(CONFIDENTIAL.)
No. 68 of 1903.
Military Department.
To
THE RIGHT HON'BLE LORD GEORGE FRANCIS HAMILTON, G.C.S.I.,
HIS MAJESTY'S SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA.
Simla, the 9th April 1903,
MY LORD,
We have carefully considered in Council the correspondence forwarded by your Lordship with your military despatch No. 150 of the 17th October 1902.
Sent in advance by the mail of the 26th March 1903.
The subject to which that correspondence refers, namely, the enlistment of natives of India by Foreign Powers, has engaged the attention of our military authorities for some time past, but only from the point of view of its effect on the recruitment of the Indian Army. We are, however, of opinion that the question is of much more serious import if regarded in its political aspect, and on these grounds we strongly urge that measures should be taken to arrest what we consider is an increasing evil, and one which may grow to dangerous dimensions.
The question is much complicated by the necessity, which we acknowledge, of permitting British Colonies and Administrations to enlist natives for constabulary or similar duties, with the object of strengthening our military position in the Far East.
2. It may be explained that there are in practice four classes of employment in the Far East which attract Sikhs and other natives of India of martial proclivities, namely:
(i) Service in British Colonies and Settlements;
(ii) Service under Foreign or cosmopolitan municipalities, such as Shanghai;
(iii) Service in weak or friendly States, such as Siam or Johore;
(iv) Service under our political rivals in the East.
As we have already observed, we have no objection to natives of India taking service under (i), nor have we at present any serious objections to (ii) and (iii), except that under all these conditions there is a tendency for men to drift away to service under (iv). Men who are dismissed by their employers
550
(CONFIDENTIAL.)
No. 68 of 1903.
Military Department.
To
THE RIGHT HON'BLE LORD GEORGE FRANCIS HAMILTON, G.C.S.I.,
HIS MAJESTY'S SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA.
Simla, the 9th April 1903,
MY LORD,
We have carefully considered in Council the correspondence forwarded by your Lordship with your military de- spatch No. 150 of the 17th October igoz.
Sent in advance by the mail of the 26th March 1903.
The subject to which that correspondence refers, namely, the enlistment of natives of India by Foreign Powers, has engaged the attention of our military authorities for some time past, but only from the point of view of its effect on the recruitment of the Indian Army. We are, however, of opinion that the question is of much more serious import if regarded in its political aspect, and on these grounds we strongly urge that measures should be taken to arrest what we con- sider is an increasing evil, and one which may grow to dangerous dimensions.
The question is much complicated by the necessity, which we acknowledge, of permitting British Colonies and Administrations to enlist natives for con- stabulary or similar duties, with the object of strengthening our military position in the Far East.
2. It may be explained that there are in practice four classes of employ. ment in the Far East which attract Sikhs and other natives of India of martial proclivities, namely:
(i) Service in British Colonies and Settlements;
(ii) Service under Foreign or cosmopolitan municipalities, such as
Shanghai;
(iii) Service in weak or friendly States, such as Siam or Johore;
(iv) Service under our political rivals in the East.
As we have already observed, we have no objection to natives of India taking service under (i), nor have we at present any serious objections to (ii) and (iii), except that under all these conditions there is a tendency for men to drift
away to service under (iv). Men who are dismissed by their employers
550
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