The morning news., 1898-08-11
INDIA's NEW RULER.
GtorGe Nathaniel CurzOn and the
work Before Him.
From the Washington Post.


1t is difficult for any one who has not
been in India to conceive the grandeur
and magnificence of the office of vicerov.
for which Gen. Nathaniel Curzon. the
English husband of Miss Letter of Chica-
go and of Washington, has been nomi-
mated.
The court by which the viceroy is sur
rounded at Calcutta and at Simla is even
more luxurious and ceremonious in its
appointments than that of the sovereign
hersef, and the best illustration that can
be given of its Importance is the fact thai
whenever any of the Queens sons or
grandsons have visited India thew have
been compelled to yield the pas to the
Viceroy.
The salary and allowances drawn by
the Ylceroy amount to over a quarter Of
million dollars annually, and his house
hold includes about twenty-eight aids de-
camp, secretaries, and gentlemen I'm wait
ing, as well as a mounted bOdyguard all
OF whom are paid by the government.
constituting no source of expense to the
viceroy himself.
The one drawback to the office is that
throughout its term, which Is generally
held for five years. the vicerov is an
exile from Europe; that Is to say, he IS
unable to leave India under any pretense
whatsoever unless he either resigns his
off1ce altogether or else secures the mas
sage of a special act of Parliament in
England authorizing him 10 leave India.
The same rule applies to his chief sub
oIdlnates, the governors of Bombay and
Madras. and also to the commander-in-
chlet OF the entire Indian army as well
as to the divisional commanders at Bonn
bay and Madras, and when the Duke Of
Connaught was In command of the troops
az Bombay special act of Parliament
mad to be passed at Westminster in order
to enable him to leave India TO attend
the golden jubilee OF his mothers acces-
sion 10 tho throne
Throughout her husbands term of office
MRS. Curzon-or Lady Curzon, as she will
now become-will be compelled in common
with all the other ladies of the viceregal
court to accord to her husband the same
honors that she would have to pay. not
merely to Prince of the blood but to
the sovereign. That is to say If her hus-
band happens to enter the drawing room
or ooudoir, where she may be seated
with other ladies' she as well as they all
must rise and remain standing, until with
a wave of the hand or a word he REQUESTS
them to resume their seats
lie VIII precede her on all occasions, and
on leaving his presence, such as for in
stance at the, close of dinner. or with
drawing from an apartment in which he
may happen to be, 1t will be etiquette for
her to make low and sweeping curtesy
to him before so doing.
For an American girl all these different
phases OF public homage paid to her hus-
band will be distinctly novel, and it will
be rather amusing to watch the manner
in which Joe Letters hgh-spirited sister
Will conform herself thereto.
l mentioned above that she would now
become Lady Curzon. This is owing to
the fact that her husband, who becomes
by virtue OF his Office or viceroy, grand
master of the order Of the Star of India
and OF the order of the Indian Empire
and ipse facto a Grand Cross Of each of
these orders, must necessarily be knight
ed by the Queen before leaving England
He is the first instance Of commoner be
coming viceroy of India in more than hair
a century and there is no doubt that we're
IL not for the fact that he is the eldest
son and heir of an aged peer, namely
Lord Scarsdale. he would receive at the
present moment a peerage In his own
right I'm order to add to the dignity and
prestige Of his office.
His wife will, as Vicereine of India, re-
ceiye before she leaves England the order
of the Crown of India, a beautifully Jew
eled decoration, reserved exclusively for
ladies of the royaf family, and for the
wives of personages who have held the
office of Secretary of State for India of
Governor General of India, or OF Govern
ors of Madras and Bombay
There are likewise half a dozen Indian
princesses, the consorts OF vassal rulers
who have the order, which in Itself con-
fers no title. Thus the daughter Of Sir
James Ferguson. former Governor cf
Bombay, who did the hOnors for her then
widowed father during his term Of office.