BRITISH MONUMENTS IN INDIA

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22305, 20 January 1938, Page 11

BRITISH MONUMENTS IN INDIA

♦ NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR REMOVAL BLACK HOLE OF CALCUTTA RECALLED CALCUTTA, January 18. The latest instance of the Indian Nationalist movement to remove historical British monuments, including the statue of Sir John Lawrence, famous in mutiny days, from public squares in Lahore, is a newspaper agitation for the removal of the monument commemorating the Black Hole of Calcutta tragedy in 1756, which Zephanian Holwell, one of the 23 survivors, first erepted over the unfinished trench into which the bodies of 123 dead were thrown. , Holwell’s memorial was removed in 1821, but Lord Curzon, at his own expense, in 1902 erected a replica in white marble on the same spot, within 20 yards of the site of the Black Hole, which is still preserved unbuilt upon. Lord Curzon wrote a long inscription, including the names of the dead. An extremist newspaper now revives the former allegation that the Black Hole story was a gigantic hoax and a colossal lie, rendering the monument a standing insult to the Bengalese. The subject will shortly be raised in the Bengal Assembly. LEGISLATION TO BAN TITLES DECISION OF BOMBAY ASSEMBLY (Received January 19, 5.3 p.m.) BOMBAY, January 18. The Assembly adopted a resolution of the Chief Minister, Bal Ganghadar Kher, against the conferment of titles by the King on any person in the Presidency of Bombay.