Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-12

of the finest l have ever seen, having been
erected by the Maharajah of Baroda, and
that of the Prince of Wales by Sir Edward
Beohm. These are the two best. but there
are several others Queen Victoria S monu-
ment, which stands in the most prominent
piazza, where the two busiest thoroughfares
meet, represents that good woman sitting
upon her throne under a lofty marble Gothic
canopy. The carving is elaborate and ex-
quiSite. In the center of the canopy ap-
pears the star of India, and above it the
rose of England, united with the lotus of
India, with the notices of both countries
intertwined-"God and My Right" and
Heavens Light Our Guide
Regard for Queen Victoria.
Queen Victoria was no stranger to the
people of India. They felt a personal re-
latonship with their empress. and many
touching incidents are told ..iat have oc-
Cured from time to time to illustrate the
affection of the Hindus for her. They were
taught to call her 1.-The Good Lady of Eng
lang and almost every mail, while she
was living, carried letters from India to
London bearing that address. They came
mostly from Hindu women who had learned
of her goodness, sympathy and benevolence
and hired public scribes at the market
places to tell her of their suffernes and
wrongs.
Several years ago this beaut-.ul monu
ment was defa ced in a manner that created
intense public indignation. 1t was SO
smeared with filth that for a time it was
thought portions of 1t would have to be re-
placed, but finally Yankee came along
with an acid that took off all the dirt and
made it as good as new. The outrage was
the act of a fanattcal individual, although
he was never detected During plague
Lord Sandhurst then governor of Bombay,
adopted severe measures of quarantine~and
required every person who was taken sick
to be carried at once to hiSpital.
t{jnuuS
children. Parental affection seems to be
more strongly developed among them than
In any other race. and there was a yigor-
Gus protest from the Hindu fathers against
the moving of their children to the hos
pitfalls. Many of the children died, of course.
for which the British officials were blamed,
and somehow story that has been used in
China for generate to excite the pre-
judice of the masses became circulated in
Bombay. 1t was charged that the children
taken to the hospital were killed in order
that the officials might extract from their
liverS oil TO cure Queen FlctoriaS rheuma-
tism This story started a riot in which
thousands of HinduS and MohaElmeddns
took part, and hundreds were killed. Tho
soldiers were called out, the fingleaders
were CAPTURED and three or four of them
were hanged During this excitement some
excited parent found his vengeance in de-
facing the Victoria monument.
In the center Of another plaza facing
street called Rampant row, which is lined
by lofty buildings containing the best retail
shops in town, is a figure of Edward VII in
bronze on horseback, presented. as 1 have
already told you, byloa local merchant.
Near the cathedral is statue to Lord
CORVALLIS, who was governor general OF
II dia in 1875, and as the Inscription informs
us. died at Ghazipur. October 5, 1905. This
was erected by the merchants Of Bombay,
who paid similar honor to the Marquis Of
Wellesley. younger brother of the Duke OF
Wellington who was also governor general
during the days Of the East India Company,
and did a great deal for the country. He
was given a purse Of $780, GOO and his statue
NANNY mus eih because the King refused to create
him Duke OF Hindustan. the only honor
that would have satisfied his soul.
There are several fine libraries in Bonn
bay. and the Asiatic society, which mas ex-
century, has one of the largest and most
valuable collections of oriental literature in
existence.