“OrUer of Britts!) 3fnlJta”

AND

“©rber of iflertt,”

FOR NATIVE OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS IN THE SERVICE OFTHE EAST INDIA COMPANY.

[.Referred to p. 56, antea.]

Pursuant to the recommendation of the late General Lord William Cavendish Bentinck, G.C.B.when Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in India, for improving the condition of the NativeSoldiers, the Court of Directors determined in 1836, to institute Tw r o Orders of HonoraryDistinction, for the Native Troops in the service of the East India Company.

It was announced in General Orders by the Governor-General in Council, on the 17th of April1837, that one of these Orders, styled The Order of British India, would be given to Subadars andJemadars, for long and honourable service. The Order is divided into two Classes. The First Classconsists of 100 Subadars, with an allowance of two rupees a day each, in addition to their regimentalallowances or retiring pensions; and the Second Class consists of 100 Native Commissioned Officers,with an allowance of one rupee a day, in addition to their usual allowances and pensions. Three-sixths of these appointments are to be allotted to the Bengal Native Officers, two-sixths to those ofMadras, and one-sixth to those of Bombay.

The other Order, called the Order of Merit, is to be conferred only for distinguished conductin Action, subsequent to the date of its Institution; and it is divided into three Classes.

Every Commissioned and Non-commissioned Officer or Soldier of the Native Army who obtainsadmission into the Order of Merit will receive, if of the Third Class, one-third of his full pay, overand above the pay or pension he may otherwise, by the rules of the service, be entitled to. If he beof the Second Class, two-thirds of his full pay, in addition to his ordinary pay or pension; and if of theFirst Class, double pay or full pay, in addition to his ordinary pension.

On the 1st of May 1837, the following Regulations, which may be termed the Statutes of thoseOrders, were issued by the Governor-General:

ORDER OF BRITISH INDIA.

“ This Order is to be conferred by the Governor-General of India in Council on Native Commis-sioned Officers of the Indian Army, for long, faithful, and honourable service.

“ The First Class is to be composed exclusively of Subadars and the corresponding grades in theirregular Cavalry, and limited to 100 members, viz. 50 for Bengal, 34 for Madras, and 16 for Bombay,with an allowance of two rupees a day each, in addition to their regimental allowances or retiringpensions.