286 



Mortality of the Madras Army ; from Official Records. By Lieut. 

 Colonel Sykes, F.R.S. 



Very vague, — indeed, mistaken ideas, obtaining in Europe with 

 respect to the value of life in India, both European and Native, and 

 more particularly so regarding the extent of the mortality arising 

 from that, no doubt, appalling scourge, the Spasmodic Cholera, I 

 have thought it desirable to record in the pages of our Journal* the 

 following per centages of deaths, during five years in the Madras 

 Army, a body of about 1,580 European Officers, 3,762 European 

 soldiers, and 62,513 Native soldiers, exclusive of the Royal army, 

 distinguishing Europeans from Natives, and the per centage deaths 

 from all causes, from deaths when Cholera is excluded. It will be a 

 consolation to those connected with India, on referring to these facts, 

 to find that an exaggerated view is generally taken of the diminished 

 value of life in India, and of the loss occasioned by Spasmodic 

 Cholera. 



1844. 



European Troops. 

 Deaths from all causes ... 

 Deaths excluding those from 



Cholera 



Native Troops. 



Deaths from all causes 



Deaths excluding those from 

 Cholera 



1840. 



1841. 



1842. 



1843. 



4-333 



3-130 



4-205 



4.905 



3-843 



2-969 



2-855 



3-248 



1-136 



1-460 



2-634 



2-371 



0-965 



1-126 



1-600 



1-144 



2-810 

 2-397 

 1-994 

 1-284 



It will thus be seen, that amongst the Europeans the deaths from 

 Cholera were, in the respective years, only 0*490, 0*161, 1*350, 

 1-657, and 0*423 of the whole deaths; and amongst the Natives, 

 0*171, 0*334, 1*034, 1*227, and 0*710, of the whole deaths. 



At a future period, I may supply a similar statement for the armies 

 of Bengal and Bombay. 



Journal of the Asiatic Society. 



