Defense.—The military forces in India consist of the British Regular Forces, the Native Army, the Volunteers, and the Imperial Service Troops, all under the control of a commander-in-chief who is a member of the viceroy's council. At the outbreak of the World War Ole army in India was composed of about 75,000 British troops and about 240,000 native troops. The total number of native troops recruited during the war, up to Nov. 11, 1918, was 1,161,789. The de fense force act was put in force in 1917 and by its terms compulsory service wag applied to European and British sub jects, between the ages of 16 and 50. The total number of British and native troops sent from India to France, Mes opotamia, East Africa, Egypt, Galipoli and other fronts numbered 1,215,338.
The casualties numbered about 115,000. By the end of 1919 only about 13,000 British troopg remained to be demobil ized in India.
Government.—The present form. of government of India results from the Indiari Act of 1915, and amended in 1916 and in 1919. The administration is entrusted to a Secretary of State for India, who resides in England and who is assisted by a council of from 8 to 12 members. In 1919 power was p.,iven for the appointment of a high commissioner tive Assembly consists of 1,14 m c m s, of whom 26 are officials, and 103 are elected. The Council of State exists for five years and the Assembly for three years.
The various departments of govern ment are in charge of the governor-gen. erars executive council. For adminis trative purposes India is divided into 15 administrations, each of which has a gov ernor, lieutenant-governor, or chief com missionary. Important changes in the government of the provinces were of India, to whom may be delegated pow ers by the Secretary of State respecting contracts.
In India, the supreme executive au thority is vested in a Governor-General Council. The governor-general, or vice roy, is appointed by the Crown and holds office generally for five years. There is a legislature consisting of the governor general and two chambers, the Council of State and the Legislative Assembly. The Council of State consists of not more than 60 members, of whom not 'more than 20 are officials. The Legisla brought about by the Government of India Act of 1919, which went into ef fect in 1920. This brings about a greater amount of self-government than heretofore existed.
Religion, Philosophy, History, etc.— Hindu theology is coritained in the an cient books of the Vedas, which inculcate the worship of the deities, Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva, the transmigration of souls, and their final absorption into the deity. Buddhism had also its origin in Hindustan, and INIohammedism now ex tensively prevails. Philosophy, science.
and the arts were cultivated from an early period by the Hindus, especially the domestic arts of weaving, dyeing, and working in metals and gems. From the earliest records of history the nations of the Western World derived their mer chandise from India. The country was entered and partly subdued by Alexan der the Great. About 126 B. c. it was also invaded by the Tartars, or Scythians of the Greeks. From the 10th to the 12th century of the Christian era the Mo hammedans overran and conquered con siderable portions of Hindustan, and sub coast of 5 square miles, transferred in 1653 to Madras. A short time previous a settlement had also been obtained at Hooghly, which afterward became the Calcutta station. In 1687 Bombay was erected into a presidency. In 1773, by act of the British Legislature, the three provinces were placed under the adminis tration of a governor-general, and Cal cutta was made the seat of a supreme court of judicature, the presidencies of Madras and Bombay being made subor dinate to that of Bengal. Hitherto the affairs of India had been managed by the sequently the Mogul empire was formed. In 1428 India was first visited by Vasco de Gama, and later the Portuguese and Dutch established settlements Oil the pen insula, but the former never acquired more than a paltry territory on the W. :oast, and the latter a few commercial factories. The French influence in In dia, at one time considerable, also yielded to the superior enterprise of the British, and finally the French relinquished the field. In 1625 the first English settle ment was made by a company of mer chants in a small spot of the Coromandel East India Company, but in 1784 a board of control was appointed by the gov ernment, the president of which became secretary of state for India. From thq year 1750, when the warlike acquisition of territory commenced under Lord Clive, a succession of conquests, almost forced upon the British contrary to their inclinations, have now placed nearly all India under their sway.