We see it is stated that Sir Garnet Wolseley while
in Natal devised a new and extremely clever plan for increasing the force at the disposal of the Government. He organised the Indian coolies, of whom considerable numbers are arriving, and thus created an auxiliary force of 1,300 strong. These coolies, who are mainly from the Nerbudda valley, will make excellent soldiers, they will if kindly treated obey like children, and they are about as likely to ally themselves with the Zulus against Englishmen as with ourang-outangs against men. It is a secondary advantage that their new position will secure them against ill-treatment. You must conciliate men upon whom you depend in battle, and if the Mauritius or Guiana were exposed to savage incursions, we should hear little of coolie grievances. Could not service at the Cape be made one of the regular punishments in the Native Indian Army for purely military offences?
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