The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-03
King Edward VII
In India.
The Personal "reminiscences of General George A. For
Syth u. S. A.

was handed me late one evening at
my club a note from the adjutant general
of the division, Col. r. C. Drum. briefly
stating thai The Secretary of War had just
wired The Commanding General that on
his recommendation he had decided to de-
tail me 10 accompany Bvt Mai Gen.
Emory Upton THE author of our infantry
taotics) and Capt. Joseph p Sanger NOW
General Sanger, Of the Inspector Generals
Department., on a tour of inspection Of
the armies OF Europe and ASIA adding his
warm personal congratulations on what
was. in his opinion. probably the finest de-
tail ever given any military officers. 1
had not had the very slightest intlmation
that such detail was to be made, and
my establishment at my selection was only
equaled by my delight in getting it. The
next day The following order reached me
by mail from Washington:
War Department
Adiutant Generals 0fiCe,
Washington, June IS, ISIS
Special Orders No. l26:
. Lieut. Col. Emory Upton. First Artillery:
Major George A. Forsyth. Ninth Cavalry; Capt
Joseph p. Sanger. First Artillery are hereby de-
tailed for special service. under instructions TO
he communicated by the Secretary of War. Major
Forsyth and Captain Sanger will report accord
iBgly 10 Lieutenant Colonel Upton at st. Louis,
No. about July 10 prOximo, and there
after be subject to his orders
By order Of the Secretary of War.
THOMAS NJ. VINCENT
Assistant Adiutant General.
Leaving San Francisco on the I'd of
August. we reached Japan on the 2sih
of the same month. and spent the
November in inspecting the armies and
military resources Of Japan and China, and
giane,ng at the English regiments on duty
at Hongkong and in Ceylon. on our route
from China 10 India, We reached Bombay
on the 18th of November. 1875. Remain
ing here only two days. We went directly
10 the camp of instruction of the English
forces. both European and native, then as
sembled at Delhi, where we were received
with the greatest kindness and cordiality.
We left Delhi on the 18th of December
for Calcutta. the official capital Of India.
and reached there on the goth inst. Here
we were met by our Consul General. Gen
eral Litchfeld an old officer of the civil
war. and at his urgent request took up our
quarters at bis homeiike residence. 1T
this time Calcutta was filled with much of
leading official life in the way of both civil
and military magnates from all parts OF
India. who had assembled there 10 meet
the Prince Of Wales. He had already
reached India, and landed at Bombay early
in November, where he had been most en-
Enthusiastically received, and met by the
Ficeroy and mGst IL not all. of the local
and nearby naval. military. and civil su-
thorities. together with some OF the ma
tive princes After series OF brilliant
entertainments at Bombay, the Prince
went by rail to Poonsh where he prob
ably had his first satisfactory glimpse of
interior and ancient India. for Bombay has
a wonderfully modern look. and as a mat
ter Of fact is wonderfully modern city.
for India at least. in the way of stately,
modern. stone buildings and broad and well
paved streets. From Bombay ho went by
rail TO the old city of Baroda, and on his
return sailed from Bombay over the Indian
Ocean, slowly eoasting his way toward Cal |
cutta. though in a very roundabout and
devious way, stopping at the old cities of
Goa and Beypore, and thence crossing to
Ceylon, where lie had some elephant hunt
ing. and got big tusker TO his own gun.
From Ceylon he recrossed TO the mainland
at Tutieoram. and once more took the rail-
way by way of Trlchinopoli 20 Madras. |
Here another tremendous ovation awaited |
him, and after spending some time in this |
interesting city he once more took ship, |
skirting the eastern shore Of the Bay OF |
Bengal for the mouth OF the Hooghly and !
Calcutta, and was duly booked 10 arrive |
on the 23d inst. Our official letters had al |
ready been forwarded to the VicerOy |
through our Consul General, and duly ac-
kIowIedged. On the 20th inst we called |
at Government House in person to pay |
our official respects TO the Viceroy, Lord !
Northbrook but he was absent. The next |
day we were invited TO luncheon at
Government House, where we met his lord
ship-a middle-aged. scholarly man of
most attractive personality, who told us
that be hoped We would enjoy our stay
He said, however. that it Was quite i'm
possible for us 10 cross Afgbanistan into
Russia (which we had hoped to be able TO
dol, as We would in all probability be
killed by rome one of the hostile tribes
and IL might involve our country in war.
Ono OF our party tried to convince him
that nothing Of the sort would occur In
the event OF our being killed; In fact. that
the United States Government had at that
very time (it was only eleven years after
the civil war; an abundance OF army OH
GERS to spare, and would not worry par
ficularly about the loss OF t9o field officers
and a captain in the line. Moreover, pro-
motion in our army was exceedingly slow,
SO that II he would permit us TO go, and
we should be sIaIfYed out, 1t would really
he doing a great favor to some most ex-
ceIlent and worthy juniors in the artillery
and cavalry. We had all rather iotted
upon this part OF our journey. and as it
was off the beaten track. We were most
anxious 10 go. His lordship smiled grimly,
but nevertheless shook his head most de-
sidedly, so We knew without further dis
eussion that that especial portion Of our
travelling programme would have to be re-
vised and across Afghanistan" for US
was out of the question. Before We left
Government House, however We were in
formed that IL was the intention OF the
Vice oy that nothing in the way Of the
general Official courtesiss Of the Indian
Government 60 the Prince of Wales while
he WAS visiting Calcutta should occur with
out cur being invited 10 them. II, how
ever. We found ourselves omitted in any
thing We might rest assured that il wss
owing to an oversight, aud II we would
kindly inform the aide-de- camp in wait