THE ARMY OF INDIA.

Evening Star, Issue 12396, 9 January 1905, Page 5

THE ARMY OF INDIA.

LORD IOTCHENER'S SCHEME.

MOBILISATION ON A WAR FOOTING.

The full details of Lord Kitchener's Indian Army reorganisation scheme have been received by the War Ollice. As will be txen by the summary which follows, it is complete in every detail, and framed on a plan which will give the fullest Flßciency to the Indian forces at each of those "emergency points" where prompt and effective action may be called for. The cost will bo barely half the £10,003,000 named before the scheme wtws complete. The keynote of I/ord Kitchener's Indian Army reorganisation scheme is to secure thorough war training for the - army in peace time, and to place the troops" not only where they can obtain such instruction, but where their presence will be of permanent strategic value. With this object Northern India has been divided bv parallel lines into a number of areas with their upper points converging on the frontier and their respective bases well down into India. In each of there parallel areas will be placed a field force or division. Its advanced guard will be on the Iwrdcr, and on its line of rcuto will bo grouped the troops ready to move. Each division will be self-contained, with all that is necessary for it in war.

When the word to mobilise is given, seven or eight field forces, each from 15,000 to 20,000 strong, would in a few ltours be concentrated on the whole borderland froui east to west. The generals will have absolute authority within their own spheres. Lord Kitchener says that generals fail in the field because they are not. trained to responsibility hi peace time. The old presidency titles in the chief commands arc replaced by geographical designations. They aro for convenience called " army corps," but the new system is really a divisional one, and the words ""army corps" aro merely a designation for grouping divisions in peace time. This new war machine is organised as follows:—Commander-m-Chicf, General Lord Kitchener; Northern Army Corps, Lieutenant-general Sir Bindon Blood; Western Army Corps, Lieutenant-general Sir A. Hunter; Eastern Army Corps, Lieu-tenant-genera! Sir A. Gassier—The Divisions.— First Division, Peshawur. Major-general Sir E. Barrow; Second Division, Rawalpindi, Major-general Wodehoase; Third" IMvisioo, Lahore, Major-general F. W. Kitchener; Fourth Division, Quetta, Majorgeneral Smrth-Dorricn; Fifth Division, Mhow, Major-general Sir O'M. Creagh; Sixth Division, Poona, Major-general Richardson ; Seventh Division, Meerut, MajorBoneral Henry; Eighth Division, Lncknow, Major-general Sir K. Locke-Elliot; Ninth FMvision, Secundrrabad, Lieutenant-general Bir C. Egerton; Burmah Division, Rangoon, Lieutenant-general M'Leod. Each division has a number of brigades, to which the Cfommander-in-Cfaief has appointed his brigadiers. These include Sir James Willcocks, the distinguished African leader; Colonel Mahon, who relieved Mafeking; Major-general Clements, of South African fame; and Colonel Spcns, columnleader at the Cape. Tho reorganisation creates new brigades at Nowshera, Murdan, Abbotabad, Sealkote, Jullundur, Umballa, Multan, Feroze. pore, Biuinu, Nasirabad, Jhansi, Ahmednagar, Carhwal. Meerut, Fyzazad, Bangalore, Secund'srabad, and Rangoon. Among others who aro given commands irre Generals Woon* Pollock, Adams, Grav, Abbott, Des Voeux, Pearson, Craigie, Denning, A. Creagh, Martin, Brownie, Leach, Wheatley, M'Rae, Nixon, Hamilton, Rose, Bchalch, Mayne, Francis, and Plowckn. All the second class districts will bo abolished, ha order that troops may to trained in large bodies. This means a number of new barracks, nnd plans and estimates are being prepared in order that the new construction may be Eut in hand by April next. The cost is to e spread over a period of five yoaxs. Tho new artillery now being supplied from Home will cost £2OOXOO, new transport will cost as much, and equipment will take a million pounds. Barracks and material may take anything up to three milIons; redistribution itself will absorb £350,000, independent of barracks or other permanent charges. It is probable that the total cost .of tho scheme will not be more than £5,000,000.