The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-13
LORD CURZON'S IVORY CHAIRS
THE MAHARAJAH SETS THE
II(EROH or INDIA RIGHT.
He Expresses surprise and indignation
Tina, II should De Suggested That the
Gan Of $50 Gun for Rare Furniture
Was Not q Perfectly Fair EXCHANGE.

en- Of $50 Gun for Rare Furu:,;, ire
Was Not q Perfectly Fair Exchange.
special Cable Despatch to The SUN
LONDON, Sept. l2-The story of how
Lord Cur2on the Viceroy OF India, secured
possession Of the historic suite OF white
ivory furniture owned by the Maharaja h
Of BenareS has been fully detailed in these
dispatches
1t has been told time and again that the
vceroy expressed desire to possess tho
famous furniture and offered to pay for it.
The expression OF desire for an article
IN India, however, Is always regarded by
the ruling Prince as equ valent to an in
vi,ation to present it to the one in authority
who expressed admiration for it,
When the Maharajah learned OF the
desire OF the viceroy to buy this priceless
ivory furniture he sent it to him "a present.
Lord Curzon, in return, gave him a sporting
gun which he said WAS valued at about $3.50,
bu, which is said to be worth not more
than $50,
The matter came up In the House of
Commons through a letter from Mrs.
Sneaton, whose husband, Donald Smeaton
occupies an important post under Lord
Cur2on. but was not productive Of any
explanation The letter from Mrs. Smeaton
told how the Minister Of the Maharaja h
explained the affair. Lord Curzon was a
guest at the Maharajah's house and it was
partly to this fact that the gift to the
Viceroy was due.
In short. it seemed as though Lord
(urzon by his request, the refusal to com
ply with which under Oriental traditions
WAS impossible, had acquired" a suite
of priceless carved furniture in the nominal
exchange, as already stated, OF a sporting
rifle worth not more than Gt0 CT ESQ.
The gravity of such a charge cannot
we'll be exaggerated when the relative
positions Of the Viceroy and the Maha-
rajah are considered. Neither viceroy
Curzon nor the Government vouchsafe fed
any explanation CT the affair, and, as it
was well known that ever since he has
been in India viceroy Curzon has been a
collector Of pieces OF the finest Indian
workmanship and has frequently sent
packages to his London house. on Carl
ton House Terrace, which is now occu-
pied by Ambassador Choate, the matter
naturally caused considerable amount
OF talk
This week. however. Prabhu Narain,
the Maharajah of Benares, wrote
paper which made particular feature
Of the matter, and explained the circum-
stances He says the present consisted
OF a few old-sashionei worry chairs
He expressed painful surprise over the
curious questions which were raised in the
House Of Commons which feeling, he says.
was intensified to indignation when he read
Mrs. Smeat ons letter. He goes on:
About Dec. 20, 1890, three days after
the departure Of Lord Curzon from Benares,
| received a letter from an agent Of the
Governor General to the effect that few
ivory chairs in the side rooms of my guest
house had attracted the attention of the
Viceroy. as the carving correspondent to
those already in his possession in Kedle-
ston House. in England. The Viceroy
\desired to know II had any objection to
parting with them at a reasonable price,
provided l. had no sentimental association
with them .--.
The Maharajah explains that the chairs
had hi, hsrto been lying in comparative
oblivion, and therefore he expressed the
hope that his Excellency the viceroy would
condescend to accept them, as the idea Of
selling such things was repugnant to him.
The agent replied that the Viceroy would
be glad to accede to this suggestion, but
was unable to do 80 in face Of the explicit
rules and regulations Of the British Gov
ernment. The Maharajah continues:
Il thereupon suggested compromise.
! agreed to accept a counter present Of a
double barrelled 1903 rife with hammer.
which was on the point OF ordering from
home. and this WAS agreed to. Before
sending the despatch expressed desire
TO have the chairs fully repaired, as they
we're really in a dilapidated condition; but
was asked to send them as they were
In regard to the letter OF Mrs. Smeaton,
the Maharajah says that she came to
Benares on March 2, 1902. two years after
the chairs had been sent to Calcutta. He
says he cannot account for her statement
that she came imme diately after they had
been sent He adds:
Il do not know who the gentleman ia
who officially posed'to her as my Minister
and related these fairy tales to amuse her"
The story that he made an apology for
the baroness OF the rooms passes the COM
prehension of the Maharaja for the rooms
were rather overfurnished. The chairs
were not regarded by him or his ancestors
as herlooms. There was no history at
taohed to them. and they were simply re-
garded as old-fashioned furniture.
The tone Of the Maharaj ah's letter gives
the impression OF genuine indignation and
surprise at the story, and it seems unfair
10 suppose tn t it was prompted by similar
means as, it was suggested, were used to
bring about the exchange Of the chairs
for the rife.