THE JUBILEE IN INDIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 87, 14 April 1887, Page 5

THE JUBILEE IN INDIA.

Liberation of Twenty five | *$•;,- Thousand Prisoners. .'>;

February 16th, the date fixed for the celebration of the Queen's Jubilee throughout India, was observed in Bombay as a general holiday, and everyarrangement was made by tho authorities and inhabitants generally to render the festival a brilliant and memorable one. The whole town is en ftte, and signs of public rejoicing were everywhere apparent. The principal streets and buildings were gaily decorated, and there were general illuminations in the evening, with a carnival on the esplanade organised on a gigantic scale. The fete extended over three days. Early in tho mdrning the troops of the garrison, the bluejackets from her Majesty's ships in the harbour, and the Bombay Volunteers paraded in- full uniform and fired afeu da joie. Lord Beay, the Governor, and his suite arrived at the Town Hall at eight o'clock, the troops lining his route and the massed bands playing marches. Rear - Admiral Sir F. Richard, Commander-in-Chief on the East Indian station, the bishops, judges, foreign consuls, the chairmen and members of the Corporation and Senate, the principal inhabitants, British and native, and an immense number of the general public were present. Silence being proclaimed by a nourish of trumpets, the Governor advanced to the front of the dais erected on the steps of the Town Hall, and received twenty five addresses, together with numerous telegrams from all parts of the Presidency, for submission to the Queen. His Excellency afterwards addressed the assemblage, eloquently and exhaustively reviewing events of Queen Victoria's reign and the progress made by India during the last fifty years. Nowhere, he said, was the contrast between past and present greater than in Bombay. The pledges made in the Queen's Edict had been redeemed, and Her Majesty's rule in India was one of the marvels of her reign and the admiration of other nations. When the Governor had finib'hed speaking, the Royal Standard was hoisted amid a flourish of trumpets, the guard presenting arms, the massed bands playing " God Save the Queen," and an Imperial salute of ]() guns being Hred by artillery. On the conclusion of the ceremony, the Governor proceeded to the cathedral to attend a special commemorative service. Special thanksgiving services were also held in the churches of all the Christian denominations, as well as in the native temples and mosques. The Duke of Connaught, Commander-in-Chief of the Bombay Army, who arrives from Poonah to-day, will take part in a procession through the town this evening to view the illuminations. A large number of civil and military prisoners were released from the Bombay gaols this morning. One hundred debtors were also set at liberty, their liabilities being discharged by the Government.

The illuminators were a great success. The Duke and Duchess of Connaught and the Governor drove in state through the streets to see them, and were heartily cheered by the masses of people. Some thousands of native mill operatives displayed their enthusiasm by parading the town with banners and bauds of music. CELEBRATIONS AT CALCUTTA. Afc Calcutta twenty-live thousand prisoners, being- one-third the number undergoing sentence in the Indian gaols for criminal offences, were to be released in comnuimoi-iition of the Queen's Jubilee. No convicts were set. free whose release would be likely to be dangerous to society. Special leniency i* shown to female prisoners. All civil prisoners for debt under a hundred rupees were released, Government paying their debts. Their number reach three hundred. The Jubilee was celebrated with great rejoicings. A review of the troops was held, subsequent to which the Viceroy, accompanied by the Commander-in-Chief (General Sir F. Roberts,) Sir Rivers Thompson, Lieut. - Governor, and the members of the Council, drove in state to the Cathedral, where a special commemorative service was held. There were also special services in all the other Christian churches of Calcutta, the Parsee and Hindoo temples, and the Mahomcdan mosques. Several religious processions have walked through the city singing hymns in honour of the Queen. Similar celebrations were held in all the principal towns of India. Besides the prisoners released in commemoration of the Jubilee, a large number had their sentences reduced.

The Viceroy this afternoon received congratulatory addresses from numerous cities, communities, and associations for despatch to the Queen, in accepting which his Excellency said that wisdom, justice, piety, and duty had been the guardians of her Majesty's Throne and the companions of her daily life. The last half century had endowed the land with peace, had brought justice to every door, had bridged floods and pierced jungles, had converted millions of barren acres into well watered plains, had diminished the risks of famine and pestilence, and had placed Western learning and science within the reach of the humblest. His Excellency regarded with approval and goodwill the natural ambition of the natives to be more largely associated in the government in regard to dome«tic affairs, and declared that he would be happy if, during his sojourn in India, ho were able to extend their political status, and place it on a more logical footing. In the evening there was a grand display of fireworks. THE JUBILEE IN BURMAH. ~~~~ The Qnecn's Jubilee was celebrated at Mandalay with much ceremony. Immediately after daybreak hundreds of people commenced to arrive and assemble round the marquee where the proclamation announcing the event was to be publicly read. At noon ' Generals Arbuthnot, White, and East, and Sir Charles Bernard, attended by their respective staffs, arrived on the ground, escorted by a detachment of cavalry, salutes . being fired as they rode up ; while the bands of the various regiments played the National Anthem. General White then gave cheers for the Empress-Queen, which were taken up with the greatest enthusiasm. Sir Charles Bernard afterwards delivered an address, in which after reviewing at length the successful reign of the Empress, he welcomed the native officials and others present, especially TheebawTsawbwa and his followers. Sir Charles then warmly greeted the Chinese officials who were present, thanking them for their energy and industry, and assuring them that their interests would be duly protected.