A SPLENDID CEREMONY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11505, 11 February 1903, Page 5

A SPLENDID CEREMONY.

THE EMPEROR PROCLAIMED. PRESENTATION OF CHIEFS. INCIDENTS IN THE ARENA. (SPECIAL CORaESPffSDENT IXJXDON "STANDARD.") DELHI, January 1. In brilliant weather, and with every accompaniment of pomp and magnificence, Edward VII. was to-day proclaimed Emperor of India on the epot where, to an imraen&e assembly of Princes and people, Lord Lytton announced that Queen Victoria had assumed the Imperial title. The whole spectacle has been, one of unparalleled splendour. The scene lay some four miles north-west of the bastioned walls of Delhi City, beyond the Viceroy's and

visitonf camps, and a short distance north of the infantry encampment. The amphitheatre iteelf is a horse-shoe shaped mound, with a radios, measured from the centre to the outer edge, of a little under one hundred yards. Four innermost rows of seats were occupied by ruling chiefs, the leading nobility and high officials, over a thousand chain being provided for fcheee privileged dnrbaiis- In the outer rows -were seated about six thousand less favoured spectators, vrith four thousand others who were content to stand. A light wooden roof, handsomely decorated in gold, white, and blue, and supported on elegant columns, afforded adequate cover. The clever Punjabi artist, Ram Singh, who designed Queen Victoria's Indian room at Osborne, has displayed no less ingenuity in the ornate TTBod-work which extends along the front. Inside the space embraced by the amphitheatre EtcJod the Vice-regal dais, situated one hundred and sixty feet from the exact centre, marked by the staff for the Imperial flag. This platform is a domed structure, octagonal in shape, and of Indo-Saraoenic design. On the dais, under the candpy of white and gold, were placed two chairs of State, covered, it seemed, with silver, and upholstered in scarlet. That intended for Lord Curzon was .placed on the right, and slightly advanced, while that of the Duke of C'onnaught was on the 'left. Behind them were two ordinary chairs, for the Duchess of C'onnaught and Lady Curzon. All these chairs faced outwards, commanding a view through the opening between the two extremes of the horse-shoe forming ths amphitheatre. The rear of the dais almost touched its inner rim, so that the Viceroy sat with the chaefe and spectators ranged on either hand. Being privileged to occupy a seat throughout the ceremony about fifteen yards behind the Viceregal chair, aha slightly to the right of it, I could see, beyond the haut pas, the Guard of Honour of the Gordon Highlanders, in full array of kilte and helmets, who were drawn up facing Lord Curzon; and beyond them again the massed military bands, European and native, belonging to the regiments which took part in the Mutiny fighting, conducted by Captain G. B. Sandford. Through the opening of the horse-shoe the eye followed the lines of the troops forming the Viceroy's escort, with the First and Second Infantry Divisions, each composed of thirteen Brigades, drawn up in i dark mosses in the background. On the right of these Divisions were posted seven {Battalions of Imperial Service Infantry, ! and on their left stood a number of Batteries of 'Field Artillery. On a higher tier behind me was a curtained enclosure for the purdah ladies, and away to the left and right stretcfEed line above line of seats, filled" to overflowing by a crowd of countless numbers and innumerable hues. Tlie stage, waa admirably set for one of the greatest spectacles in history. It bad been necessary to start early iv the morning, for the main roads leading to the scene of the Durbar were thronged almost fjEom day break by thousands and thousands of foot-passengers and by every imaginable kind of vehicle. * At length the signal was given for the durbarie to seat themselves, and simultaneously the massed bands began playing the "Festmareoh ,, from "Tannhauser," and other selections. . The first incident of note was the arrival of the veterans of the Mutiny, both European and Indian. Privileged beyond all other visitors, even the native chiefs, they were allowed to march into the arena, and on the way to their eeata, by the road leading to the Viceregal dais. As the old soldiers advanced, to tie strains of "See the Conquering Hero comes ,,, and "Auld Lang Syne, a wave of uncontrollable emotion swept over the whole of the vast assemblage, and a fltorm of cheers went up. The British survivors beaded the proces-sion—white-bearded octogenarians, who stepped out bravely enough to the mueic of the'bands. The natives, who followed, were, for the most part, more infirm, but not less obviously delighted with their reception. One Indian greybeard had to be supported on either side as he limped along, and the cheers he evoked were renewed in honour of the* half-dozen grizzled old Gurkhas who brought up the rear. . Another interval of waiting followed this pathetio episode. It was enlivened by the massed bands, and relieved from time to time by arrivals of high officials—Lord Kitchener, who had a great reception cc he drove up escorted by native Cavalry, and the Governors of provinces. At length the boom of a Royal salute announced the approach of the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, and in a few minutes their carriage swept up to the Amphitheatre, followed by an escort of the 9th Lancers and the 19th Bengal Lancers. Their Royal Highnesses entered the arena, and were at once conducted to their seats on the dais. It was noteworthy that the 9th Lancers, who are, it will be remembered, at present somewhat under a cloud, were received with particularly hearty cheers—having, »n-

deed, quite a little demonstration of their own. The Duke and Duchess met with a mart loyal and hearty welcome, -which appeared to gratify them immensely. The Duke was in the uniform of a Field Marshal, glittering with Orders and medals; and the Duchess was dressed in white and cream, with many jewels. The great assemblage, which had risen shimmering to its feet as the National Anthem was played, settled down again for another wait "of a quarter of hour before the arrival of the Viceroy. Then more booming of guns, more salutes by the Guards of .Honour, again the strains of "God Save the King," and Lord and Lady Curzon drove up in State, the four horses drawing their carriage controlled by postilions in scarlet and gold, and, preceding them, an escort ol the Imperial Cadet Corps in their beautiful uniform. The Cadets afterwards dismounted and took their seats behind the Viceroy. Lord Curzan was in State drese. Lady wore pale blue chiffon, trimmed with silver brocade, with, here and there, touches of mauve, which seemed to reflect the masses of wistaria that decorated her hat. The Viceroy and his wife seated themselves, the spectators again settled down, and the signal was given for the stately ceremony to begin. The massed bands sounded a summons to the Herald, Major Maxwell, who, followed by a drummer and trumpeters, rode into the arena and halted opposite the Viceroy. This " musical ride" was a ir.ost effective performance. Major Maxwell, who is of imposing stature, was superbly mounted, and his attendants -were all picked men in gorgeous State uniforms. Their .stately advance, and the flourishes with which it was accompanied, were really admirably done. At the command of the Viceroy, the Herald, turning co as to face the entrance to the Amphitheatre, read the Royal Proclamation, announcing the Coronation of King Edward VII. The words were excellently spoken, und were audible over a great distance. At the conclusion of the recital, the trumpeters sounded a flourish, the Royal Standard was hoisted on the flagstaff in the middle of the arena, and the massed bands played the National Anthem, while (lie Guards of Honour presented arms. The whole vast assemblage were, meantime, on their feet, the men' at the salute. When the bands had ceased, the Herald and his trumpeters withdrew to the entrance, and the first boom of an Imperial salute of one hundred and one guns wae heard in the distance. Aβ gun after gun was with impressive deliberation, the massed bands again struck up various selections. At length the salute came to an end, the trumpeters sounded another flourish, and' the Viceroy stepped forward, • amid sustained cheering, to address the Durbar, and read to it the gracious Message from the King-Emperor. Speaking in clear tones, and with marked effect, Lord Curzon dwelt on the object and significance of the great assemblage over which, he had been called to preside— the enormous population and vast territories to whose loyalty it bore witness. His Excellency spoke for fully half an hour, and concluded amid a storm of applause. Cheers were called for for the EmperorKing, and were given successively by the spectators in the arena, and by the troops massed outside it. And then came the most interesting feature of the whole ceremony. Groups of the ruling Chiefs, from the right and the left of the dais alternately advanced to offer their congratulations both to the Viceroy and to the Duke of Connaught, who "received them standing. The first to come forward was the Nizam of Hyderabad, dressed, as usual, in sober black, with Orders. He was followed by the Gaekwar of Baroda, in a striking costume of white silk, with many jewels; the Maharajahe of Mysore and Kashmere; the Khan of Khelat, resplendent in gold coat and purple trousers; the Rajah of Monipur, and the Chiefs of Rajputana, who were to have been headed by the Mahorana ot Udaipur. His Highness was, however, too ill to be present. After the Rajpute came the great Mahratta Princes of Central India, the Maharajahs iScindia of Gwalior and Holkar of Indore prominent among them. Chief after Chief went by, .until all had offered their respects to, and shaken hands with, the Viceroy and the Duke, - It was a lengthy ceremonial, and would have been tedious but for the infinite variety of the types represented and the extraordinary richness of the bejewelled costumes. The spectators were in high good humour, and cheeredi the Chiefs heartily— come for their proved loyalty <md others if only for the costliness of their clothes, for »<he dliamonds that flashed in their turbans or the strings of matchless pearls that hung round their nedks. flUany of the Gbiieis were accompanied by their leading Ministers, or by their ! heirs. The son of Holkar or Indore was wurmJy applauded, and a special cheer was accorded the Begum of Bhopal. She had been offered a seat 'behind the purdah, but j stoutly declared that she intended to take her place among the other reighing Chiefs and walk up with them to greet the Viceroy. She came accordingly, thickly veiled, and shook hanofe with Lord Curzon and the Duke of Connaught, and afterwards with Lady Curzon. and the Duchess. Nbt the least admired of the' glittering crowd was the boy Chief of TatWa., who is only eleven year* of age.' He was wearing a pearl and diamond necklace of almost incalculable value. The Nawab of Bahawalpur was hung with emeralds as big as walnuts; the venerable Rajah of Nabha displayed a. gold, waistcoat; the hardly less aged 'Mir of Khairpur, the third greatest Chief in Bombay, wore a drab coat and green trousers; and the Maharajah of Kuch Behar brought with him his son, a boy fresh from Eton, but clad, for this occasion, in Asiatic gra*ndeur. From the Nortih-West Frontier came the Mehtar of Chitra.l, *arrayed In blue and gold, and the Khans of- Hunza and Nagar, who, but for the "forward" policy, would now be vassals of the Czar. There were, too, Arab Chiefs from Aden and the Persian Gulf, and Shan Potentates from the Siamese frontier, who look'ett like walking pagodas. It was a remarkable object-lesson in the variety and extent of the dominions and peoples governed by the newly-pro-claimed iimperoor. With the. conclusion of the d<file the historic Durbar came to an end. The Viceroy and the Royalties, the Chiefs, and the Great Officers of State departed as they came, amidst salutes and , cheers, and the crowd dispersed! to their homes as best they could, happy in having witnessed a pageant exceeding in magnificence anything recorded ift history.