The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-11-11
KING GEORGE STARTS FOR
FAMINE-STRICKEN INDIA
TO Be CROWNED THERE
Ruler of Great Britain and
Queen Mary Sail From
Portsmouth.
THOUSANDS DYING THERE.
Protest Goes Up Against Spend
ing Millions For Durbar
When People Are In Want.

LONDON, Nov. liking George
and Queen Mary sailed from Ports
mouth at $3.50 today for India TO at
tend the coronation Durbar The fes-
tivities in India will continue until Jan.
4. and will be of unprecedented pomp
and magnificence, this being the hrst
visit of the Emperor and Empress TO
that country. The King and Queen
will return to, England the last OF
January.
Last summer the crops failed in In
dia On the heels of drought has FOL
lowed famine. and plague. INDIA
300 100000 never far from the starya-
ton line, have crossed IT,
midas normal death rate is 40 per
| 900. Plague and famine claim a
million lives each year, according to
o;hcial figures. From the plague
alone 6.354 600 died in the ten years
ending 1909
This year conditions in India are
not normal they are worse than nor
NAL Whole towns and villages are
stricken. There are not enough well
TO care for the sick and dying; not
enough living to bury the dead.
Under these circumstances 1t is not
strange that a tremendous cry OF pro-
test has gone up from the Indian peo-
pie against holding the durbar, os''
tensibly period of rejoicing this
year. The money might be better
spent
Parliament voted 100000 TO defray
the kings expenses at the Britain end
of the journey. The Indian govern
ment has appropriated $5.625,OO0. An
other $15,000,000 will be spent by the
native rulers in "official" expenses
which must come from the pockets OF
the common people in increased
taxes.
The durbar Is a rich mans show.
Those who take it must be prepared
for an outlay of $1,000 for actual
travelling expenses and bare board
and lodging.
( The ''hotels" IN the, Delhi camps
charge $40 day for bed and Board
but no wine! And guests must fur
nish their own bedding All guests
must pay for 20 days whether they
stay SO long or not
Accommodation is made in the
camps for 100000 people, including
servants.
But the durbar, besides being
squander of money in famine year,
is also an insult TO these 300,000,000
Il is case of England
rubbing it in"-telling the Hindus in
box-car letters that they are a con
quered people,
Every stage Of the projected royal
is interpreted by the native
population as a calculated insult.
Delhi, the theater of the durbar, is
the proud and ancient capital of the
in 1888, erected the famous mosque
the largest in India, with its white
marble domes and gllded pinnacles.
II was in the magnificent Delhi pal
ace which he built where stood the
Peacock Throne. which the British
broke up. and from which they stole
the famous Koh-i-noor-the same sac
red diamond which Queen-Empress
Mary will wear i'm the front and cen
ter OF her diadem at the durbar.
Remember that Delhi was the
storm center of the famous Sepoy
and II was on the ridge
where the king and queen will stand
"a be proclaimed that a handful OF
British soldiers held out against the
revolted city on one hand and a mu-
tinous army on the other. Pleasant
these. Cor the patriotic In
dian
Here will come the princes Of In.
dia. heavy with gold and silver and
stones without price, with their ele-
plants. their bodyguards, their bands
of native soldiery. from the utmost
corners of the country. with smiles
on their lips and gifts in their hands,
te make obeisance and swear al
legiance TO the usurper OF their an
ricnt power.
Then the king will go a.hunting
that India may see his proves as a
slayer Of beasts. Al this moment the
sultan OF Negal. whose house was an
rient before the first SaxeCoburg
was born. is rounding up the beasts
IN his Jungle like any gamekeeper. in
order that George V, may have plenty
Or billets for his bullets.