stitution, and the
Sikhs are highly gratified by the honour Your Excellency has lately
given to the Khalsa Diwan by becoming its honorary patron. In
conclusion, we beg only to repeat that it is quite beyond our power to
state how much we are indebted to Your Excellency, and how much we are
affected by the news that Your Lordship will shortly leave this land.
The very idea of our separation from the direct contact of so strong
and affectionate a leader, as Your Excellency undoubtedly is, makes us
feel very sorrowful; but as our hearts and prayers will always be with
you and Lady Roberts, we shall be consoled if Your Excellency would
only keep us in your memory, and on arrival in England assure Her Most
Gracious Majesty, the Mother-Empress, that all Sikhs, whether high or
low, strong or weak, old or young, are heartily devoted to her Crown
and her representatives in this country. Before retiring, we thank
Your Excellency for the very great honour that has been done to the
people of Lahore by Your Lordship's visit to this city.

* * * * *

APPENDIX XIII.

(Referred to in Chapter LXVIII, Note *.)

_To HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL THE RIGHT HONOURABLE FREDERICK BARON
ROBERTS OF KANDAHAR AND WATERFORD, BART., V.C., G.C.B., G.C.I.E.,
R.A., Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's Forces in India._

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY,

We are proud to stand in Your Lordship's presence to-day on behalf of
the Hindus of the Punjab, the loyal subjects of the Queen-Empress, who
appreciate the countless blessings which British Rule has conferred
upon this country, to give expression to the feelings of gratitude
which are uppermost in their hearts. We feel it really an honour that
we are able to show our appreciation of British Rule in the presence
of the eminent soldier and statesman who has taken an important
part in making the India of to-day what it is--contented within
and strengthened against aggression from abroad. The Punjab is
the province where the military strength of the Empire is being
concentrated, and the bravery of the warlike races inhabiting it,
which furnish the flower of Her Gracious Majesty's forces of the Army
in India, has been conspicuously displayed on several occasions during
the last thirty years. We Hindus have availed ourselves the most of
the facilities which British Rule has provided for the progress of the
people in commercial enterprise, educational advance, and political