The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-02-05 00:00:00

THE PRINCE OF WALES IN INDIA.

The Special Correspondent of The Times telegraphs to that
journal a long and interesting letter from Agra (dated Jan.
30), respectinz the movements of the Prince of Wales—from
which we make the following extracts:—
It will have been seen that hitherto there has been
very great monotony in the arranstemeqtepagede for the
Prince's reception. Therprogramhees bate" en neatly
identical. lilvtatis mutandie, one publics -display has-
been very like another. A State entry, an address
and reply, a levee, a visit of the,C.hiefs, ft grand ban-
quet; and next day return visits, a drive through
illuminated streets to a native entertainment of fire-
works, a review, a European 'ball, and' departiirg
Except the excursion to Baroda and the =Midi- with the
Maharajah of Puttiala. the Prince has been hitherto al-.
together surround ed by Europeans; and, although he has
travelled much and beheld a great deal, his actual
experience of Indian Courts and Native" life '
begin with Jeypore, Gwalior, Indere, and the eaco*-
sions in the Terai with Captain " Ramsay and Jung
Bahadoor. This has been noticed and commented
upon by Indian newspapers, and in Bazaar and
Mosque, but it is not easy to suggest any better
arrangements. Social habits keep the two races
apart:, • One Hindoo gentleman has been greatly
abused because he introduced the Prince to the
ladies of his family. Pattiala sat beside, or slightly
behisid, the Prince, at his own table, but dared not
eat or drink "with him. A Mussulman refuses to
allow a Christian friend to see his mother, sister,
wife, or daughter. The manner in which Indian nobles
and gentry regard evening parties and, balls, where
they see European ladies and gentlemen talking and
dancing together, is beyond European comprehension.
The invitation of the Prince to Rajahs to visit England •
has produced a strong impression; several have ex-
pressed a.desire to' coine. When the Prince left the
hospitable mansion of Sir Henry Davies on Monday
morning there was not any remarkable anxiety mani-
fested to see the cortege, but thousands of. people col-
lected at the railway station to bid him God-speed. . .
The Prince, with his .suite, General Taylor and
MiLagan' and the civil and military authorities,
drove through the streets of the city under a salute
from the Govindsuhr. Before every house were trays
of rose-leaves; on the wayside garlands were hung.
The whole route was lined with artificial cypress trees,
with gilded branches arched, and the inscription,
"God bless our future Shah in Shah." There were
immense crowds on the roofs, and the windows were
crowded. At the Town Hall the Mhnicipality of Urn-
ritsur—Sikh, Mussulman, and Hindoo—presented an
address of most fervent loyalty, assuring the Prince
that ever since he had shed the brightness of
his presence on Hindostan their eyes had been fixed
on the road for the day when they should behold his
gracious presence. Umritsur became a city ender
Runjeet Sing, but it owed its prosperity to British
rule, which gave security to life, property, and re-
ligion, for which they felt grateful. The Prince
replied that he was glad to visit the ancient city of the
Sikhs, who had proved such faithful allies and good
subjects, and he would convey to the Queen their
assurance of loyalty. Then there was an inspection
oV shawls and manufactures, for which the city is
famous.
The Prince afterwards visited the Church and the
Mission School. The children sang "God Sava the
Queen." Several Native clergymen were presented—
one a brother of the Rajah of Kuppartulla, another
well known as a mathematical teacher, and Emama-
dean, a controversial writer; also Mr. Bering, chief of
the Mission. Afterwards theta was lunch in the house
of a Native (3fitlem'an, lent for the purpose. Lady .
Reid, General Taylor, and others were present; 'The'
streets are veiyelakrow, and the population are fenati-
cal, sothet precautions were necessary. The great sight
is the 'Golden Temple, wherein is the Holy Book or
Grant of Nanuck, the founder of the Sikh faith. Close
by is his Temple, where Sikhs are initiated. Multi-
tudes assembled in the streets to see the Prince pass
on his way to the Golden Temple. Slippers were pre-
pared to place on his feet, as it was considered that he
could not enter the r..4.hrine without taking off his shoes
or putting slippers over them The police and military
formed on the line, and a body of Europeans by the
Sacred Tank ; but it was considered inexpedient for the
Princelto visit the inter.or of the Golden Temple, and
he surveyed it from the terrace, in sight of a part of
the crowd, who seemed most thoroughly pleased, and
salaamed universally as the Prince passed through the
streets', lighted up as if by day. There was scarcely
room for the procession to pass as the Prince returned
to.the 'railway station. Presents were given to the
guardians of the. Shrine of Runjeet Sirg. Several
members of the suite visited the Shrine before the
Prince's arrival on the terrace, and, after some slight
demure, were conducted inside, where the priest read
the Holy Book to a select circle. •
It may be assumed that some, at least, of the pas-
sengers in the Royal train from Umritsur were rather
sorry when they were awakened by a braying of bands,
the firing of cannon, and the glare of a great illumi-
nation. It was close upon midnight when the train
Pulled •up at the station, where the Maharajah of
Puttiala was waiting to receive his guest—to wel-
come him for whose coming he had so longed and
_ entreated. It is a very small place, an ordinary '
roadside platform, but it was made very fine with
garlands, lamps, transparencies, and scarlet cloth.
There were among the crowd some English, ap-
parently of the lower orders, who certainly did not
set an example in decency or good manners to the
assemblage of Natives. The lights made it as bright
as day. The Maharajah, whose diamonds one can
well get tired of hearing about, but which are always
pleasant to see, was surrounded by his Ministers and
Officers, and had by his side the Political Officer.
Carriages, Guards of Honour, and all the Rajah's
troops were drawn up at the railway station, in front
of rows of huts. A grand palace of canvas had been
prepared, hung with silk shawls and carpets, with
mirrors, chandeliers, and engravings and pictures,
room within room. A banquet was then spread in
European fashion, the fare having been brought from
Calcutta. After the health of the Queen had been
drunk, the Maharajah, at some length, proposed the
health of the Prince of Wales. The,occasion, as he said,
on which the future Emperor had been pleased to con-
descend to accept humble entertainment was an
honour to the State, and would ever be a source of
Pride to the Puttiala family, now in friendly relations
with the British Government for 73 years, and which,
by long services, had obtained special predominance
over all other native States of Hindostan. Rajpoorah
had no hietorical buildings and was quite ineignifigeet,
e but the few tents in *hich that pool.: banqifett..iva'
offered were now' the eapitalfoi where the Chiefewi
;there was the great' eity:' • There we's much nsore iii
' the same strain, after which, amid discharges of t'efinon
and pyrotechnic outbursts, the l'rince returned to the
special train, bade good-bye to the delighted Mahara-
- • jab of Puttiala, and continued his route to Agra.
It was past nine next morning when the red walls
and towers -of the Fort eame in i ght. The snowy
' dome and minarets of the Taj and the city of Agra
were covered with a golden *haze, for a strong wind
blew and dust drifted' ia olouds from the dry, sandy
soil. At the station Sir _John Strachey, the Lieu-
tenant-Governor, with his Staff, civil and military,
in full uniform, received the Royal visitor. A
Guard of Honour was drawn up, with bands and.
artillery. Outside, lining the roadway on both
Sides, under the walls of the Fort, were ,nearly 200
elephants; belonging 'to the great Chiefs, bearing
chairs of gold and silver, with trappings of wonder-
ful richness. Beyond these was a sea of heads.
The processienh eif elephants was formed in two
lines, the Prince and Sir John Strachey leading.
Then came the suite• two and two, the'Lieutenant-
Governor's suite, then the civil and military
authorities. As the procession passed between the
Rajahs and the Chiefs -their elephants fell in behind.
It was a very grand spectaele, but the effect was much
lessened by the clouds of dust. The escort was formed
of an advance guard of the 'lsth Bengal Cavalry and
10th Hussars. The street was lined with soldiery, and
there were loud eheera from the battlements of the
Fort. All • along the route gay stands were erected,
whereon musicians played and women danced. There
were many platforms, tinselled ani bright streamers,
triumphal arches, and inscriptions, and wreaths were
displayed in profusion. The adjoining cities and muni-
cipalities had erected separate stands, and the Prince,
over whose head was borne a golden umbrella, was re-
ceived from the Station to the Lieutenant-Governor's
Camp with every respect, and was regarded with intense
interest. The camp was spacious and splendid, being
Pitched on the old ground whereon a Cavalry action
was fought on General Greathed's arrival from -Delhi
to raise the siege. 'When the Prince's elephant
arrived in front of the Durbar tent, before which the
Royal standard floated from a lofty staff, it was faced
round, and then in succession, like old-fashioned men-
of-war ranging in on:kr of battle one after the other,
the elephants passing before him wore and backed into
the station in a curved line, and then, in d, file, up-
wards of 150 elephants, the European authorities,
civil and- thilitary, Nawalis, Rejahs, and Sirdars
passed in review, saluting the Prince' all which formed
a coup de tlidere well conceived and admirably
executed.
The associations of the locality rendered the spec-
tacle still more interesting. Not far off is the citadel
of Akbar' in which 6,000 English were beleaguered so
long eighteen years ago, and within sight of the Taj
Mehal the Prince of Wales received the homage of
those who 'never acknowledged the rule of the House
of Timour;'and those who gave it are warned in vain
.that the-Prince is not in India as the representative
of the Imperial ple. ,In vain they are told of the,
Principles of ihe kritleh Censtitistions It only remains •
to allow thoechieiii 'and peoPle of India to regard •
matters in their own weei:
. The dust which so much marred' the comfort of the
. spectators andtactors in the elephant procession became
troublesome ,soon aftersten on the alth, and at noon
swept over and. throtigh the tents, shroucling Objeets
not within- a hundred yards in uniform obscurity.
. Nothing can keep Indian dust out, and Agra boasts of
the most subtle dust in India.' After- breakfast the
Prince held a Lev6a•for Europeans and'lndians in the
Debar tent, which was better managed than some
others have been, because people were told what to do
before their admission te the Royal presence ; but even
in this ease it 'is to be feared that some of the Natives,
leaving theirs shoes at the door by • which they
entered, had some difficulty in finding them on their
exit—an inconvenience as great as if Europeans
were turned out Without hats. After the Lees the
Native Chiefs- were.ire.ceived. This
~ceremony, al-
though moat necessary, begins to lose tile charm of
novelty. No Chief is like another in equipage, rai-
Meat, and following, but the sameness of the recep-
tions, regulated by printed Goiernment orders, is in-. 1
evitable. To day 14. Chiefs' were received, aceorhig
to their respective 'rank, , with the' usual, salutea, ,es-
eorta, and forms. Esesh hall a distinct procession from
the entrance' of the hafeili to the•Darbar and back The
cannon scarcely "ceased for two hours. Among the
more , remarkable—were the Chiefs of -13oondee,
Blinrtpore, 1.1.1 war,. and Torik. Comfort-
able and capacious as are the tents, the interior
of the Lieutenant-Governor's chamber must appear
Poor to eyes accustomed to coloured glass
chandeliers, huge mirror, golden canopies, brocades,
and gaudy coloured engravings; but the presence of
the Prince, as one said, makes them glow with light.
A vast crowd faced the dust all the day, thronging
around the entrances to the camp to see the Chiefs and
to wait for the Prince. At the time of his driving out
in the afternoon there was a singular display outside
the Head-Quarters Camp. The troops of the Rajahs

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