The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-22
ROYAL PARTY WILL
 VISIT HE ORIENT Will Stop at Malta During
 Voyage WILL ATTEND DURBAR The Famous Gem koh -i-noor Will Be Added to the Queens Crown and Also the Large
 Diamond Lotus
BY LADY MARY MAINTAINING

party for India to attend the Delhi dhr- bar is the one topic in society just now, both among those who intend to make the long voyage to witness what will per haps be the most gorgeous spectacle of modern times, as well as among those who for one reason or another will stay at home.
 The list of those who will go is con- stantly growing and the English and l American contingent at Delhi in Decem- ber will be exceptionally brilliant. His majesty's ship Medina, conveying the King and Queen to India and the escort ing warships, will reach Port Said ion November 20. The squadron will remain there from 2i to 36 hours for coaling purposes. It is understood that during this period the Khedive will proceed to Port Said and greet their majesties.
 The King and Queen will land three times during the voyage at Malta and Aben on the outward journey, and at Gibraltar on the way home.
 | The King and Queen will be accom- panied, not only on the Medina, but also when ashore, by skilled army medical officer, who will undertake the care of the health of their majesties and the court.
 | His task will become especially responsi- ble when the journey across India begins, because of the importance of watching day by day for the appearance of symp- toms of infectious disease in the im- perial entourage. There will be a special segregation hospital reserved for the use of the court in case of serious disease, | and the number of special infection hos | pitals, which was no less than four at the | last durbar, is being increased, in view of the possibility that plague may be iin- | ported by some of the native camp 1ol- | lowers. Every case of infection will nave to be reported to a sanitary commissioner.
 Queen Mary will appear at the durbar ceremonial in the same robes and crown | that she wore at the coronation, but to the gems in the crown has been added | the famous Koh-i-noor, out of compll- ment to the Indian empire.
 | This marvellous gem crowned the head of an Indian Emperor 5000 years ago. It passed from one imperial line to another, until it became the treasure of the Pun 1 jab and then fell into the hands of the | English, who sent it as trophy of con- quest to Queen Victoria, thus giving point ! to the Indian saying that 'Who holds the | Koh-i-noor holds India
 | In India the superstition obtains that if | the diamond is worn by man dire dis- aster will befall him, while If the wearer be a woman fortune will shine upon her 1 for the rest of her days. Tt sf | So strong is the belief in this legend that when it was announced that the late King Edward intended to have the gem set in his crown many leading Indians petitioned his majesty to give up tho idea.
 The result was that the Koh-i-noor in- stead of appearing in the Kings crown was mounted in Queen Alexandra's dia- dem. It has now been transferred to the crown of Queen Mary and before the close of the year this historic gem will be seen once more in the land from whence it came.
 Another notable jewel to be worn by | Queen Mary at Delhi is a large diamond | lotus, which is now being mounted by | her majesty's jewellers. This will be worn at the enthronement, as will the magnificent necklace which was one Of l Indias presents to her majesty when, as Princess of Wales. she made her memor- able visit to the east. The necklace is | formed of graduated pearls, all differing in color. The central stone is an immense gray pearl of matchless beauty and size, and among the others are perfect spec.- mems of the mauve, bronze pink, black and yellow pearl.
 Many of the cloth of gold dresses being made for the Queen will have in ther composition needle work, specially made | in Delhi during the present year. 1 Following her majesty's example, most | of the ladies who will attend the Delhi pageant have chosen for their dresses gold cloth and tinsel woven brocades
 Lotus blue, emerald green and orange are other colors favored by the Queen and by those who will accompany her
 1 I understand that the work in connec-
 ton with the durbar, in spite of many diff faculties, is progressing satisfactorily There will be altogether no less than 431 camps. The area covered by canvas
 will be exactly 25 square miles. A smaIl station named Selimgarin is being con- structed for the King Emperor to alight This is almost in the fort. His msjesty's horses and the whole of the officials will wait at the fort.
 | When all are mounted the Kings gate
 will be opened. A peculiar significance
 is attached to this gate. Only the Kings
 of Delhi were permitted to pass through
 when they went to the Jumma AIusjid to
 worship. Cloth used to be laid from the
 inside of the fort through this gate to the
 great mosque Not even the Kings sons
 were allowed to pass through these DOT.
 tals. It is said that the last time the gate was opened was during the Ram
 zan-Id in 1857, when the King of Delh
 worshiped publicly. It has been studious
 ly closed ever since.
 An interesting feature of the Calcutts
 ceremony will be the massing on eitho,
 side of the Red Road of 2o,0O0 schoo
 children from Calcutta and the suburbs The children will be accommodated il
 front of the stone balustrades on stands
 erected by the Bengal government. It il , hoped that each child will be provided . by the reception committee with a smal . flag to bo waved as their majesties pass This flag has been designed by the Hon
 Maharajah Sir Prodyot Kumar Tagor and contains the altar of Irdia and othe devices on light blue ground.
 Lord Granard, who married Miss Mill
 of California, has just celebrated hi birthday. He is an Irish Catholic peer yet he is decended from a great Scotcl
 house, as the name of Forbes indicates
 and among his forbears were many Pres . byterlans. Then his mother was a Petre z and through her he is connected with tn chief Roman Catholic families In England 7 He owns much land in Ireland, but ha been an officer in two Scotch regiments
 the Scots Guards and the GortI>n High
 flanders. He is now a Knight of St. Pat rick and holds several foreign orders
 among which are the Red Eagle of Prus sia and the Spanish Order of Isabel tn Catholic. He sits in the house of lord
 as Baron Granard of the United King , dom. title which was conferred on hi grandfather, a staunch liberal, by tn [ government of "An the Talents" in 1S0' { The Lord Granard of today is known b the nickname of Hubby" which is quit l ,doeo xra1 I,a i- tolJ eJt,,, u,rd trean