INDIAN PRINCE'S ROMANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 57, 14 March 1907, Page 4

INDIAN PRINCE'S ROMANCE.

WIIERK A.NJ) WHAT "KANJI ' WILL RULE. It was announced the other d-iv, on the authority of the London "Daily Mail" that the Government of India had elected Kanjitsinhji as ruler of the Indian Statu of Nawanagar. A brief explanation of the posit on and of "ilaivjiV' romantic career is iriterc-t----iug. it seems, according to the "Daily Mail," that Prince llanjitsinhji is not of royal blood. Ik*, was the second son of Jiwau .Sinbji, horn exactly thir-ty-four year, ago, and is a Hindu of the liajput race. Ilis uncle, Sio Vibliaji llanmalji then ruled in Nawauagar, ami wlien he had been thiry years dam {or governing prince lice onfirnied his admiration for his nephew by adopt ug him and naming him conditional iic'r. To eli'eet this the dam had disherited his natural heir, a son born to him by a Mohammedan laiiy. L'his cour-e was taken with the approval of the Government of India. The heirship of Kanj.tsinhji was oil Jhe express condition that if any of the rauees, or \vive«, should give birUi to a son the former's claim would !>e nullified.

Meanwhile Banj tsinhj ; , io prepare I'm- hi.-, expected succession, was lo an Indian college, and sulise(|iic?.i ly to Cambridge Lniveivily, But in A .'gu.it. 1882, one of the three Mohammedan raters who were recognised wives of the Jain gave birth to a son. There was subsequently a quarrel between the Jam and the father of knnjits'nhji, which eventuated in the setting aside cricketer cabled his protect to the Bomthe new child; and application to recognise ths boy as the now heir was addressed to the Government of India and sanctioned.

Not long afterwards, in ISfW, when Kanjitsiuhji had established his f:uue as a crieketer, his uncle, tlr old Jam, Sio Yibhaji, died, and immediately th.' natural son, Kumaij Jarwaut .Siuhji, succeeded hia father. The renowned cicketer cabled his protest to the Bombay Government and the Supreme Government of India, and daimed tiie throne because the mother of Jarwaut ivih not a Ka.jput. asking fur an <»Hieia; enqu ry bat this was overruled. The blow was a 3crous oiks for a-> he r, Ranjitsinhji hid an annual allowance of t!iiWi from the !SuUe.

lint .laruaiit's reign has lasle.l only eight vizi's, and its In; Iris died ehiUless ltanjitsinhji is now to becoui", willi tin- agreement uf the: UoverniiK nl of tiiil'ii. •linn Saheb of \vuiiiiy;i!'. Tin 1 )SLiitc is tin' largc.-.t of tin' little kingdoms under .ljriti>h prote.-tk'ii in Ivathiawar, which lies in the 11..1 t!i western cnuntvy, alnllg tije tUlif ''l ('inch, ;.nu 's a liltle more Lliun twice the sze of Sussex. its population approaches 3-211,000. Tlie former Su-s.-x eiickca-r wi.l luive a miniature army t,f 2701 troop--, u])on which to develop his militay training. It is a line country for col ton, wheat and nilk, and will no doubt be vastly improved as one oi the conseijueiices of the new Jam's Kiifriisli ledu'eation. The. lityemie is .Cltio.ooir, hut Bio Vdjhiii squandered ;he State's resources. Cricket, polo. :utd football are already played in 111.S'late.

Prince Ivunjils'nliji lias always ke|i( himself cuiver-ant with the most piesing problems of -India's soeai and political life, and there are many l'ea sons why In- should rule well and wisely Hi Karthiawar. Jlaujit.-inhji d.. liot. re-visit. India for the iirst tinn- mi til 1898.