took place. Hitherto the officers in each presidency had been borne on
general "lists," according to branches of the service. These lists
were now broken up and cadres of regiments formed. The colonels and
lieutenant-colonels remained on separate lists, and an establishment
of general officers was created, while the divisional commands were
distributed between the royal and Company's officers. Further
augmentations took place, consequent on the great extension of British
supremacy. In 1798 the native infantry in India numbered 122
battalions. In 1808 the total force in India amounted to 24,500
Europeans and 154,500 natives.
The first half of the 19th century was filled with wars and
annexations and the army was steadily increased. Horse artillery was
formed, and the artillery in general greatly augmented. "Irregular
cavalry" was raised in Bengal and Bombay, and recruited from a better
class of troopers, who received high pay and found their own horses
and equipment. "Local forces" were raised in various parts from time
to time, the most important being the Punjab irregular force (raised
after the annexation of the Punjab in 1849), consisting of 3 field
batteries, 5 regiments of cavalry, and 5 of infantry, and the Nagpur
and Oudh irregular forces. Another kind of force, which had been
gradually formed, was that called "contingents"--troops raised by the
protected native states. The strongest of these was that of Hyderabad,
originally known as the nizam's army. Changes were also made in the
organization of the army. Sanitary improvements were effected,
manufacturing establishments instituted or increased, and the
administration generally improved.