The Sun. — 1860-03-30 (London, England)

ELLENBOROUGH--Oh, no.  The Duke of ARGYLL said he had before him a return which showed the numbers who had taken their discharge from each regiment. In one case it was 496, half the regiment ; in another 509, and in no case was it less than 300; consequently the regiments had been reduced to skeletonsAs to the maintenance of the local army, the late Government had appointed a commission to inquire and report on that subject. That commission comprised two secretaries and a considerable number of officers connected with the army. What was the result of that commission ? The two secretaries had avoided voting, it was believed because they • were on opposite sides of the question. The majority •reported against the discontinuance of the local army, almost all the officers in the Queen's service voting against it, and the officers of the East India Company voting in its favour. The Cabinet of Lord Derby resolved on maintaining the local army to the extent of two-fifths, the European army being three-fifths. Such was the position of affairs when the present Government came into office ; and, after fUlly considering the matter, they had determined to adhere to the decision of their predecessors. But events had since taken place which had materially modified the opinions of many persons both in India and in this country. At the time of the commission the opinion was almost unanimous among the Company's officers in favour of the maintenance of the local army, but he was told that a very considerable number of them were now in favour of an amalgamation with the Queen's army. So far from its being their unanimous opinion that their position depended on the maintenance of a separate army, there were many who believed that. their professional prospects would never stand on a prop©r footing unless they were incorporated with the Queen's forces. He would only mention the name of one cavalry officer, whose authority was deservedly high, that of Sir Patrick Grant, the cmxnander-in-chief of thenrmy of Madras, an old and distinguished officer of the Company, who had publicly declared and published his opinion, using almost the very words of Mr. Wilson, that the late army was at an end, and that it ought to be amalgamated with the Queen's army. He did not •say that that was the opinion of 'the Government. The question, which was a very difficult one, was still under their consideration; and unless means could be found, not only fully to provide for the maintenance of the existing officers in India, but also to provide for the future a class of men as valuable as they had been for the civil service, it would be absolutely essential to adhere to the determination of the Government last year. •. But it was thought that there were °tiler means of providing for the officers now in India, and of securing in fiture a supply of men who were willing and anxious to devote their whole time to the Indian service. (Hear, hear.) Unless that could be done the determination of the late and the present Government must be adhered to ; but undoubted) it was a matter of great importance whether late events had not materially altered the conditions of the question. The whole number of offiters of the local army was 1,151; of these only 64 were not employed either in civil or military duties; and these were chiefly elderly men, or those who were not in good health. The' whole matter was under the consideration of the Government, ant. he hopectthat before the termination of the session he should be able to announce the conclusion at which they had arrived.  The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said that his cwn opinion was strongly in favour of maintaining a local army. It was his firm conviction that our future rule in India depended materially on maintaining those diversities in the Indian. army .which had hitherto prevailed. Lord LYVEDEN hoped that if the Government were not able to 'lay on the table of the house Mr. Wilson's speech, they would give some information which would enable their lordships to discuss the subject hereafter. The noble earl, in the course of his able speech, hail introduced nearly every topic connected with the maintenance of our Indian• empire, and this he had done unexpectedly. It was impossible fur their lordships now to go into the discussion, but he hoped that an opportunity would be afforded for it. If he understood the matter right, Mr. Wilson would be obliged to propose acts of the Legislative Council for every one of his measures ; afid unless that body had altered its mode of conducting businesi, three months would have to elapse between the different' stages of a bill. Ile should like to know whether the Government meant to send out orders for passing the acts in a more summary manner. The moment the acts were passed the duties would be levied, though the home Government might afterwards annul those acts if they chose. He had been the first to propose, in the other house, that a financial counsellor should be sent 'out to India. Without approving all that Mr. Wilson had done, be would observe that he was the only person who had grappled with the difficulty. For years we had gone on with a deficiency, complaining of the Indian accounts which nobody could understand ; but no one had made any proposal to meet the difficulty until Mr. Wilson arrived in India. The first thing he had done was to pass the income tai,`of the elasticity of which their lordships knew smething, or would do next year. The noble earl had admitted that no class was so lightly taxed as the Merchants of India ; and it was said that it was impoisible to levy this tax upon them. He con- j  tended that it could be levied on them as easily as onthe. -.tradesmen of London. He wished to know whe her the in:formation on which Mr. Wilson had proceeded would be .laid before the house ; also whether his proposals had the *sanction of Lord Canning and the council; and whether *some despatch-had not been sent home that might be laid ibefore thelonse. ' He entirely concurred with the noble earl its to the necessity of maintaining the local army. • The Earl of ELLENBOROUG II thought it probable that nr. Wilson's measures would be pass«al in India without my discuision. He proposed to tax ell classes. The idea f taxing the army was suicidal. The capitalists of India it Ii .nt would be money at, high interest ; and he believed that be Impossible tii get at that money. The Duo of ARGYLL said that the Government was Lot `. in Poshe'ssion, of anYuotiicial information: which it could lay before the hous, hoped that the Government in and is would lose no.tim 9' the measures. It had ty, the object of Parliaieneinntirasspanians:iianl! the late act to form 31 al tong Government for India, (u-o that the Govern/nen, tof India should be in India. ear, hear.) The' :Earl. of