The empire of India . as instituted,—a smallmonthly pay being granted to men who, having servedat least three years with the colours, would hold them-selves ready for active service, and would come up for twomonths training every other year. In the Punjab theseconditions have proved attractive and the reserve can nowsupply 35,000 men. The material of the Indian regimentswas improved by the elimination of men to whom thebarrack yard was the most congenial field of service ;and in particular the greater portion of the Madrasarmy was recast by the substitution of up-countrymen forthose locally en
The empire of India . as instituted,—a smallmonthly pay being granted to men who, having servedat least three years with the colours, would hold them-selves ready for active service, and would come up for twomonths training every other year. In the Punjab theseconditions have proved attractive and the reserve can nowsupply 35,000 men. The material of the Indian regimentswas improved by the elimination of men to whom thebarrack yard was the most congenial field of service ;and in particular the greater portion of the Madrasarmy was recast by the substitution of up-countrymen forthose locally enMsted. Gurkhas were recruited in largernumbers from Nepal, and men of fighting castes—theSikh, the J at and the Pathan—from the Punjab : thesebecame the principal recruiting areas. The encourage-ment of esprit de corps has outweighed in importance thewarnings of the Mutiny, and regiments have been formedof men of the same caste or tribe, who would act insympathy, and would feel that danger was less appalling 302. GURKHA SOLDIER REFORMS TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY than the contempt of their kinsmen. Out of the 153infantry battalions of the Native army 49 are now class *battalions : and most of the others are composed of class companies, each of which is homogeneous in thecaste or religion of its men. The fidelity of the Nativetroops is no longer safeguarded by a sacrifice of efficiency :they are armed with the same rifle as that with which theBritish soldiers are equipped, and their staff of Britishofficers has gradually been augmented until it now standsat 15. The status of the Native officers has been leftunchanged : but a quarter of them are now appointeddirect from military families instead of rising from theranks. That the troops should not be withdrawn fromfield exercises by distant outpost duty, the immediatecharge of the north-western and north-eastern fron-tiers has been committed to strong forces of militarypolice, assisted on the Afghan border by a miUtia andirregula
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidempireofindi, bookyear1913
