Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 11.djvu/30

 NOTES AND QUERIES. p s. XL JAN. 10, UK*.

to the great Chauhan clan of Rajpoots ; his line dates back to 1625. He succeeded to the throne in 1889, having been educated at Mayo College, Ajmere.

These interesting biographical notes have been taken from the Daily Chronicle of the 2nd of January, which also contains portraits of these ruling chiefs. The Saturday Review makes reference to the difference of the posi- tion of the Indian chiefs when they were present at the Durbar held in 1877. Then they appeared as honoured and exalted spec- tators. On the 1st of January they came by right, as actors and hosts. The article compli- ments the chiefs " who do not separate them- selves from their people, but rather strive to associate themselves with them." At the time of the Indian Mutiny the cry against the retaining of native princes was all but universal. One of the few papers favourable to them was the Athenaeum. In an article on the 10th of October, 1857, appeared the fol- lowing :

" We are sure of their [the native princes'] support as long as we do not drive them to desperation by our injustice. Examples of either policy are before us. On the one hand, but for the King of Oude, the Rajas of Bithoor and Jhansi, and the King of Delhi, this revolt never would have taken place, or would have been crushed in the bud ; on the other, but for the Rajas of Jheend and Patteeala, Sindhia, Holkar, and other chiefs, our power would ere this almost have ceased to exist. The existence of native princes is a mark of nationality which it would be wise to retain. Up to the present time we have held India with the consent of its inhabitants by a native army and leaving intact many great provinces under native rulers, whom we called, and who were proud to call themselves, our allies, if the mis- chievous suggestions, which are now daily put forth, should be listened to ; if our native army is to be superseded entirely by Europeans, if the native princes are to be dethroned, and the people entirely disarmed, we shall descend at once from the grand position of the governors of freemen into the odious circumstances of despots over countless myriads of serfs."

One cannot close this reference to the cele- bration without a remark as to the enterprise of the daily press, by which all through the empire accounts of the ceremony were in the hands of everybody on the following day. What a contrast to the time of the Mutiny ! The open revolt took place on the 19th of February, 1857, but it was not until the 28th of April that the first intimation appeared in the Times. Y.

A WESTMINSTER IMPROVEMENT.

A GREAT improvement, talked about now

for some few years, has been commenced

within the last month or two. This scheme

of improvement is the embanking of the

river from the Victoria Tower Gardens to Lambeth Bridge, and the consequent widen- ing of Millbank Street and the demolition of a large number of houses. In a note on 'Westminster Changes' (9 th S. x. 263) I stated that "the block bounded by Mill- bank Street, Great College Street, Little College Street, and Wood Street is already scheduled." I can now add that, with the exception of the " King's Arms," an old-estab- lished public -house in the occupation of Mrs. Jannaway, and the shop next door, being Nos. 2 and 4, Millbank Street, the houses are all down, and the ground nearly cleared therefore the predicted end has come. No. 6, Millbank Street, known as Victoria Tower Chambers, and most of the other houses were let out as offices. No. 8 was long in the occupation of Mr. Job Cook, where the business of a hatter was carried on for many years, this gentleman being one of the overseers for the parish of St. John the Evangelist, 1855-6 and 1856-7, an office which he discharged with much satisfaction to his fellow - parishioners. No. 12 was known as Fig Tree House, from a fig tree planted in the front, where it might have been seen for some years, but it ultimately withered and died. No. 18 was the " Portman Arms," another old-established licensed house, well conducted and of great respectability. It had not always been known by that name, as it is recorded that a Mrs. Henley, at one time the proprietress, had once lived in the Portman family, and so named the house out of respect for them. The last proprietor was Jacob De Hass.

In Wood Street were one or two ware- houses, one having been in the occupation for many years of Messrs. Rawley & Grieves, bacon driers, &c., and afterwards in that of Mr. George Nichols, who was on the vestry for some years and much respected. The rest of this street and the whole of Little College Street were in the occupation of small shop- keepers, the property being of little import- ance.

In Great College Street the houses were of a much better type, all being used for offices. No. 9, at the corner, was in the occupation of Miss Bradford, who carried on here the somewhat unusual business, for a lady, of an ecclesiastical bookseller, and received a considerable sum as compensa- tion for disturbance. The other houses up to No. 1 were all offices, mostly occupied by railway and other public companies. Nos. 10, 11, and 12, Great College Street are empty, but not at present demolished. No. 20 Wood Street, at the corner of Little College Street, is