MAHARAJAH OF JEYPUR.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 502, 15 August 1902, Page 2

MAHARAJAH OF JEYPUR.

OUR cablegrams yesterday stated that the Maharajah had presented the King with a jewelled sword valued at Lio,ooo, and it is perhaps interesting to have a little further information abofit the wealthy Indian. His landing in England to attend the Coronation may well be recalled. Dover has witnessed many strange sights in its history, but the arrival recently of the Maharajah of Jeypur, to attend the Coronation, provided a spectacle the like

of which the people of Dover cannot recall. The Maharajah crossed in a special mail packet, and off the coast H.M.S. Immortalite fired a salute as the vessel passed. On arrival at the Admiralty Pier, the decks of the packet presented’ a remarkable sight. The luggage, of which their were over 600 pieces, was piled about the decks, and the Maharajah’s 132 servants, in their brightlyhued costumes, sat on the deck with intense interest depicted op their faces.

Colonel Wyllie welcomed the Maharajah on behalf of the King, and the Maharajah ' .briefly roplied to a speech by the Mayor of DovW D took nearly two hours to transfer the lu Sg a g° to the train, as a large portion b ad t 0 be P ut ashore by the Maharajah’s owU servants, no one else being allowed to care was taken in transpJT I * o # ”* r S e jars of Ganges water for tho u° c 9* “ e Maharajah and his suite, policemen bu'.' u S stationed at the vans to warn off curious spectators. During the bustlo a party of Indian cooks unconcernedly occupied themselves inprepariDgcakes over charcoal fires.

In the train a compartment was specially resorvod for the god which the party brought with them, and the priest who accompanied it. At Victoria station, on the arrival of. the train, there was another very animated scene. After tho departure of the Maharajah in a royal carriage his retinue occupied an hour and a half in unloading and reloading tho luggage. Some of the servants, with shields slung on their shoulders and swords on their hips watched the business of transportation. There was infinite confusion, talking, and wild gesticulation as the huge piles of Eastern impedimenta were finally packed and sent off to their destination.