FIGURES AND FACTS ABOUT THE DURBAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7678, 11 April 1903, Page 2

FIGURES AND FACTS ABOUT THE DURBAR.

The __c_t $G-#eott_ Speotaol. Ever

Witness-d.

(Tit-Bits.)

The proclamation of tha King as Emperor of India at Delhi on Jan. 1 was without question the most gorgeous spectacle the world has ever seen. Indeed, all who witnessed the great ceremony are agreed thab no pen or pencil could ever hope to do justice- to that magnificent Eastern pageant.

On the memorable day Delhi represented the wealth and splendour of the whole Iri3ian Empire. To accurately estimate the amount of money spent upon tbe historical event is, of course, impossible. The Indian Government alone expended tbe sum of _5__0,000. The work of preparation occupied many months, tbe thousands of native artisans and workmen Angaged receiving as much as £100,000 in wages. Eight thousand pounds' wortb of fireworks was fixed off at Delhi alone. They were all made* at Sutt<s'n, ia Surrey. Lord Curzon is said to have spent over £15,000 out of his private pocket in entertaining his innumerable yuests. What the one hundred odd ruling chiefs and prinoe. who took part in IHo ceremony spent during their stay in the ancieab Eastern city no one will ever know. Ilia Highness the Gaakwar of Baroda spent £4000 on tbe erection of his private tents alone. Altogether, his camp was a revelation of Oriental splendour. Each tent/ boasted of its lawn and flower-bed. In tbe centre of the lawn in front of bis High--ness's tent a large, fountain was built. Itl was illuminated by powerful

ELECTRIC LIGHTS OT EVEB-CHANGING CO-Q-S'.-

His Highness brought witih him four State elephants, with their canopies of gold and silver, also his celebrated priceless guns of gold and silver, sft long and 2£in bore, drawn by bullocks, with their harness of beaten gold. These golden cannon formed a conspicuous feature of tbe great Durbar

review

During the celebrations 240,000 people lived in tents. Tbe vastness of this canvas) city renders its description extremely difficult. Its outer bounditry was some thirty miles iu extent, while within its area thirtyfive miles of new Toads were constructed. It was garrisoned by 45,000 troops, seiecied as the flower of tbe British an_ Indian Armies. This great t^nt city Was lighted by electricity. It was' tbe largest temporary e-lectric installation, ever put up. The over-, head wires weighed some sixty tons, while fifty miles of underground cable were laid. The total lighting capacity of the in.talla- 4 tion was equal in illuminating power to tbe light of 4,000,000 caudles. It costj £45,000. Altogether there were some fourteen distinct camps. First came tbe Viceroy's camp, consisting of 1450 tents. It was reached by a broad road fully tbree-quartfcrs of a mile in length. Some of tbe tents in this particular camp were of immense size. Lord Ghirzon's reoepUon ' tent was 108fb long, 60fb wide and 20ft high. In Lord Nortbcote's camp the' tents had glass doors) and boasted of marble fireplaoes. For Oriental magnificence nothing could equal the camps of the native princes^,- As many as a million rare plants, shrubs and trees were used in beautifying the grounds. Some of the princes had a retinue of 500 servants in addition to a large bodyguard 6f soldiers, several elephants, and scores of horses and bullocks. Their tents "were

BBAPED WITH THE MOST GORGEOUS HAKG-

INGS,

whilst the floors were, covered with priceless carpets. One Indian prince decorated the entrance of bis official camp with grinning Mandaiay dragons and other atrocities unlike any beast on «arth or in the sea.

Mention must also be made of tbe Indian Arts Exhibition, whieb was opened on Dec. 30 by Lord Curzon. It was *a handsome white building in, Mogul style, 2soft in leng'tb. Wit-bin its walls was gathered the finest collection of Indian treasures ever brought together in that great Empire. Nothing . of foreign manufacture was permitted to enter the buildifcg. Many of the treasures were priceless on account of their historic value, yet within tbe portion that can be estimated by ordinary commercial value, theref' were some : million and a half pounds sterling worth of goods. An interesting exhibit was the faritous Batoda carpet, which Was lent to tbe exhibition. 'This carpet! was sewn witf-'dia* monds and' pearls. Sir Ernest Cassel bought a carpet in blue and gold, giving £.2500 for it. Several of the Indian prinees , spent over _510,000 in this bouse of Eastern treasures. Some of the Calcutta finms gave as much, as £600 for a stall, although they were orily allowed to exhibit goods of Indian manufacture. This

SUPERB COIiL-tmOH OF rNPIAST .____ A-ID

, . TB___XTBE» was brought together by Dr George Watt; who spent a ye_r in travelling up and down the country getting the «xhibit_ together.

To feed the Vast army of troop* and those that participated in the great event, over 30,000 tons of food tfefe needed. 'Slaagb* ter-houses wera erected on the. outskirts of the Camp, a special military station twelve mile, in length, was built, and? '_', public market w_s opened /where all, articles of food could be procured. For the collection arid distribution of food supplies to the troops 2000 camels and 4000 ox- waggons were constantly employed. Forty-eigb| telegraph wires arid fifty telephonic wires, specially constructed* were called into- use

in reporting the eelebrated historical event.

Of more interest still, perhaps, was tha great amphitheatre, of horseshoe shape, where the Coronation ceremony took pl_ce> Here 13,000 people witnessed the Pro-lam** tion ceremony. Mention may also be ■ made of the massed band with its 8000 performers, including trumpeters and drum* mers.