INDIAN ARMY DOUBLED IN STRENGTH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2092, 29 May 1907, Page 1

INDIAN ARMY DOUBLED IN STRENGTH.

In the course of the debate at the recent meeting of the Indian Council Lord Kitchener is reported by a Reuter message in the Loddon press to have said that Indian military policy was a purely defensive one. “It is,” ho said “most unlikely that we shall ever attack any other Power or undertake operations unless forced thereto by aggression, or compelled to defend wliilt wo bold. Our duty is to obtain the best VsjUio for our money.- The distribution of troops lias seen little change since tlio Mutiny, Wo are now attempting to form divisions, self-contained in all .respects, which, when ready to take tlie field, would leave behind sufficient troops to provide for order fa*nd Aranquility in tlio areas from which they are drawn. The idea is to establish divisions oil echelon, one behind the other, on the various railway lines, so as to provide for rapid concentration in time of war.”

The reorganisation scheme would take some timo to carry out, hut it would practically double tlicir former strength. They were also improving tlio Staff College at Quetta, which was almost ready, and with tlie courteous assistance of their gallant allies, the Japanese, they wore arranging to send a party of young staff officers to Manchuria, where they would study the recent great operations. The Commander-in-Chicf also announced several helpful concessions to the native troops, and a revised travelling allowance for British officers, and lie hoped presently to improve the position of the junior

ranks. “Measures of defence,” Lord Kitchener concluded, Rmust he periodically revised to keep pace with the progress of other nations, if we intend to keep our high posit* oll in the world.” He prophesied that any increase in the expenditure would be greatly reduced by a sound system of economy in the army.