1 H.R. H. PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR OF WALES. 615
2 road to Government House was gaily decorated with Venetian masts, shields,
3 arms, drapery and flags, and picturesquely lined by the 17th Bengal Lancers.
4 The roads leading to the station and its precincts were thronged with
5 crowds of spectators, whose enthusiasm at seeing the grandson of their
6 beloved Sovereign was unbounded. At noon His Royal Highness received _ Interchange of visits
7 the chiefs of Bahdwalpur and Nabhd, who are both Grand Commanders of the “#™ tvechiets.
8 Star of India, and in the afternoon he returned their visits. The native con-
9 tingents of Jhind, Patidld4, Bahawalpur and Nabha, recently instructed by the
10 officers of the Bengal Army, were then inspected at Government House.
11 The same day, at 4-45 p. a, His Royal Highness, accompanied by His Visit to the city.
12 Honour the Lieutenant-Governor and staff, visited the city, mounted on
13 elephants, At the Delhi Gate, an arch bore *-e legend:
14 “ Welcome to our beloved Prince Victor of Wales.”
15 Passing the Golden Mosque and through the streets, His Royal Highness
16 visited the samddh of Ranjit Singh, where he was pleased to hear a beautiful
17 hymn sung by the priests, welcoming the grandson of the English Mahardnt
18 to the land of the five rivers. The party next visited the great Badshahi
19 Mosque, which they entered bareheaded. The fort was then entered, and the
20 Shish Mahal, or Palace of Mirrors, and the soldiers’ quarters, inspected. At
21 seven o'clock, the fort and the environs were lighted up, and the huge motto,
22 “ Loyalty, Fidelity, Obedience,” blazed out in variegated letters. A magni-
23 ficent display of fireworks followed, after which the procession set out to
24 return to Government House, inspecting on the way the illuminations in
25 Andrkali and the environs, which were most effective.
26 At night a brilliant conversazione was held at the Montgomery Hall, the conversazione.
27 in which a large company of Europeans, native chiefs and the officers of native
28 regiments, were introduced to His Royal Highness. The Prince having
29 then been conducted to the dais, Sir Meredyth Plowden read to him the
30 Panjab address, in which the assembly, as representative of all classes, official, The Panjab address.
31 non-official, European and native, of the community of this frontier pro-
32 vince, offered His Royal Highness a loyal and hearty welcome to its capital.
33 Fourteen years had passed since Lahore had been visited by His Royal
34 Highness’s illustrious father, and during this period the Panjab had made
35 rapid strides. By the completion of railway communication between Lahore
36 aud Karrachi, the province had obtained a natural outlet for its sea-borne
37 trade, and the extension of the railway to Peshawar, the pacification of the
38 turbulent tribes of the Khaibar, and the improvement of communications
39 along the Derdjat border, had tended materially to secure the North-
40 Western Frontier of India against foreign aggression. Amongst peaceful
41 pursuits, the advance made in education had been marked by the establish-
42 ment of an independent provincial University at Lahore. The tour planned
43 by His Royal Highness would afford an opportunity of seeing the chief
44 cities of the Panjab, while, in the military camp of exercise at Muridki,
45 would be found assembled several regiments of the army, which is so largely
46 recruited from the various warlike races of this Province. The Panjab could
47 not boast of possessing in its plains the beauties of natural scenery presented
48 by other provinces through which His Royal Highness had lately passed.
49 But it contributed to the Empire a population noted for manly qualities, in
50 the enjoyment of a high degree of agricultural prosperity, which, while
51 - composed of mavy different tribes, of various religions, Sikh, Hindu and
52 Mahomedan, was united by the common bond of devoted loyalty and
53 attachment to Her Most Gracious Majesty, our beloved Queen-Empress.
54 His Royal Highness made a suitable reply, of which the following is the pps Reval Hishnes's
55 text :— ;
56 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh J i eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com