THE PRINCE OF WALES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20087, 26 October 1928, Page 10

THE PRINCE OF WALES.

nrPORTANT INDIAN TOTJB,

OCCASION OF DIGNITY.

GREAT BLAZE OF SPLENDOUR.

JHE APPLAUSE OF AGITATORS.

BY WALTER AND LEONARD TOWNSEND. fin T>' ti. \

(All Riehts Reserved.) No. XLII. The Indian tour of the Prince of Wales of necessity differed in many respects from those made in other colonies. Here ho had to keep up his dignity more as heir to the Throne and Empire, and eldest son of the great British " Raj." Amongst the natives of India it was nnpossiblo to assume the friendly bonhomie which the Prince had liked to adopt in his other tour 3. When it was intimated to him that it was thought that a tour of India would bo desirable he realised without any instruction that here he would have to uphold tradition and precedent in a manner which had not been necessary or desirable in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. He know that it would be more or less a State tonr, where he would be forced to appear in the glitter of his many uniforms, and by dignified bearing keep up the prestige and power of the British " Raj" before the eyes of native India. The Prince's Indian tour was by far the most important of all his travels — for here ho was to move among a people not strictly British by race as the Canadians, the Australians, and New Zealanders. India being strictly monarchist, and having Royalty and a native aristocracy of its own, the Prince travelled to India as representative of his father, and .with all, the ceremonial which, while he disliked it, he knew was necessary now as it had been unnecessary during provious tours. Scene ol Unrivalled Splendour. Tho Prince left Portsmouth on October 26, 1921, travelling again on board tho Renown, which he regarded as much a home as York House in London. When, early one morning, the Renown slipped into Bombay Harbour, the Prince was already on the quarter-deck with his eyes fixed upon tho land in which for the next few months ho was to bo the central figuro. Ho had always longed to visit India, for ho remembered vividly the stories told him as a boy by his father rfter King George's tour in the Ophir when he was Prince of Wales. Lord Reading, the Viceroy, received tho Princo as ho entered India amidst a scene of unrivalled splendour. Wearing white dncks with naval badges, and carrying his sword in one hand, tho Princo saluted grandly the large crowds that had gathered to greet him. Tho occasion called for dignity. His Royal Highness typified all the prestige of the British "Raj" as he officially saluted 4ndia. The Prince now received, in order of precedence, Indian Princes, chiefs and officials, and then read the King's address. Speeches finished, he entered the Royal coach, and proceeded in solemn state on a procession through the town, a slim upright figure seated beside the Viceroy, who towered besido the Royal visitor. The Prince Wins All Hearts. During the Prince's stay in Bombay his staff and the police were a little uneasy with regard to his safety. Unfortunately at tho time of the Prince's arrival Bombay was in tho midst of a native upheaval, which, while invariably ending as a storm in a teacup, might afc this timo constitute a menace to tho personal safety of tho Prince. While tho police took all the precautions they could to ensure the Prince's safety, the greatest safeguard, Rtrange as it may sound, was tho Prince himself. With that impelling charm of manner which is the real secret of his popularity he won even the hearts of the native agitators; so much so that for the period of His Royal Highness* stay in Bombay forgot their differences and ideals of a " Black India" and joined tho crowds to do homago to tho young Prince who represented tho very pillars of their political aversion! Such was the impelling force of the Prince of Wales' dynamic popularity* i.i Toward the end of his few days stay in Bombay tho Prince had vindicated his own opinions, and it was quite evident t-o the acute observer that the political agitators had discovered that their grudges did not lie against the handsome young white Prince. As far as was possible the Princo had disarmed criticism and offered a friendly hand, even to the agitators. f I want' to know you all \" he said, and so that ho could see and be seen he stood up in his car, laughing away the fears of his guard. War Memorial Foundation Store. Tho Prince's next mission was to visit Poona to lay tho foundation stone of the Shiraji Mdfaorial, erected to the memory of those Indians who fell in the Great [War. The scene was one which could only be enacted in India. Every imaginable colour waa displayed on the routo; brocaded elephants pounded majestically along amidst the shrill cries of native boys. Veiled women looked stealthily toward tho young Prince, and all the spices and aromas of tho East pervaded the atmosphere. "I liko India," said tho Prince to tho [Viceroy before he had been in the country many days. The Prince was determined, however, to use his own methods to gain the hearts and friendship of native India. On one occasion after a ceremony was concluded he left his staff and mixed freely with tho crowd, to the apprehension of the police officers guarding him. But within a few moments he had accomplished his purpose—ho had won tho hearts of tho native population of India. It was a triumph of determination and will-power. The Princo spent three days at Lncktjow during which time he had an exceptionally heavy programme to fulfil. It was fortunate, too, that his visit was not a short one, for it gave him the opportunity to " convert" tho disloyal faction, and prove that he had no connection with their grievances. Before his departure these self-same natives who had vowed to wreck the tour were cheering as enthusiastically and fervently as the patriotic oversea men. The Lighter Side o! Life. Despite his heavy engagements the Princo was able to turn to tho lighter j side of life in Lucknow. He often figured at raco meetings, and actually rode winners on two occasions. In other parts of India ho rodo almost daily, and also enjoyed tho exhilarating sports of pigsticking, duck shooting, horse racing, biggame shooting, paper chasing, and polo. The Prince saw much in India which, to him, was novel and now, although to old Anglo-Indians possessed but little interest. For instance, on one occasion he was astonished to see some natives dancing npon red-hot cinders, who then presented themselves to tho Prince to prove that they had not sustained any urns. He nlso witnessed performances hy the übiquitous sword-swallowers and tno native jugglers. (To be continued daily.)