CURZON AND SUCCESSOR

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 December 1934, Page 8

CURZON AND SUCCESSOR

VICE REGAL “SNUB.” How the Marquis Curzon, during his last days as Viceroy of India, cancelled the “official landing” to the new Viceroy, the Earl of Minto, is described in a book compiled by the latter’s widow, published recently. Describing his arrival in India in 1905, the late Lord Minto wrote in his journal: “We were ready assembled on deck, but no one appeared to represent the Bombay Government. We had expected an official reception, and had made all preparations to land at once, and our surprise was great when .the pilot arrived with a message to say that the official landing had been cancelled.

“On arriving at Government House, George Curzon himself did not appear to receive me . . . We entered the house, Curzon then appeared, dressed in a shooting coat and slippers . . On .the morning after my arrival Curzon took his public departure. Troops lined the streets, and the full Viceroy’s escort was in attendance.” Lord Minto writes a little later that “we now have it in black and white officially from the Bombay Government that the orders (for the public arrival) were cancelled with a view to meeting Curzon’s wishes.” Before this Lord Minto had noted that Curzon had “held a pistol at my head” over the sale of his stables. Curzon wrote to Minto giving a list of sixty horses, six landaus, and stable equipment, and enclosed his own valuation of the property. “A few hours after the arrival of his letter came a cable saying that unless I accepted his terms at once he would sell everything privately. He knew I should be obliged to have a full stable equipment almost immediately on account of the Royal visit, and thus held a pistol at my head. A matter of between seven and eight thousand pounds!” When Curzon was acquainted of the appointment of his successor he is quoted as having said: “Imagine sending to succeed me a gentleman who only jumps hedges.” The remark had reference to Minto’s activities as a “gentleman rider.”

KITCHENER’S DISAPPOINTMENT On its political side this book, which is entitled “India, Minto and Morley”, records the important period of Indian history between 1905 and 1910 by means of correspondence between the Viceroy and the Secretary of State. It discloses that Lord Kitchener felt supremely confident that he would be selected to succeed Lord~Minto as Viceroy. Minto wrote in June, 1910: “Kitchener, I hear, has been most outspoken on the subject, and announced that if he was not appointed he would shake the dust of England off his feet, and go and travel in Persia.” When Sir Charles Hardinge’s appointment as Viceroy was announced, Minto wrote: “I am sorry to hear that Lord K. does not take his appointment with so much serenity as his friends might have hoped.”