In addition to the above troops, which exclusively belong to the East India Company, there are thirty regiments of her Majesty's troops, lent to and paid by the Company, which are at present distributed as follows: –
Bengal. – The 9th Lancers and 14th Light Dragoons, and the 10th, 18th, 22nd, 24th, 29th, 32nd, 53rd, 60th (1st battalion), 61st, 70th, 75th, 80th, 81st, 87th, 96th, and 98th Regiments of Foot.
Madras. – The 15th Hussars, and the 25th, 51st, 52nd, 84th, and 94th Regiments of Foot.
Bombay. – The 10th Hussars, and the 8th, 64th, 78th, 83rd, and 86th Regiments of Foot.
The whole Anglo-Indian Army, Royal, European, and Native, amounting to 289,529.*
Of the above number, not more than four thousand eight hundred and thirty are European officers, and of these at least seven hundred are generally absent on furlough, and a great many on the staff, in charge of local corps, or otherwise employed away from their regiments. This is one of the great evils of the system; for though the small number of the European officers are assisted in the ordinary routine of garrison-duties by the native commissioned officers (the soubahdars and jematdars, or captains[1] and subalterns), their numerical deficiency has exposed armies to serious risks in the field, where
- ↑ The Sepoy regiments have attached to them a full complement of native as well as European officers. The former rise according to their merit from private Sepoys; and before the most of them arrive at the rank of soubahdars or captains (for higher they do not go) they become quite bald and grey in the service, and their hoary beards and whiskers cut a most venerable appearance at the head of a regiment. Their rank gives them no authority excepting over their own countrymen, for a European sergeant would command any of the native officers on duty.
- ↑ "The military armaments of all India, comprising the Company's territories and the protected and subsidiary states, may be set down as follows: – 1. The Anglo-Indian Army, Royal, European, and Native 289,529 2. Native Contingents, commanded by British officers, and available by the British Government 32,311 3. Native Contingents, not so commanded, but equally available 4,000 4. Armies of native princes, many of which are at the service, when required, of the British Government, comprise 12,962 artillery, 68,303 cavalry, and 317,653 infantry 398,918 724,758." – India Reform Tract.
