THE 1st Madras European Regiment ranks the second corps in the service of the Honourable the East India Company, and next to the Bombay Regiment raised in 1661, by Charles II., for the occupation and defence of the island of Bombay, and transferred to the East India Company on the 23d of September, 1668. Although the former was not consolidated into a regular battalion until 1748, by its first commandant, the celebrated Colonel Lawrence, it nevertheless existed in small detachments, or independent companies distributed among the different factories belonging to the Company, for nearly a century previous to that period; besides the different factories on the Coromandel Coast, detachments were sent from Fort St. George to the factories at Bantam, Java, Priaman, and Fermosa. These factories were either fortifications, or structures sufficiently strong to afford protection from the

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dangers constantly threatened, by the rapacity of the native princes in whose territories they were situated.

By a charter granted in 1661, the president and council of each factory were entrusted with powers of martial law for the government of the troops kept for its defence. The president was commander-in-chief of the forces belonging to his Presidency, which consisted, with few exceptions, of English soldiers sent out in the Company's ships, and, on occasions of emergency, a few European mercenaries or deserters from the various French, Dutch, and Portuguese settlements, in India: in addition to these, were a few half-castes, called Topasses, and African slaves, the latter imported from the Company's stations on the east coast of Africa.

In 1628, the English factory at Armegon was garrisoned by twenty-eight soldiers and twelve pieces of cannon.

In 1639, Mr. Day, the chief of that factory, removed it to Madras, and in 1644, Fort St. George was built, and the following year had a garrison of 100 soldiers.

In 1652, the garrison had dwindled down to twenty-six soldiers, and a number of Caffres received from Africa.

In 1653, Fort St. George was raised to the rank of a Presidency.

During 1662-63, a great many Africans were

introduced into the different factories as labourers, and to be trained to the use of arms; a number of Portuguese soldiers had also been entertained at Madras, to fill up vacancies; in the following year, the conduct of these Portuguese had been so infamous, that the Court of Directors ordered their immediate discharge, and prohibited any more of that nation being entertained.

In 1644, thirty English recruits and a large quantity of ordnance and military stores, arrived from England; and early in the following year, twenty more recruits landed. The fortifications at the same time were much strengthened and improved.

In 1665, an armed-ship with a number of recruits on board arrived at Madras.

In 1671, the garrison of Fort St. George being much reduced from detachments, deaths, and the expiration of the time of service of several soldiers, the agent and council were authorized to engage from the ships as many men as would fill up the complement of the troops for the garrison.

During the year 1676, despatches from the Court of Directors were received, directing that the garrison of Fort St. George should wholly consist of English, and intimating that more recruits had been sent out in ships of the season; the soldiers' pay was likewise determined to be at the rate of 17. 1s. per mensem in full, for provisions and necessaries of every kind. The custom of training civil servants to the use of arms, was prohibited, also