HC Deb 18 May 1899 vol 71 c914
MR. HERBERT ROBERTS

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he will state what number of the 258,010, appearing on the Estimates for 1899–1900 as forming the regular Army, are at the present time stationed in India, and are paid for out of the Indian Revenue; and what is the total amount charged to India on account of the troops referred to.

LORD G. HAMILTON

Of the 256,010 men appearing on the Estimates for 1899–1900 as forming the regular Army, 73,157 are on the Indian establishment, and the whole of their pay, food, clothing, and other charges, including transport to and from India, is defrayed from Indian revenues. The Estimates do not admit of an accurate separation of the charges under all heads, for the European and the Native forces; but in a return given to Parliament a few years ago (No. 20, of 1894) Rs. 891 was given as the average annual cost of a British soldier in India. Taking this rate, the cost of those men would be about 650 lakhs of rupees, or (at 1s. 4d. the rupee) £4,333,000. Perhaps the rate may now be somewhat higher. This is exclusive of a payment of £548,700 (or £7 10s. per head) to the War Office for depot and recruiting charges in this country, and of the cost of deferred pay and pensions.