The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-03-18 00:00:00

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EMPRESS OR,
,QIJEEg.

The Times has published several letters on the above
subject—amongst others the following :

Sir,—Sir G. Campell observed, "Whether Her Majesty
, te.ok the title of Empress or of Qtzten,* It must be translated :I
in 'lndia by the smile Oriental word—Badshah or Padshah."
This is a word which might be ethployed, but it isnot the one,
generally used by the natives of India in speaking of Her
,Majesty. . ThenilnsanL pageniustel,tte title mailkaw,
*Ftflfthe'epifhht "Inuazzamah" (" august") is very frequently
added. As to the title "Empress," it may be observed that
the Native Press styled the late Emperor Napoleon " Shahin-
shah," "King of Kings." " Afalikah "is the feminine of the
word " a title which has bees borne by great Kings,
by many very petty Sovereigns, and often by men with no
pretence to princely power. It is the title by which Richard
I. was known in the Holy Land, and under which his memory
is said still to survive. The only woman who ever wielded
the sceptre of Delhi bore the masculine title of "Sultan."
All these words are of Mahomedan origin, and there are
roillionstin India to whom they would be unacceptable. What
term or terms would be chosen by the pure Hindu and the
Dravidian languages is a wide question. For the sake of
uniformity, and upon the principle of Omne_igijottcm, it
would be well, perhaps, that the title fixed upon should be
itself used, and not translated. " Governor-General " has
firmly established itself. The word "Queen "or " Empress "
would probably also become current if used officially.

Sir,—lt seems to be conceded on all hands that the pro-
posed change of title of her Majesty is to be made from an
Indian point of view—that is to say, the natives, we are told,
are extremely desirous of It, and therefore it is nothing more
than right that the desire should be satisfied. The question
Is how to make the desired change and please all parties It
Is perfectly clear, as has already been pointed out, that what-
ever word is used it must be translated into' the word actu-
ally used in India. at the present- moment. What is that
word? No one here seems to have any clear idea ; but,
whatever it is, let it be Anglicized and the thing is done. For •
the sake of argument,- assume that it is Ranee ; then the
clause in the title would run, "Defender of the Faith, and
Ranee of India." In this way the natives would be gratified,
and, what is of far more importance, the just susceptibility
of the British nation would not be wounded.—Your obe-
dient servant, H. I. H.

The Daily Telegraph has also published the following
(amongst several others) on the same subject :
Str.—There can be little doubt that Mr. Disraeli might as
well hope to paint the lily or gild refined gold as confer even
the semblance of dignity or power on her Majesty of Eng and
in designating it by a new title. If, however, some recogni-
tion of our Eastern Empire is absolutely necessary, it seems
to me the only way out of the difficulty is to style her Majesty
" Protectress Paramount of the Indies." This would not be
so utterly odious in the eyes of the people of England as the
foreign and despotic title of Empress. It would also express
a literal fact, namely, that the native Princes and Rulers of
India are not all a group of subject, but protected,
Sovereigns.—l am, &c., Z.