1 The Municipal
2 address,
3 The Prince’s reply.
4 Review of troops at
5 Delhi, oi
6 Visit to the Qutb and
7 other ancient monu-
8 ments.
9 Sri Satqdalague
10 596 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB,
11 the 5th regiment and 28th Panjdbis, the immense multitude which had
12 crowded over the steps leading to the grand mosque, rose to salute him.
13 At the Royal Camp the members of the municipality, having been admitted
14 to the honour of an interview, presented His Royal Highness with an address,
15 in which they expressed the joy and honour they felt at the privilege allowed
16 them of expressing their feelings of profound loyalty and devotion to the
17 person and rule of Her Most Gracious Queen and on behalf of the whole
18 community, of whatever race or creed, offered to His Royal Highness a
19 most hearty welcome to their ancient city. Since the happy announcement
20 of the intended Royal visit had been made by His Excellency the Viceroy,
21 they had anxiously looked forward to that auspicious day, and they thanked
22 God for having had the honour of beholding the Royal Prince at last. They
23 dwelt on the historic interest and monuments of antiquity possessed by
24 Delhi, which, for upwards of a thousand years, was the seat of great dynas-
25 ties, which in succession rose, flourished and passed away, leaving behind
26 them traces of their grandeur and civilization in superb mosques, splendid
27 palaces, tall minarets, lofty towers, chaste tombs and picturesque temples.
28 Though no longer the capital of the Empire, it was flourishing and prospering
29 under the sway of the British. Three railways converged to it, tending
30 materially to develop its resources by trade and industry. It was still the
31 home of the polished Hindosténi language and a seat of learning. They
32 expressed their earnest wish that His Royal Highness might retain pleasant
33 recollections of his visit, and that the remainder of his tour might be as full
34 of interest as the commencement had been.
35 The Prince thanked them for the reception they had accorded him, and
36 said it had been a pleasure to him to visit their ancient capital, which
37 abounded in architectural monuments of great beauty and splendor, and was
38 associated with events of the greatest historical interest. The position their
39 city naturally enjoyed in the centre of India, where so many lines of railway
40 converged, must ever render it one of the most important possessions of
41 the Indian empire. He was glad to meet them there, and much gratified in
42 being able to convey to Her Majesty the Queen assurances of the appearance
43 of reviving prosperity in a city so famous and beautiful.
44 On 12th January, a grand review of troops of all arms took place at
45 Delhi. The Prince was, on this occasion, dressed in the uniform of a
46 Field Marshal. As His Royal Highness appeared on the parade ground,
47 the royal standard was hoisted and a royal salute thundered forth along the
48 line ; a shout of welcome went up from the great multitude and handker-
49 chiefs from the dense line of carriages fluttered in the air. The bands
50 played the National Anthem and the colours were lowered. The Prince
51 rode across the line from right to left, and back again. A signal being given,
52 the troops began to move; and for an hour and a half the stream of
53 horses, foot and artillery flowed past the royal party. There was then the
54 march past by the whole force, and, after a royal salute, the various
55 detachments marched off towards their respective lines.
56 On the 13th, His Royal Highness visited the Qutb Minar, the highest
57 column in the world, measuring 288 feet in height. Mounting the summit
58 of the tower, he had a view of the ruined cities, mosques, palaces, and tombs
59 which stretch around for miles. The same day, he visited the mausoleum
60 of Humayun, described by Mr. Russell as ‘sombre, massive, vast, one of the
61 grandest piles of the kind in the world;’ the magnificent mausoleum of
62 Nizém-ud-din and the beautiful tomb of Safdar Jang. There were grand
63 illuminati t night, and wi ¢ . ing 1
64 DEN AGES SEAMS eee Naan Sneh oe Sane fay: the