The Daily News. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1901. VISIT OF THE INDIAN TROOPS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 42, 26 February 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1901. VISIT OF THE INDIAN TROOPS.

Notwithstanding the downpour of rain the visit of the Indian troops to New Plymouth will be long remembered by tho3e who were so fertunate as to take part in that interesting event. Although the rain spoilt the arrangements for an eut-door celebration the enthusiasm of the immense concourse of people who braved the elements, and the thoroughly hearty manner in wbich the Indian troops themselves entered into the general desire to make the besi of thingß and afforded every opportunity to the public to see and fraternise with them did much to help make' the reception, in point of heartiness of the welcome, and gaod will to the distinguished visitors, a great success. The visit was a great object le?son, a lesson on the greatness, the wealth, the power and wonderful resources of the Empire of which they, in common with ourselves, form a part. The scene wheu the Drill Hall was cleared ot the public was one ef historic and thrilling interest and one which we could have wished the whole world to see. Drawn up in the centre of the hall were the representations of the local troops who, with the exception of one or two returned troopers have not yet seen active service, while facing them stood the soldiers of India, many of them vetorane whose breasts glistened with medals find clasps bearing the names TeraD, Cabul,Khandahar,Guznee,Tel-el-Kebir Khartoum, and Oadurman. All alike soldiers ef the King, and all, though differing in raco, creed, and colour, united in th# determination, to uphold the supremacy of the British Empire. The hearty response to the call of the commanding officer to give three cheers for their Indian comrades was duly equalled by the hearty manner in which the compliment was returned. It was a soul-stiring moment. When one looked at the well set-up soldierly bearing of the Indian troops and remembered that they were the representatives of two hundred and fifty million people, onr fellow subjects in India, one felt a consciousness of the enormous pswer of the Bmpir?. We havo seen the large army sent and maintained in South Africa, and without an efl'ort Great Britain ceuld put a million of such men as those visiting us on Saturday in the field against the enemiis of the Empire. There is no doubt the visit of these troops will help the cause of the Empire and consumate the binding together of all the peoples it contains. The interest taken in the Indian troops oy everyone here sliows that the welfaro of the Empire is as dear to us io Tar'tnaki as in any portion of the King's wide dominions, and the hocor paid to them was but an expression of the same feelings ef loyalty which has brought our visitors so far from their native land.