INDIAN ARMY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 87, 1 June 1911, Page 5

INDIAN ARMY.

ITS POSSIBLE REDUCTION. London, May 31. The Times’ Simla correspondent reports that there is a possibility of reducing the strength of the native army, the matter being now under discussion, hut (here is no thought of reducing the British garrison. The present strength of the Indian army is about 3-12.000 men. made up as follows:—British regulars 75,000, Indian regulars 154.500, British volunteers 35.000. Indian army reserves 22.000, Imperial service troops 21,00!}, local corns 5000, and military police 28,500. The Indian Financial fftateinent for 1010-11 stated that owing to the anticipated decrease in the opium revenue conseouent on the reduction of exports to China and to the necessity of increasing the' -revenue assigned to Eastern Bengal and Assam, the Government were compelled. for tiie first lime in sixteen years, to impose new taxation, including increased import duties on silver, tobacco, cigars, cigarettes, beer and spirits'. With there additional taxes the revenue for 1010-11 was estimated at £75.2(34.000, and the expenditure €75,018,700. The net revenue of the .Indian Government from opium, wbi.n is a Government monopoly, was in 1909-10 £1,432,000.