MAHARAJAH DHULEEP SINGH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 43, 15 February 1889, Page 7

MAHARAJAH DHULEEP SINGH.

Thb Paris Viltaire prints an interview with the Maharajah Dhuleep Stngb, pretender to the throne of the Indian Empire. His Majesty kas recently arrived in Par s and occupies apartments in the Champs Elyseef. H§ is described as a very bright aud intelligent man about 60 years of age, with flashing black eyes, and ah in and thick sst in build. He proposes to take the Indian Empire from the Qupen cf England, and to place its crown upon his own head. The Voltaire ■eems to think that he will yet give considerable trouble to the Bntibh Government. " You wish to jpeak to me in your journa 1 ," said His Majesty. " Very well ; but in the English papers tney have already published all torts of fantastic and ridiculous stories about me. However, that is of u o consequence, for I care nothing about what they say of me. Bat 1 wish to assert that I am strong in the justice of my cause, and that I seek the aid of nobody. My father was the King of Punjaub, the ru'tr of 22,000,000 of subjects, aod the time is not far distant when I eball be proclaimed King of 250,000,000 of my compatriots. I am the son of one of my father's 46 wives, not the eldest son, for he was accidentally killed on the day of his father's funeral. A porii >n of the grating in the palace fell upon him and crushed his skull. In consequence of this accident there was general confusion in the family. My brothers were exterminated and I was proclaimed King of Pud jaub at tbe age of five years, my mother being placed at the head of the Begency Council. In my country my mother was considered a iupernatural woman. When tbe insurrection broke out the English forced my mother to remain neutral by making me their prisoner. 1 If I gave the signal of revolt to the Sikhs,' said she, 'the English would kill my eon. Therefore I can do nothing for you. Submit to the English and abide your time The day of deliverance will come for the Sikh*, as well as for all the other people of India. My son will do for yon what I cann t hope to do.' Well, the English Government took me under its care and promts d me an income of a million francs a year, when I had by light in my kingdom in persona! property, ontside of what I possessed as Chief of btate, and in mines and lands, a revenue of ten millions." " And up to what age have yon exercised the power of King of Pun jaob .' " " 'Iwelve yearF." " Tbat mu9t have been quite a different sort of life from that which you have had since." " Ab, you may say so I Tbe climate, the vegetation, and, above all, the mode ot living in the Wect, are very different indeed fiom what we have in the East." " Speaking of cu«toms, would it be indiscreet to ask you how many wives you have ? " " I have only two at present, but I can take as many as I want : for since my quarrel with the English Gjvernment 1 have renounced Chnst'anity and gone back to the religion of my fathers. That displeased, the royal family of England, as you may easily suppose, for 1 was tbe companion of the Prince of Wales, who came to hunt every year upon my property in England. But I b&ve very good friends in

Russia, which country I intend to make my adopted land while awaiting events T " " Wbat events ? " "A European war, naturally. Ia the coming struggle it h probable tbat England will have one nation at least against her, and I don't need any more. Then I will immediately give the signal to my partisans, and all India will rise against the British Empire.- - We are well prepared already, but we doa't propose to begin until the attention of Eugland is called elsewhere." " And may I ask you to what we owe the honour of your presence in Paris T " " I could not very well tell you that. I came to remain a few days, but I am so well pleased that I dou't intend to leive uatil after I have eten the Exposition. '' " Do you see much company in Paris ? " "As liitle as possible, for lamin a false position. ißhouldhave a passport, but since I have broken with England I have no papers to show. On arriving in Paris I considered it my duty to write to M. Carnot, asking him to taka me under his protection, but be has not answered my letter. In fact, that is about tbe only thicg that troubles me. lam a king without a kingdom, and without nationality. That is a difficulty that one does not get rid of by smoking » cigarette and caressing the dog that you see here. For the present I am somewhat like mm, the triend of everybody that pats my back, but I seek the friendship of nobody."