| On a Supposition that Tippoo Sultaun is subdued,
and peace established in India, it is presumed, that the following
military Draughts may be completed from the Armies of the British
Settlements in before March
or April 1791. |
Kings Regiments |
No. Men Non Com[missione]d
& Privates |
Bengal |
___ |
1 |
Regiment |
___ |
802 |
Madras |
___ |
2 |
d[itt]o |
___ |
1,604 |
Bombay |
___ |
1 |
d[itt]o |
___ |
802 |
Total Reg[imen]ts |
|
4 |
Infantry |
___ |
3,208 |
Artillery |
| Bengal |
___ |
1 |
Battalion |
___ |
370 |
Lascars |
| Bengal |
___ |
20 |
Companies |
___ |
1,220 |
| Madras |
___ |
4 |
d[itt]o |
___ |
244 |
| Bombay |
___ |
6 |
d[itt]o |
___ |
366 |
| |
|
|
|
|
1,830 |
Sepoys |
| Bengal |
|
2 |
Battalions |
|
1,296 |
| Madras |
|
2 |
d[itt]o |
|
1,296 |
| Bombay |
|
2 |
d[itt]o |
|
1,296 |
| |
|
|
|
|
3,888 |
Total |
9,296 |
Should Tippoo however maintain his Ground another year, and
the French join him; half of the Force above mentioned, is all
that ought to be spared; and even that must depend upon the
State of Affairs at the several Presidencies at the Time. |
| The foregoing Calculations do not include the
European Commissioned Officers; and are formed on a supposition
that the King's Regiments are completed to their present Establishments;
and that the Sepoy Battalions and Lascar Companies are also
completed to their present respective Establishments. |
| As it may be extremely difficult to get Two Battalions
of Sepoys from each of the Settlements to embark on Board of
Transports on Foreign Service; especially from the Presidencies
of Bengal and Madras, notwithstanding the Sepoys at each of
those Settlements amount to 23,760 including Officers, it may
nevertheless be accomplished by giving good Encouragement to
Volunteers for that purpose. If a Part of the Sepoys pay and
Batta is regularly paid to their Wives and Families left behind
them in India, and the most positive Assurances from the Governor
and Council at each Presidency are made, that they will protect
them during the Absence of their Husbands; there is little doubt,
that the Number of Men wanted may be procured in a very short
Time. The Bombay Sepoys in general embark very freely on any
Service. |
| The Reason why so many Companies of Lascars are
to be raised in Bengal, is, that Men of that Description are
most readily to be had in the provinces of that Kingdom particularly
at Chittagong; and from the Craft upon the River Ganges: About
3 years ago, I sent a Captain of the Madras Artillery to Chittagong,
who brought for the Army under my Command 400 Men of the Lascar
Cast: Men who were stout, active, and fit for any Service. If
a few Artillery Officers from Madras, and Bengal were immediately
ordered upon the recruiting service for such Men, with a small
Encouragement to the Officers, proportioned to the Numbers they
may raise, the Lascars wanted would be very soon embodied. |
| As the Detachment to be employed on
the proposed foreign Service ought to rendezvous at Madras in
the month of May 1791, the Draughts from Bengal and Bombay ought
to be at Madras early in February; for after the 15th of February,
the Passage of Ships to Madras from the Settlements of Bengal
and Bombay is tedious and uncertain. |
Arch[ibal]d
Campbell |
|
|
