Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-04
NEAI HER IN INDIA
Contrary to Universal Impress
sion, It is a Winter Country.
EXTREMES ARE TRYING
, An A
MERCURY FAII9 HXF1DLY AFTER
THE SUN GOES DOWN.
Cashmere and It's Resources Relations
With Nepal-Peshawar an
Ancient City.
EXTREMES ARE TRYING
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS,

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS,
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.
LAHORE, March 8, 1904.
This is not good time for visiting north
ern India. The weather is too cold and
stormy. The roads are frequently obstruct-
ed by snow and the hotels are not built to
keep people warm according to American
ideas. We cannot get to Cashmere at all,
although 1t is one of the most interesting
provinces of the empire, because the roads
are blocked and billiards are lurking
about.
There is almost universal misapprehension
about the weather in India. It is certainly
a winter country, and 1t is almost impos-
sible for unacclimated people to live in
most Of the provinces between March and
November, and no one can visit the coun-
try without discomfort that season of the
year. At the same time Cashmere and the
Punjab province are comfortable no later
than October and no earlier than Nav. for.
although the sun is bright and warm. the
nlghts are intensely cold. and the ex-
tremes are trying to strangers who are not
accustomed to them. You will often hear
people VINO have travelled all over the world
say that they never suffered SO much from
tne cold as they did In India, and it Is safe
seems colder here than elsewhere, because
the mercury falls so rapidly after the sun
goes down. However, India is so vast and
tne chmate and the elevations are so varied
lnat you can spend the entire year here
without discomfort If you migrate with the
pros and follow the barometer There are
plenty OF places to see and to stay in the
summer as well as in the winter.
we arrived In Bombay on the 10Th of De-
cember, which was at least a month too
late. II would have been better for us to
come the middle of October and to go inn
medlateiy north into the Punjab and CASH
mere, Wnere we would have been comfort
able then. Thus far we have not been nm
comfortably warm anywhere, and even in
bombay, which is considered one of the
hottest places In the world, and during the
rainy season is almost intoIerable we slept
under blankets every night and carried sun
umbrellas In the daytime. At Jeypore
Agra, Delhi and other places we have Wis
lted since our arrival the nights have been
as colo as they ever are at Washington.
Double blankets have been necessary on
our beds, and ordinary overcoats when we
go out of doors after dark Sometimes it
is colder inside the house than it is out
side, and In several oethe4 hotels we had to
put on our overcoats, and wrap our legs up
In steamer rugs to keep from shivering
AT the same time the rays of the sun from
IL to 3 or in the afternoon have been in
tensely hot, and they seriously affect per-
sons who are not acclimated. If we ever
come to India again We will arrange to
arrive in October and do the northern
provinces before the cold weather sets in
Cashmere an Interesting Country.
It's a pity we cannot go to Cashmere, be-
cause everybody tells us, that it is such an
Interesting place and so different from
other parts of India and the rest of the
world. 1t is land Of romance, poetry and
strange picturesrwhere Lalla Rookh and
other fascinating hourfs with large brown
Yla ri fnafh rnx -,
lips have lived. 1t is the home of the
Cashmere bouquet and the vale of CASH
mere Is an enchanted land People know
little about these strange countries and it
takes some time to realize that they ac-
tually exist.
1 notice that the official reports of the In
dian government give the name as 'Kash-
mir, and, like every other place over here
1t Is spelled dozen different ways, but
shall stick to the old-fashioned spelling. If
you want to know something about it,
Cashmere has an area of 81 600 square
miles, a population of 29O551S by the CEN
sus of 1901, and is governed by a mahara-
1ah with the advice of a British resident"
who Is the medium of communication be-
tween the viceroy and the local officials.
The maharajah is allowed to do about as
he pleases as long as he behaves himself,
and Is said tc be fairly good man. The
people are peaceful and prosperous; poll
tics Is very quiet; taxes are low; there Is
no debt and surplus of more than s. Co.,
600 in the treasury, which is an unusual
state of affairs for a native Indian prov
ince. The exports have increased from
81 100000 in 1892 to 81, 465, 600 in 1902 and
the imports from 81. 100 600 in 1892 to a. 12O,-
600 In 1902. The country has its own COIN
age and is on a gold basis.
The manufacturing Industries are rapidly
developing, although the lack of demand
for cashmere shawls has been a severe
blow to local weavers, who, however, have
turned their attention to carpets and rugs
insteadh Wool is the great staple, and
from time immemorial the weavers of Cash
mere have turned out the finest wooden
fabrics of the world. They have suffered
much from the competition Of machine
made goods during the last half century or
more. and have been growing careless be,
cause they cannot get the prices that used
to be paid for the finest products. In an
cient times the making of wooden garments
was considered just as much OF an art In
Cashmere as painting or sculpture In
France and Germany, porcelain work in
China or Cloisonne work In Japan, and no
matter how long weaver was engaged
upon a garment he was sure to md some
body with sufficient taste and money to buy
It, But nowadays, like everybody else who
is chasing the nimble shilling, the Cash
mere weavers are more soiicltous aoout
their profits than about their patterns ano
the fine quality Of their goods. The lapse
OF the shawl trade has caused the govern
ment to encourage the introduction of the
silk industry. A British expert has been
engaged as director of sericulture. seednngs
layers and farmers free OF cost, and all
coccons are purchased by the state at good
prices. The government has silk factories
employing between 6,0O0 and 1900 persons
under the instruction of French and Swiss
weavers.
The government of Cashmere Is building
a railway to connect its capital with the
state railways Of India, and surveys have
been made as far as Chinese Turkestan.
Last wear about twenty four miles of new
track were opened and about twice that
mileage will be added during the present
year. The irrigation system is being ex-
tended by the government and the agrt-
cultural capacity Of the country gradually
sn'A'ss' relations with Nepal.
The state of Nepaf or 'Nepaul. which lies
along the mountain range east of CASH
mere and forms the. boundary between In
dia and Thibet. is even more independent Of
British authority than Cashmere. 1t pays
no tribute and has no resident" but sends
noble of high rank toiCalcutta whenever
new viceroy is appointed with compile
mentary messages and gifts. and there the
official relations end. For purposes Of in
formation and communication a British en-
voy in the person of an Indian of high rank
resides at the capital and spends a good
deal of money entertaining the officials of
the government and otherwise promoting
friendly relations with them; but there Is