EMPEROR OF INDIA. Something About Dhuleep Singh.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 346, 27 February 1889, Page 4

EMPEROR OF INDIA. Something About Dhuleep Singh.

Last week we published a cable message from England stating that the Maharajah Dhuleep Singh had promised to recover India from England if he was provided wit.h so many millions. The Paris ' Volbaito' prints an interview with the prince that is not without interest At thab time the pretender bo the Indian Imperial throne was staying in Pa> is, where irom his own account he should bo now. He occupies apartments in the Champs Elysees. He is described as a veiy bright and intelligent man, about 50 years of age, with flashing black eyes, and fehorb and thick-.sebin build. Ho proposes to take the Indian empire from the Queen ot England, and to place its crown upon his own head. The ' Voltaire ' seems to think that he will yet gi\e con&ideiable trouble to the British Governmenb. ' You wish to speak to mo ,in your journal f said his Majesty. ' Very well ; but in the English papeis they have already published all sorts of fantastic find ridiculous stories about me. However, that is of no consequence, for I care nothing about what they say of me. But I wish to assert that 1 am stiong in the justice of my cause, and that I seek the aid of nobody. My father A\as the King of Punjaub, the ruler of 22,000,000 ot subjects, an i the time is not far distant when I shall be be proclaimed king of 250,000,000 of my compatiiots. lam the son of one of my lather's forty-six wi\es — not the oldest f>on, for he was accidentally killed on bhedayofhis father's funeial. A portion of the grating in the palace fell upon him and ciushe'l his skull. Inconsequence of thi^ accident theiewas genoial confusion in the family. .My brothers weie exterminated, and I was proclaimed King of the Punjaub at the age of 5 years, my mother being placed at the head of the Kegency Council. In my eountiy my mother was considered a supernatuial woman. She in India was like the Holy Virgin in Europe. When (he insurlection broke out the English forced my mother to remain neutial by making me their prisoner. "If I gave the signal of revolt to the Sikh-;," said she, " the English would kill my son. Theiefore I can do nothing for you. Submit to the English and bide your time. The day of delis erance will come to the Sikhs, as well as for all the other people of India. My &on will do for you what I cannot hope to do " Well, the English Government took me under its care, and promised mo an income of 1,000,000 francs a year, when I had by tighc in my kingdom in persona] propel ty, outside ot what I possessed as chief of state and in mines and lands, a revenue of 10,000,000. ' And up to what age have you exercised the power ot King of Punjxub ?' ' Twelve years.' ' Thab must have been quite a different sorb of life from that which you have had since' 'Ah, you may say co ! The climate, the \esetption, and, above all, the mode of living in the West are different indeed from what we have in the Ea&b. ' ' Speaking of customs, would it be indiscreet to ask you how many wi\e& you have ?' 1 1 have only two at present, but lean take as many as 1 want, for since my quarrel with the English Government I ha^e i enounced Chiistianity and gone back to the religion of my fatheis. That displeased the royal family of England, as you may easily suppose, for I was the companion of the Piince of Wales, who came to hunt every year upon my pioperty in England Bub I have veiy good iriends in Russia, which counbryl intend to make my adopted land while awaiting events.' 'What events?' 'A European war, naturally. Tn the coming btiugyle ibis probable that England will have one nation at least against her, and I don't need any more. Then I will immediately give the signal to my partisans, and all India will aiise against the British Empire. We are well prepared already, but wo don't" propose to begin until the attention of England is called elsewhere ' ' And may I a^k you to what we owe the honour of your presence in Paiis ?' 1 1 could nob well tell you that. I came to remain a few days, bub I am so well pleased that I don't intend to leave until after I have seen the Exposition.' ' Do you see much company in Paris ?' 'As little as possible, for I am in a false }DOsition. 1 should have a passport, but since I have broken with England I have no papeis to show. On arming in Paris I considered ib my dut}*- to wiite to M. Carnob, asking him to take me under his protection, but he has not answered my letter. In fact, that is about the only thing that troubles me. lam a King without a kingdom, and without a nationality. That is a difficulty that one does not get rid of by smoking a cigaiette and caressing the dog that you see heie. For the present I am somewhat like him, the friend of everybody that pat^ my back, bub I &eek the iriendship of nobody.'