The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-11-27 00:00:00

TRE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER,

respecl
vA at
ctinfm.
certainty,
prehension,
e Prince's S

.1. 4".
into".
loyenal
aPPe'
his

suite. Sir Madhava Rao had prepared a large tent for special ments ~:ting the Prince's m eLts since his
correspondents. arri t Bombay. .4 des not alte.where }leis
November Atte a •
Ao goror what is to be thi-brder of tour, and there
Foreign and British rested till three. It was very - are con' fusion and misrepresentation accordingly. This
The Prince, the Duke of Sutherland, Colonel Ellis, and r.
certainty, however, is due, not to any political
Albert Grey went off in different directions. Lord Carin n Ull,
did not go. The Prince returned-at 530 with a fine intik, apprehensions, but simply to the anxiety with which
killed at 200 yards, and Colonel Ellis with the doe. The total ' the Prince's Staff watch over his health. It will easily be
deer killed by the cheetahs of both parties included ten. •At \ understood that the Prince, however free from timidity
six they drove back to Baroda Sowars were posted at long, -,himself, is bound to defer to the representations of those
intervals along the road, and police patrols and a 'typo have been commissioned to advise him. These
Cavalry escort. Much curiosity was evinced by the
townspeople, who thronged the windows - and .0# tido-- stre naturally auxipus to-be on the safe side. Cholera
ways. There were partial illuminations, but no cheer:, Prevails inSouthern Inidia; the region, indeed, is
tog. Guards of honour were placed at the entianees ; seldom free from the disease, but some spots appear to
Horse and Foot along the route. The attitude of the be more severely visited than usual. "It is tele-
people was respectful, but not sympathetic or warm. The graphed from Madras," says our Correspondent
Prince arrived at the Residency, where he was received with ~ fhatihe.mithol,kies_eannot_reemmend
the usual honours, at seven o'clock. He dined-with ttre d-
-22n- •"
Native Infantry at eight. The mess-room was prettily deco- route.fremrßey e4ecause cholera prevails along it.
rated with garlands and arms. Colonel Nuttall peoposed the i At' a )atfrpet i the Prac9r may come." This will
health of the Queen and that of the Prince of Stales, who Le a :pritserit di ptioiniment to the people of MadraS,
gave the health of the regiment. Colonel Nuttall, I ; they-vrould-seorer wait for-thirrisit than lose i
ing thanks, said the memory of that night would lis, me altogether. We trust that these unfavourable inci-
annals of the regiment for generation after generation. The , dents will only result in a modification, and not a
band played. The lines and the camp were illuminated. The
,
Prince returned to the Residency at midnight. The road curtailment of the Prince's tour. Perhaps, as the
was lighted with lamps and decked with garlands. ,i season advances the causes of apprehension may die.
There was Divine service in the Residency. The Rev. Mr. I appear.
Polehampton officiated. l
At half-past seven the Prince and his suite, with Sir R. '
Mea 'e, Mr. Melville, and Sir Bartle Frere, drove from the
Residency, through the streets and the road, which were all
lighted up, to Mohtee Bagh, the old Palace of the Guikwar.
A most curious spectacle presented itself. Chinese lanterns
and oil lamps were suspended in double lines from frame-
works of bamboo and lattice. Every house was lighted up,
all the people lining the roads, with blue lights and
firepots. At intervals troops or Horse and Foot were
drawn up. On the bridges stood figures draped in most fan-
tastic costumes. Their faces were painted chalky white ;
they wore wigs of scarlet ribbed with gold, and robes of
tissue, tinselled; their hair was powdered and dressed fantas-
tically, or drooping over wan faces with piercing black eyes.
These figures were grouped on stands along the road also, and
were brilliantly lighted up, and the general effect was die-
ttessful and unhealthy. The whole city turned out, and the
lights on masses of white-clothed figures produced combina-
tions to drive an artist to despair.

tire-overland-I =l)'

11.6111ZUz-i.hu

So for three miles to the old Palace. Amid this strange
gathering, an escort of the 3rd Hussars pulled up between
the Guikwar's Horse. At the entrance the Prince was re-
ceived by the Guikwar at the steps. Sir Madhava Rao and
the Sirdars led him upstairs to the verandah, where Mrs.
Melville, Mrs. Barton, and several other English ladies were
assembled. The Guikwar's jewels were laid out for inspec-
tion in a room on three tables. The wealth of diamonds,
emeralds, rubies, and pearls of rare size and beauty was
eagerly examined and much admired.
The Guikwar and Ministry having retired, the Prince took
Mrs. Melville to dinner, which was laid out in a pavilion in
the garden, 100 yards from the Palace. All the trees were
lighted up brilliantly. The avenue was lined with the
Guikwar's troops. The dinner was European. After the
dessert, Sir Madhava Rao led in the Guikwar, whom the
Prince took by the hand, and placed in a chair on his left,
Sir Madhava, in the name of the Marsjah and Maharanee,
proposed the health of the Queen, which was drunk with
all honours, and next that of the Prince ef Wales.
The Prince, in returning thanks, expressed the pleasure
he felt at being in Baroda, and his gratification at the
cordiality of the reoeption. He thanked the Maharajah
and the Maharanee for their kindness, and could assure theta
he would never forget his visit. The Maharajah was yet very
young, but he had a great career before him. He predicted
that the Maharajah would devote himself to promoting the.
welfare of his people, and would exert himself to develope
the resources of the country he was called on to goverd,
so as to insure the continuance of friendly relations be-
tween the two Governments, inspired by the able counsels
of Sir Madhava Rao. (Cheers.) He gave the health of
the Maharajah and the Maharanee. Sir Madhava, in.reply,
said the Maharajah and the Maharanee requested him
to return, in English, their most grateful thanks for the
manner in which their health had been proposed and re-
sponded to. They justly regarded that as the happiest
moment of their lives. Long had they been gazing on photo-
graphs of;English Royalty. It was now their felicity to see
that Prince who was heir to a sceptre whose beneficent
power and influence were felt in every quarter cf the globe,
which dispelled darkness, dliffused light, paralyzed the
tyrant's hand, shivered the manacles of the slave, ex-
tended the bounds of freedom, accelerated the happiness
and elevated the dignity of the human race. (Cheers.)
They were grateful that the Prince had come from his dis-
tant Northern home, traversing seas and oceans, as the
gracious messenger of a gracious Queen. He had come to
inspect an Empire founded by the heroism and sustained by
the statesmanship of England; to witness the spectacle of
indigenous principalities relying more securely on British
justice than could mighty nations on their embattled hosts.
He would be greeted everywhere with enthusiastic loyalty
and fervent devotion on account of his illustrious mother,
and on account of his exalted position; of the motives which
prompted the visit, and of his own right Royal affability and
graciousness. (Cheers.) His visit to Baroda could never be
forgotten, nevencauld fade in their memory. The occasion
would be commemorated by history, and would ever be
associated with renovated strength and renewed stability of
the State. He had only to add a fel vent prayer that their
Royal guest would complete his progress to his satisfaction,
and that he slight have reason to regard with peculiar favour
the weighty interests of the Princes and peoples of India ;
that he might carry back to his Empress mother and to the
British nation in general most gratifying messages of loyalty
to and attachment on the part of divers nations, professing
different creeds, differing even in colour and costume, but
united in gratitude for the benefits of British rule and in-
fluence. (Loud cheers.
The company then rose, The Prince, Guikwar, ladies, and
company went to the verandah, where a clever performer
played on a simple apparatus of cops of different sizes filled
partially with water, to an accompaniment of zithers. Coffee
was served, and then there was a display of beautiful fire-
works, rockets, &c. Two girls afterwards sang characteristic
music. At 10.30 the Prince and his suite took leave. they
thanked Sir Madhava before doing so, paid a visit to the
Maharanee in a private apartment, and expressed pleasure
at the visit and gratification at the sporting arrangements.
The Maharanee was greatly pleased, and bade them good-
bye, with the Guikwar, at the steps of the Palace. They
then drove direct to the railway statien, and proceeded by
special train to Ahmedabad, where the party will shoot quail
at 6 a.m.

The Prince of Wales and his party left Dutka at six o'clock
on Tuesday morning for pig-sticking. The Times' corre-
spondent says nearly 1.000 beaters were employed. Great
preparations were made by the Guikwar's Government. A
military cordon was established round the hunting ground.
There were three drives, but the boars broke back or
escaped in the high cover. One fair run pig escaped. The
Prince finally killed one pig, and in coming home enjoyed
some snipe shooting. He reached Baroda at 6 30. A
new road from Dutka, made expressly for the occasion,
was hung with lamps the whole way, and patrolled
by cavalry. The population was quiet, but curious and
respectful A deputation of chiefs from Ahmedabad was
received at the Icesideney. The Indian papers complain of
the want of respect to the chiefs evinced by the Bombay
Government in the arrangement for the Prince's return
visits. They are less enthusiastic than the English papers
In their tone, but praise the Prince's -courtesy and bearing.
The statement of the press that 3ladhava Rao had abandoned
the intention of inviting the correspondents to dinner in cou-
sequence of instructions is utterly unfounded, and has been
nied by the Madhava Rao himself. After dinner the
Prince took leave and left Baroda per special train. Bombay
was illuminated.

Referring to the splendid reception given to the Prince of
Wales at Baxoda, The Times of Saturday, in a leader,
writes :

Some 230 miles North of Bombay lies the city of
Baroda, the capital of the Guikwar. A few months
ago the State and its Ruler were the subjects of
general curiosity, owing to an alleged crime and a
novel and much-criticised inquiry. The end of
the business was that the actual Guikwar was de-
posed, and sent off under a strong guard to pass
the rest of his life in obscurity on a liberal pensi n.
A child of the reigning house was set in his place,
and, under tutors and guardians, rules his important
domain. This youthful Sovereign has had the dis-
tinction of being the first of the native Princes of
India to receive the Prince of Wales as a visitor in
his capital. The Prince arrived at Baroda yesterday
morning from Bombay, and was welcomed with cere-
monies and rejoicings of truly Eastern magnificence.
The brevity of a elegraphic despatch only brings out
more saliently the features of this gorgeous spectacle.
The Guikwar and Sir Madhava Rao first accompanied
the Prince to the Residency, and the youthful So-
vereign was treated by the Prince with the respectful
courtesy befitting his rank. There was a reception of
the Sirdars who offered the presents indicative of their
loyalty and satisfaction. Outside the station the
crowds of Natives were immense ; there wore twelve
gigantic elephants curiously painted and magnificently
caparisoned. The Princo ascended a golden howdah
hung with cloth of gold trappings; in front was a row
of elephants all kneeling. Waving cloths of gold.
yaks' tails, peacock-feather fans, a procession of
Indian Cavalry, matchlock men, and Baroda Sowars,
strains of barbaric music, gold chariots drawn by oxen
with gilt and silver horns, "an exciting entertainment
of wrestlers, elephants, rhinoceros, buffalo, and ram
fights," suggest scenes of bewildering magnificence,
which we must be content to imagine until we have
them described. The weather, though still hot, was
more agreeable than at Bombay; the Prince is quite
well, and appears to enter with spirit into the enter-
tainments provided for him.
This news comes to us from a Court which but
yesterday was thought to harbour designs hostile to
British supremacy. It is now seventy years since the
authority of the East India Company became para:
mount at Baroda. The power of the Guikwar, which
had been reduced to a nullity by the disorderly soldiers,
gathered from every quarter, who received his pay and
tyrannized over his people, was re-established by an
alliance with the Bombay Government, and from that
time he has ruled in dependence en British authority.
But the late bearer of the title united to a life of
extravagance and profligacy a violent jealousy of the
Power which alone restrained his misdeeds, and, whether
or not he was actnally guilty of the crime of an attempt
to poison, there were undoubtedly intrigues which
went near to a conspiracy. When the Government of
Lord Northbrook resolved on deposing the chief
offender, there were apprehensions of some disturb-
ance, which, though it might easily be quelled, would
yet cause uneasiness in India. Due precautions were
taken, but nothing happened. The Guikwar was re-
moved, and not one of 1“4 *familiars stirred in his
defence. The event proved how little hold any
which might have affected the Guikwar and his sur-
roundings extended to the people. It is possible—in-
deed, probable—that had the Viceroy's Government
been so ill-advised as to suppress the native sove-
reignty altogether and to incorporate this Mahratta
State absolutely with British territory, a strong discon-
tent and apprehension might have been the result. -But
the policy of the late Marquis of Dalhousie has been
coed-int-led and abandoned, to the infinite relief of
our tributaries the native Princes, and seemingly to
the content of theit subjects. As soon as it was made
known that the deposed Ruler would be succeeded by
a Prince of his family, all effervescence ceased, and the
territory has since remained perfectly tranquil. It
will be the fault of the British Government if Baroda
does not become a model State by the time the new
Guikwar arrives at years of discretion. Proper guar.
dians may form his habits, and the British Resident
may direct his political affairs. It is evident that his
people are well disposed, and we may be sure that the
visit of the Heir to the British Throne will remain in
their memory as an earnest of considerate treatment in
future for themselves and the Ruler who is set over
I them.
The success of the Prince's visit is admitted to be
beyond all anticipation, and it is now permissible to
regard it as a great political event. At every point of
his tour he will be received with the earns demonstrations
as at Bombay and Baroda. The curiosity and excite-
ment of the people in the places he is to pass through
have been quickened by the intelligence of his arrival
at Bombay and the doings in that city. In fact, India
is a-tiptoe wit la expectation, and everywhere there
will be elaborate preparations for the Prince's recep-
tion. This being the case, it would be a real misfor-
tune if anything were to interfere with the tour as ori-
ginally planned and communicated in substance to the
authorities at the various points. On this subject
there have been rumours, too baseless to need contra-
diction, of the curtailment of the Prince's visit, and his
Ireturn home on account of European "complications."
These rumours, of course, have arisen from the hesita-
tion and uncertainty which have marked the announce-

ci tion
'th-
ipl