'The views and opinions of Brigadier General John Jacob, CB. Aide-decamp to the Queen; Aide-de-camp to the Governor General of India, &c. &c. &c.; late commanding in chief the British forces in Persia; at present commanding the Sind Irregular Horse, and Political Superintendent of the North-West frontier of Sind.' [‎101] (132/481)

101
rity. The causes of this are various, part depending on
what has been mentioned above, but chiefly on the abomin
able system of recognising caste in our ranks, and on the
absurd system of promotion, whereby the native officers
are absolutely useless.
The remedies are of course as described with respect to
those causes.
The sixth evil is of a very grave and important nature.
The effect of enlisting men of a certain caste or creed, to
the exclusion of others, in the Indian army, is to subject
that army to the control, not of the Government and of
the articles of war, but to that of Brahmins and Goseins,
Moollas and Fakeers. By this system a man is not to
be chosen on account of his fitness to be a soldier, his
willingness and strength, docility and courage, but because
he is a twice-born worshipper of Vishnoo. hatever his
other qualifications, if a man think that a stone with a
patch of red paint on it is not to be worshipped as the
Creator,—still more, if he have been a shoemaker, &:c.,—
he is not to be admitted into the ranks of the Bengal army,
for fear of offending the lazy and insolent Brahmins. Ihe
consequences are ruinous to discipline. By reason of
this, a native soldier in Bengal is far more afraid
of an offence against caste than of an offence
against the articles of war, and by this means a
degree of power rests with the private soldier,
which is entirely incompatible with all healthy rule.
Treachery, mutiny, villany of all kinds, may be
carried on among the private soldiers, unknown to
their officers, to any extent, where the men are of
one caste of IIlNDOOS, and where the rules of caste
are more regarded than those of military discipline.
To such an extent does this evil exist, that I have known