Page:Our Indian Army.djvu/42

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OUR ANGLO-INDIAN ARMY.

by officers withdrawn from regimental duty, and exclusively of the native army.

After a service of ten years in India, officers of the Company's service are entitled to a furlough to Europe of three years, with the pay of their respective ranks for that period. Those who have not served ten years in India, but whose presence in England is required by urgent private affairs, are allowed a furlough for one year without pay.

Officers who are compelled to quit the service by wounds received in action or by ill-health contracted on duty, after three years' service in India, are permitted to retire on the half-pay of their rank, viz., cornet or ensign, £54 15s., and lieutenant, £73 per annum; and they are further entitled to an allowance from Lord Clive's Fund (with the approbation of the Court of Directors), viz., an ensign, cornet, or second lieutenant, £36 10s. a year, and a lieutenant, £45 12s. 6d.

All officers who have actually served twenty-two years in India, exclusive of the three years' furlough, are allowed to retire on the full pay of their respective ranks. After twenty-seven years' service in India (including three years' furlough), they are entitled, though of inferior rank, to retire on the full pay of major, £292 per annum; after thirty-one years' service, on the full pay of a lieutenant-colonel, £365 per annum; and after thirty-five years' service, on the full-pay of colonel, £456 5s. per annum.

In addition to the above, officers of the Company's service who are invalided and incapable of further service in India are entitled (under certain restrictions) to an allowance from Lord Clive's Fund, equal to half the ordinary pay they enjoyed on retiring from the service.

The foregoing comprise the advantages conferred by the Government upon their officers, when unfitted temporarily or permanently for effective service. The provisions, however, were manifestly so insufficient that several years ago the officers of the different armies formed mili-