e to meet the shooting party. Rode on elephants, in
rather tumble-to-pieces howdahs. Saw many black and grey partridges,
quail, deer, and jungle-fowl, but could not shoot any on account of
the unsteadiness of the howdahs. Grand durbar at the Maharajah's
palace in the evening. Four thousand candles in glass chandeliers.

[Illustration: The Kutub Minar]

[Illustration: Base of Kutub Minar]

_Tuesday, January 25th._--We were honoured early this morning with a
visit from the three members of the council of regency. Sir Deva Sing,
the president, is a man of distinguished presence and graceful
manners. In the course of conversation we endeavoured to elicit his
views on several points. Tom questioned him as to the relations
between the Government of India and the native states, and told me
that he said, speaking for Patiala, and indeed for the native states
generally, there were no grievances of which they could complain.
Patiala sent a contingent to the last Afghan campaign. Sir Deva Sing,
referring to our policy in Afghanistan, thought it would be wise to
advance the frontier to the further limits of Afghanistan. He
advocated this step solely on the grounds of prestige. Turning to the
condition of the native army, he thought it desirable to improve the
position of native officers in the British service. They are not
dissatisfied with the actual conditions; they are prepared to fight to
the last in support of England; but they would appreciate any step
which could be taken to put them on a level with British officers.

[Illustration: Old Delhi and Weapons]

A visit to Patiala suggests some general reflections. Under native
rule, roads, sanitation, education, everything which belongs to the
higher civilisation, is neglected, while money is lavishly spent on
elephants, equipages, menageries, jewellery, palaces, and barbaric
splendours of every kind. It is a great abuse, much needing
correction, that the native states, though they have received from the
British complete guarantees against foreign invasion and internal
rebellion, maintain armed men, for the vanity of military display, to
the number of 315,000.

It would have lightened our burdens greatly if the internal government
of India could have been left under native princes. Such an
alternative, unfortunately, was not open to us. The native rulers
would have proved for the most part incapable of the task. They would
have been led on by internecine warfare to mutual