The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-30
OPENING OF DURBAR
MY LORD, THE ELEPHANT, PLAYED
AN IMPORTANT PART.
WITH SPLENDID CAPARIS0NS
THE HUGE BEASTS CONTRIBUTED
TO THE SPECTACLE.

Great Pageant Marked the State
Entry .rf the VicerOy Into Delhi.
This Officially Opened the Durbar
Held to Celebrate the Accession
of Hing Edward as India's EN-
peror-It is Said the Display Was
Probably NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF
Gold and silver Covered EIe-
plants.
Delhi, India, Dec. 29.-The Viceroy,
Lord Curzon of Kedleston, made his
state entry to-day into the capital of
the Moguls. This constituted the Off
citrate the accession of King Edward
as Emperor of India.
1t was a splendid pageant, probably
unparalleled in it's magnificence. AT
the head of the elephant procession
rode Lord and Lady Curzon on the
state Grand Tusker," twelve feet high,
the largest elephant in India. Their
howdah was decked with gold and sill
yer, and the elephant itself was al
most hidden beneath a gold-worked
saddle cloth. Surrounding them were
footmen in scarlet and gold liveries
and bearing massive silver slaves.
The Duke of Connaught, who repre-
scented King Edward, and the Duchess
of Connaught followed. Their ele-
plant was equally gorgeously capari-
soned. Then; in order of precedence,
came the Nizam of Hyderabad, the
Maharajah of Travancore and other
ruling chiefs, seventy in all, their huge
elephants forming line a quarter of a
mile in length.
This glittering procession started
from the railroad station, preceded by
dragon guards and artillery, ths-yice-
roy's escort, and by heralds and trum-
peters. The route was entirely lined
by British and native troops. From
the saluting battery, posted at the fort
commanding the Lahore gate, guns
Numbered a royal salute as the Vice
roy passed with the heralds and trum-
peters sounding at intervals spirited
fanfares.
The cortege passed in front of a line
of $50 elephants carrying the brilliant
ly dressed retainers of the ruling chiefs.
The colossal beasts all saluted by
trumpeting and throwing their trunks
in the air, presenting a truly impos-
ing sight, and afterward fell in line
behind the official procession. Huge
crowds of onlookers witnessed the
spectacle, which, it is asserted, has
never been surpassed in magnificence
even in this country Of Oriental splen-
dor.
Maharajahs as Cadets.
The heralds, pursuivants and trumpe-
ters who followed the escort and i'm
N~1~w
ceSsion, were CONSPICUOUS by their
splendid attire. They were followed
by the newly constituted imperial cadet
corps, comprising thirty maharajahs.
The excitement was at fever heat
as the first elephant, with gold and
silver howdahs, of the staff officers
came in view and commenced to circle
around the mosque. The finest eIe-
plants in Asia passed in front of the
great Jumma Muspid, the steps of
which were thronged with distinguish
ed personages, including the viceroy,
American and British guests, and the
delegates from the colonies and from
other parts of the empire.
The enormous animals shuff1ed slow
ly by, many of the massive howdahs
of quaint and rich design, being sur
rounded by magnificent canopies of
gold embroidered and bejewelled tapes
try. The bodies of the animals were
almost hidden by their trappings of
crimson, golden bracelets were on their
ankles, gold and silver bells were hang
ing from their neck chains, and their
heads were painted and decorated in
every conceivable color. The mahouts
were clad in the brightest attire, as
were the attendant spearmen who
marched by the elephants sides.
In the rear of the procession rode
Gen. Lord Kitchener, the commander
in-chief in India, surrounded by a brill
liant staff and followed by the heads
of the provinces, with escorts of In
dian cavalry, and tribal leaders from
beyond the border line.
Down the main street moved the cor
tge, through lines of saluting soldiers
and excited, surging, salaaming
throngs of natives, through the an
cient city, with the balconies and
housetops teeming with life and
through the Moree gate into the open
park beyond There, after a four
mile march, the elephants of the
halted side by side, and the pageant
was concluded with the great princes
filing by, their elephants trumpeting
salute.
The viceroy was in state uniform,
Lady Curzon was dressed in gray, the
Duke of Connaught had on a field
marshaPs uniform, and the Duchess
of Connaught was attired in blue.
They received a fiattering welcome at
all points
The viceroy and the Duke of Con-
naught subsequently drove to the
main camp.
The roads, after the passage"of the
procession, presented a scene of chaos,
as the camel carriages, mule carts,
landaus, bicycles and bullock carts
pressed onward In strange confusion.
There were many break-downs and
raany hours elapsed before the people
l. A.. -