ALL INDIA MEMORIAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1342, 20 January 1912, Page 10

ALL INDIA MEMORIAL.

TO KING EDWARD. AH IMPRESSIVE CEREHO&Y. Delhi, December 8. A previous letter described the State entry of thoir Majesties; to-day the principal function has been the inauguration of tho All-India. .Memorial to King Edward. The ceremony took place in tho Memorial Garden near the J urn ma Musjid, a largo aud beautiful garden that iias been creatcd during tho last few months to provide a suitable home for the memorial. Tho colossal equestrian statuo is being made by' tho eminent sculptor. Sir T. Brock, and will not bo completed for two years. The lofty pedestal is, however, already prepared, and His afternoon his Majesty inaugurated the work by putting into position a block of hard red Agra sandstone, weighing 21 tons, and bearing tho following inscription-.— ' ' "This tablet is placed in position by his Majesty King George V on tho Bth December, 1911." . Above this inscription' is tho Crown, and, below is tho lioyal Cypher. This tablet faces north, as well as the statue. Another huge stone tablet decorates the east faoo of the pedestal with tho following inscription ;— . "EDWARD VII—KING AND EMPEROR. "Let this monument, erected by tlie voluntary donations of thousands and or his subjects throughout his Indian Empire—the rich giving of their wealth, and tho poor out of their poverty. b«ir witness to their grateful memory of his virtues and his might, no was tho Father of his People, whoso diverse religions and customs ho preserved impartially; his voice stood for wisdom in the councils of the world, his example was an inspiration to his Viceroys, his Governors, his Captains, and the humblest of his subjects; his sceptre ruled, over one-fifth of the dwellers upon earth. His justice protected the weak, rewarded tho deserving, aud punished the evil-doer. His mercy provided hospitals for tho sick food for the famine-stricken, water for the thirsty soil, and learning for _ the student. His sword was ever victorious. Soldiers of many_ races served in his great army, obeying his august commands. His ships made safe tho highways of tho ocean, and guarded his wide Dominions by land and sea. 310 ensured amity between the nations of tho world, and gave well-ordered peace to the peoples of his vast Empire. He upheld tho honour of Princes, and the rights of the defenceless. His reign was a blessing to his well-beloved India, an example to the great, and an encouragement to the humble; and his name shall bo handed down from father to son throughout all ages as a mighty Emperor, a Merciful Ruler and a Great Englishman." The ceremony was a very impressivo one, and I was again fortunate in securing a good seat, and so seeing and hearing all that took place. From the triumphal procession of yesterday we turned to an act of filial piety and a monument of national gratitude. A great Emperor, whose wisdom and might had kept the world in peace, was dead, and his Indian subjects had subscribed a large sum of money in order to build a great nionument'in his honour, and now the son and successor of that Sovereign had come across the seas in order to place the memorial stone in position. Round the pedestal wore grouped detachments of all the available reginunts of which the late monarch was Com-mander-in-Chief prominent amongst them being the 2nd King Edward's Own Gurkha Rifles, which rendered such gallant serrico during tho mutiny. Other guards wcro provided by tho Gordon Highlanders, the Royal Navy, and the Royal Marines. In the chairs around tlie pedestal was grouped a brilliant throng of princes and chiefs in gorgeous robes, officers in uniform,, ladies in bright coloured dresses, and various other distinguished or privileged persons. A good deal of attention was attracted by a group of schoolboys from Parramatta, who, in charge of their headmaster (Mr. Waddy), had coino all the way from Australia to see tho Durbar, and who wore a grey uniform trimmed witn scarlet and silver. Tho Governor-General and Lady Hardinge, attended by the Viceroy's splcndil bodyguard, arrived first. Then 20 minutes later tho King and Queen in a State land mi, escorted by squadrons of cavalry. Tho band struck up tho National' Anthem, the troops presented arms, a Royal salute of 101 guns was fired, and the " Governor-General received , thoir JLajestios, and presented the members of the Executive Committee who had chargo of the work. Tho King and Queen then took their feats beneath tho canopy, tho heralds and trumpeters drew up and saluted, tho Viceroy read an address describing the inception of the memorial, the King made a suitable reply; then, accompanied by Lord Hardinge, ascended the steps to the pedestal, where the inscribed slab of red sandstone was kdpfc in position by ropes. At tho height the King was visible to all. Ear beyond the garden tens of thousands of native spectators filled every available spot, and as tho King laid his hind upon the stono cheers broke forth all round. Then the rilles clicked again, another salute was lired, the band played the National Anthem, the, guns again thundered from the fort, the procession re-formed, and the King and Queen drove back to their camp. ■ .