Page:Clyde and Strathnairn.djvu/182

370 armies, the native officers are appointed from the non-commissioned ranks, with the exception of a very few natives of rank and position, who obtain direct commissions. The British officers in all three Native armies are obtained through the medium of the Staff Corps already referred to. This Staff Corps is recruited by commissioned volunteers from the British Army, and now supplies the native armies of India with regimental officers.

The Madras Native Army is composed of a limited number of Christians and Muhammadans, and a large proportion of Telingás, or Gentus and Tamils. The cavalry are mostly Arcot Musalmáns, descendants of the soldiers of the old Nawábs of the Karnátik. The army is recruited as in Bengal, but it has a peculiar institution of its own, namely, the 'recruit and pension boys' (sons of soldiers and pensioners) attached to each regiment and transferred to the ranks when they attain a proper standard of age and efficiency; — a valuable institution, which affords a powerful hold upon the fidelity of the men. The Bombay Army resembles that of Bengal in its recruiting, organisation, and equipments. It is composed of a few Christians, some Bráhmans, Rájputs, and other Hindu castes; but mainly Maráthás and Purwaris, with a few Punjabis and Patháns.

It is no easy task to draw comparisons between native soldiers recruited from so many different parts of the Empire. It is generally acknowledged, however, that the most warlike are the inhabitants of Sind, the Punjab, and Trans-Indus territory. Next