Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-26
THE DURBAR AT DELHI
AN ESTIMATE OF IT'S COST TO
INDIA.
How Much Of the Expenditures Will
Be Recovered by the Gov
eminent.
From The London Mail

From the London Mail.
Much ignorance. not wholly undirected by
the prejudice Of the little Highlander, exists
with respect to the durbar that will greet
the new year at Delhi. Fabulous accounts
Of its cost have been circulated, with lurid
description Of the added misery Of a plague
stricken, famine-ridden native population,
who have the burden added to an already
grievious load Of taxation. Figures have
been tabulated representing the total cost
at Il, 10000 And 10! the poor Indian is to
pay for it all.
The fact is that the budget estimate Of
the cost Of the durbar carefully drafted, is
twenty-six and a half lakhs of rupees,
equal to f176OOO. OF this sum 1t is calcu-
lated that fully one-half will be recovered
To that end all the arrangements for the
entertainment Of guests and the preSenta-
ton of the spectacle have, under Lord
Curzon's personal direction, been labor
iously and fntelligently planned
Splendor Of Ceremonial.
While the ceremonial will lack nothing in
splendor, the taxpayer will have the salts
faction Of knowing that underneath, unseen,
runs current Of shrewd commercial enter
prise. The whole Of the buildings and hab-
table structures erected for the special
purposes Of the gathering are, like the
poets chest of drawers, "contrived double
debt to pay" They will make possible the
gathering at Delhi Of representative people
from all the ends of the empire. After
ward they will fetch good prices as building
material. 1t Is estimated that from 90 to
80 per cent of the original cost will be thus
retrieved. Tents, carriages and horses Che
latter not purchased by a remount depart
menD will have to be provided in enormous
n R11f
purchased wholesale in leisurely prepara-
tion, they have been bought cheaply, and
1t Is confidently expected that, resold in
smaller quantities, they will fully recoup
expenditure.
Another example of the foresight and So
licitude for economy that governs prepare
ton for the spectacle appears in connection
with the illumination. Through the three
weeks the ceremonial will last it Is intended
nightly to flood the encampment and the
city with electric light. If that involved in
stallation especially and exclusively design
ed for the occasion, the cost would of
course be considerable. 1t happens that
under Lord Curzon's enlightened admins
tration. 1t has been arranged to ventilate
and illumine all the barracks Of India by
electricity. The plant will be borrowed for
the purposes Of the durbar, and when it has
served them. will be passed on to perform
its beneficent work for the soldier in India.
The Last Durbar.
The last dubar held in Delhi on January
1, 1877. involved a net cost to India of
$4,000. The further-reaching and more
magnificent pageant planned for January 1,
1903, will probably involve a maximum net
charge upon the revenues Of India of f1OO,-
600. The transaction to a large extent as
sumes the character Of transferring money
from one pocket to another. Care has been
taken that every penny Of expenditure shall
go into the pockets of Indian artisans and
their employers. The impetus given to ma
tive Industry is enormous. For months past
the cotton mills Of Lahore, Jubbulpore and
Cawnpore have been working full time
making tents.
The native factories where harness and
saddlery are wrought, the furniture makers
engaged in camp equipage, the carriage
builders, the carpet factories where durries
ana rugs are woven are working overt ime.
In every town or village where native art
Industry exists the coppersmiths and silver
smiths, the carvers in wood, in ivory and
stone, the enamelers the painters, the
lacquerers, are all hard at work Thus,
over countless native homes the durbar al
ready sheds the light of prosperity.
Profits Of Railways.
There lis a further, more direct credit
side to the state account in connection with
the durbar. In India the railways are for
the most part government property.
Whether worked directly or leased, a con-
pIopOIllOu VI pTOUUS HOWS INTO
the government chest. The increased traffic
receipts through the months of December,
January and February may safely be
counted upon to yield considerable revenue.
The same impetus will be given to the pos
tai and telegraph services which are, of
course, sources Of government revenue In
addition, there will be an appreciate in
f1ux of foreign money flowing from the
purses OF the crowd Of British and Euro
pean guests already preparing for flight to
India.
In the spiteful and ill-informed asper-
sions glanced at 1t Is stated that, in addi-
tion to a salary of f25,OO0 a year, the vice
roy will, on account of the durbar, receive
a special sumptuary allowance of f24,O 900.
In the first place, the viceroy's salary is
not f25,OO0, but 10000. The sumptuary al
lowance is pure fiction, not a single anna
being advanced to the viceroy on account
Of extra personal expenses arising out of
the durbar. These will be considerable,
since Lord CurZon meets out of his own
pocket the cost Of entertaining the distin-
guished guests who will at his bidding be
present at the pageant.