New-York tribune., 1911-12-17

anti-imperlalislic. is as astonishing as
the fact that Alexandria was bombarded
end Egypt seized by the English in 1882
on the orders of a Liberal Cabinet, pre-
sided over by William E. Gladstone, the
most anti-imperialist Of British Premiers
that have held office during the last hun
dred years or more.
Aside from the sentimental features
Of the proclamation OF Delhi as once
more the metropolis of the Indian En-
pire, and It's appeal to the good will, not
merely Of the people of India, but also OF
the remainder of the 200,O0O.000 Moslems
scattered in various parts Of the world
(there are a hundred million OF them in
India alone), there are many material
reasons why this mother Of all cities Is
infinitely superior to Calcutta as the seat
Of government. To begin with. ii is CEN
tral: economically, politically admins
tratively, militarily, and. above all. from
a railroad point of view. Then. too. II
is far more capable OF expansion than
Calcutta; and whereas the latter is built
on a swamp in the delta OF the river
Hugli. and along the banks of the latter.
part Of II less than twenty feet above the
sea level, and 81 vast portion thereof
below the high-water mark Of the river,
being in consequence thereof so un-
healthy that 1t used TO be nick
named by mariners "GolgOtha," Delhi,
on the contrary, perched on the
banks OF the River Jumna, a thousand
miles up country. In the southeastern
corner of the Punjab, is as healthful as
Calcutta is the reverse. Calcutta Will
always enjoy a certain importance as
port Of entry, and this being the case II
will be possible TO sell advantageously
such government buildings there as are
not required by the provincial admins
tration. Thanks TO this and TO the pre-
cautions which the crown has already
taken of acquiring all the vast tracts Of
lana In and around Delhi now being
used in connection with the Durbar the
cost OF transferring the seat Of viceregal
government from Calcutta to Delhi will
be much smaller than might be i'm
agined.
Still another advantage of having Del
hi ae the capital is that the Viceroy and
all the various government departments
win be able, thanks to the climatic con-
ditions Of the place. to remain there
throughout the greater part of the year,
I instead Of Withdrawing for nine months
Of every twelve TO the not easily accessi-
/ bic hill station of Simla which has often
been justly described. orally and in print,
as the Capua of India and as the blight
and curse Of Anglo-Indian offiCialdom;
! life there being conducive TO Incidence
and intrigues that too often result in
! scandals. II is, indeed, as a hOtbed Of
/ the latter that Simla, though beautiful
and picturesque, has so particularly evil
name.
Lord Curzon will doubtless regret the
abandonment of Government House
at Calcutta as the chief viceregal resi-
dence in India owing to the fact that 1t
is modelled upon his ancestral home OF
{ kodleston Han, IN Derbyshire, having
4 been built by the great Duke Of yelling
toms brother Lord Wellesley, in 1879.
! Yet there ar plenty of buildings already
/ in existence at Delhi which will. If re-
arranged, constitute far more palatial
and impressive abode than this Indian
! reproduction Of n Derbyshire country
seat. There is, first and foremost. the
/ imperial palace Of the former Grand Mo-
/ gul Emperors Of Delhi. situated I'm the
east Of the city and abutting directly on
the river Jumna II consists OF "A series
Of buildings which have been a great
I deal spoiled by conversion into barracks
! for the troops All the woodwork and
/ brickwork employed for this purpose
would. Of course. have 10 he removed
! Among the features Of the palace are
the Diwan-i-Am, or Hall OF Public Audi
/ ence, 100 feet in length by so feet In
width, entirely overlaid with gold ana
with most exquisite engrailed arches;