already. The Sappers and Miners should all be Europeans. The greater part of the cavalry have mutinied, and it is advocated that henceforth there shall not be any native cavalry. There are certain duties in this branch of the service which must be taken by natives, such as rear-guards, detached duties, the duty of sentry in exposed places : there are other