East India Company's Military Seminary

From The Royal Archive

1809-1860

The East India Company maintained its own separate military establishment until 1858, when the government of British India was transferred to the Crown. In 1798 the Company began to send cadets to the RMA to train as officers in the Indian artillery and engineers. In 1809 it set up a military seminary at Addiscombe House, Croydon, based upon the RMA. After the Mutiny of 1857-58 it was decided that, for security reasons, all artillery and engineers in India should be part of the British Army. The establishment of the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers was increased accordingly. Addiscombe was closed and its functions were undertaken by an enlarged RMA. It was then decided that officers for the Indian Army should be provided by the new Indian Staff Corps. All candidates had first to serve for two years on probation as subalterns in the British Army. Those who did not wish to purchase commissions in the British Army prior to joining the Indian Staff Corps were able to attend the Royal Military College at Sandhurst instead. Thus both the RMA and the RMC continued the link with the Indian Army established by the EICMS at Addiscombe.