THE INDIAN NATIVE ARMY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1288, 6 May 1878, Page 3

THE INDIAN NATIVE ARMY.

It is monstrous, says the “ European Mail,” that our Indian native aimy should he a cause of disquiet instead of a source of confidence to us, and that one of the chip*” functions of the British troops in our Eastern Empire should be to hold in check our native soldiers. Yet this seems to be Uk view entertained in India, to judge by the statements we sometimes hear. It is said that public opinion in Calcutta hss oeen busy about the feasibility of sending a contingent to take part in the war between England and Russia. The conclusion generally arrived as was that wo could not (■nave »uy English troops, but that a body of native troops could bo furnished, nob only whhou's inconvenience, but with poslti'9 advantage, seeing that the chief use of English troops was to hold the native troops in check. If this is really true, the sooner we disband our native army the better, for it must bo no better than a broken reed, “on which if a man lean it will pierce his hand.” Nothing but absolute folly could explain our keeping up and training to the highest state of efficiency an army of whoso loyalty wo are so doubtful that wc keep up another army to watch it. We do not, however, ourselves entertain these misgivings, and believe that with proper management and liberal treatment we may thoroughly rely on the fidelity of the native army of India. It would be of course foolish to organise our regiments by castes, religions, and races. A regiment composed entirely of Mussulmans or of half-casto Hindoos would be perhaps liable to dangerous epidemics of fanaticism. The same reasoning, though less strongly, applies to Sikh and Goorkha regiment?, but neither Sikhs nor Goorkhas are so particular about religion as the Mussulmans, or about caste ns the pure Hindoos, The Government are fully alive to the policy of having mixed regiments, and the rule is that there shall be always a certain antagonism between the component parts. There are two systems concerning the comparative merits of which there is a difference of opinion. According to one system the various races and religious are distributed throughout each of the companies. According to the other the companies are kept distinct, one being, for instance, composed of Pathans, another of Sikhs, another of Hindoos, &o. It. would, however, bo desirable to enlist a larger proportion of men from outside our older provinces, and even from beyond our borders, and to station all regiments, as far as possible, at a distance from their own homes. The present system of centralisation is also very objectionable. Orientals, more than any other people, appreciate personal rule. They naturally look to their immediate commander, and regard the Government as a mere abstraction which they fail to understand. Unfortunately there has been a growing tendency of late years to diminish the authority of commandants, and by a constant change of officers, to weaken the ties between commanders and commanded. _ In dealing with Sepoys the proper plan is to select the commandant carefully, and to hold him fully responsible for results, but to give him most extensive powers. It is also to be desired that, as far as is consistent with rewarding exceptional merit, officers should always serve in the same regiment.