436 



INDIA. 



An addition of 15,000 men to the native array 

 of India has been decided upon. This will 

 bring up its total strength to about 140,000. 

 The strength of the European force is about 

 62,000, making the total force for the future 

 more than 202,000. The small number of 

 European officers attached to the native regi- 

 ments has been much commented upon, and 

 actually appears insufficient for full security. 

 Of the present native army of 125,000, the 

 European officers only number 1,640, or T3 

 per cent., and the proportion will be smaller 

 under the increase that is ordered unless the 

 number of European officers is increased. 



The difficulty which has been encountered 

 in dealing with the applications from native 

 states for improvement in their armaments, in 

 regard to the equipment of troops, the impor- 

 tation of arms, and the services of European 

 officers for instruction and drill, led to the 

 circulation among subordinate governments 

 and administrations, and among political of- 

 ficers, of an important dispatch declaratory of 

 the Government policy. Feudatory armies are 

 required henceforth to be limited to numbers 

 sufficient for internal protection. No number in 

 excess of this requirement can be permitted. 

 It is said that, with due regard to the safety of 

 the Empire, the Governor-General has, after 

 much consideration, arrived at the conclusion 

 that the utilization of the feudatory armies for 

 imperial defense is at present impracticable, 

 though no doubt would be felt as to the pro- 

 priety of so utilizing these forces if a practical 

 scheme were devised. The reduction of forces 

 in excess of internal requirements is to be in- 

 sisted upon, save in certain exceptional cir- 

 cumstances, such as where the imperial garri- 

 sons would be required were it not that their 

 duty is performed by feudatory troops, or, 

 again, where these troops perform police duties 

 only. It is further required that great caution 

 should be exercised in permitting feudatory 

 troops to be drilled by European officers. The 

 Government directs that arms of precision are 

 not to be supplied, and is desirous of being 

 kept fully informed as to the numbers, or- 

 ganization, equipment, and discipline of these 

 forces, as it wishes to dispel all mystery in 

 reference to feudatory armies, and to encour- 

 age the native chiefs to treat the Government 

 with perfect confidence in this matter. The 

 doty is also enjoined of periodical inspections 

 not only of the feudatory troops, but also of 

 the various state arsenals. To endeavor as 

 much as possible to curtail extravagant mili- 

 tary establishments, military operations, it is 

 said, ought to be confined to the object of the 

 personal security of the chiefs and the security 

 of internal peace. 



The suffering from the great famine which 



H prevailed in many parts of the country 



itmued to attract attention from both the 



tlian and the English Governments during 



ie earlier part of the year. The condition of 



e people continued to improve during the 



latter part of the summer through most of Brit- 

 ish India. In Cashmere, however, the dis- 

 tress was unmitigated, so that orders were is- 

 sued requiring all travelers found in Cash- 

 mere to return at once to British territory. 

 The people were said in some districts to be 

 living entirely on herbs, weeds, and unripe 

 fruits, and it was represented that in some 

 parts half the population was missing. The 

 Durbar became aroused to the appalling state 

 of affairs, the authorities began to buy grain 

 in large quantities, relief works were started 

 in all directions, and a mixed committee of 

 Hindoos and Mussulmans worked together to 

 relieve distress. The general report of the 

 season and prospects of the crops in Septem- 

 ber was favorable everywhere except in Bur- 

 mah. The number of persons on the relief 

 lists in various districts during the earlier part 

 of the year showed a considerable increase 

 over the corresponding periods of the pre- 

 ceding year. In July the numbers were : In 

 Madras 134,721 on the relief works, 72,743 

 on gratuitous relief; in Mysore 35,315 on 

 the relief works, 12,552 on gratuitous relief; 

 in the Northwest Provinces 99,052 on relief 

 works (against 69,650 in 1877), and 7,8u5 in 

 poor-houses (against 6,209 in 1877); in Oude 

 19,212 on relief works (against 17,153 by the 

 last previous report), and 3,341 (against 3,047) 

 in poor-houses. Kains fell over a large part of 

 the country during July, and an improved con- 

 dition was immediately manifest. 



A scheme of public works, to be instituted 

 partly for the sake of giving employment to 

 the people, was determined upon in several 

 districts. The Governor of Madras was au- 

 thorized in July to begin work on the South 

 Coast Canal. A series of projects -for the 

 Northwest Provinces, sanctioned by the Vice- 

 roy, comprised four schemes for light railways 

 and canals, the cost of which was estimated to 

 range from two million to ten million pounds 

 sterling. The suffering by famine was suc- 

 ceeded by commercial stringency. At the be- 

 ginning of September, out of 150 vessels ly- 

 ing in the port of Calcutta, only six had charters 

 for fresh voyages, the rest not being able to 

 command rates of freight sufficient to justify 

 their sailing; and a similar condition existed 

 at Bombay. The failure of the Glasgow bank 

 (see GREAT BRITAIN) involved several Indian 

 firms. 



_ The call of the British Government for na- 

 tive troops to be dispatched to Malta (see 

 GREAT BRITAIN) was received with interest. 

 The enrollment in the imperial service abroad 

 was regarded as a kind of honor among the 

 regiments, and the hope of receiving it stimu- 

 lated the enthusiasm of the troops. At Bom- 

 bay, not only was there no holding back of 

 the native regiments ordered on service, but 

 those who were declared to be physically dis- 

 abled made urgent entreaties to be allowed to 

 go with their comrades. Maharajah Holkar 

 placed his troops at the disposal of the Gov- 



