SEPOY, or SIPOY, the name of the native soldier in the East Indies. Bishop Heber derives the word from " sip," the bow and arrow, which were originally in almost universal use by the native soldiers of India in offensive warfare. Those Bhiels and Kholees who are employed in Guzerat in the service of the police and in protecting gentlemen's houses and gardens are also called sepoys, and with more propriety, as they still use the bow and arrow. The native soldiers in the pay of the British government now form a large army, well trained in European discipline : the men are of a size some what below that of European soldiers, but they are quite as brave, as hardy, and as active, capable of undergoing as much fatigue and of sustaining even greater pri vations. To the attachment and bravery Of this army Great Britain is chiefly in debted for the possession of her Indian empire, and it now secures to her the sovereignty over a territory vastly more extensive than her own, and separated from her by the distance of nearly half the globe.
The pay of the Sepoy is two pagodas, or seven rupees, per month, which is double the wages of the class of persons from whom they are generally drawn.
The Indian army in 1840, according to the East India Calendar,' was as fol lows :— Bombay.
26 regiments of native infantry.
3 regiments of native cavalry.
2 regiments of European infantry. 1 regiment of artillery.
I corps of engineers.
1 corps of invalids.
Madras.
52 regiments of native infantry.
8 regiments of native cavalry.
2 regiments of European infantry_ 1 regiment of horse artillery.
4 regiments of foot artillery.
1 corps of engineers.
1 corps of invalids.
Bengal.
74 regiments of native infantry.
10 regiments of native cavalry.
2 regiments of European infantry. 1 regiment of horse artillery.
5 battalions of foot artillery.
1 corps of engineers.
1 corps of invalids.
Each regiment consists of two bat talions of 500 men each. In 1842 the number of native soldiers in the pay of the East India Company was 181,612, besides 4450 native officers, in all 186,062. The number of European solders was 19,164, _ besides 5531 European officers, in all 24,695. The entire Indian army in 1842 consequently amounted to 210,757.