a's viceroy, those of the President of the United States appear
insignificant. But oriental show and parade are expensive, so expensive
in fact, that a viceroy is forced to make liberal drafts upon his
private purse.

India may have had as capable rulers in the past as Lord Curzon, but
rarely one more tactful or courageous, and never one having the
assistance of a vicereine possessing the charm and lovable qualities of
the late Lady Curzon. Her splendid work in behalf of the natives,
especially the women, endeared her to all Indians. The Delhi durbar in
1903 honored Edward VII in a degree unsurpassed, but was a greater
personal triumph for Viceroy Curzon and his accomplished consort from
Chicago. His administration had many perplexing situations to deal with
and one of them forced his resignation. The constant nightmare of a
viceroy of India is famine, and twice Lord Curzon had to deal with
this--one visitation alone cost the Indian Government fifty million
pounds sterling. His understanding of frontier technicalities, and the
ways and wiles of native rulers--none too loyal to British rule,
assisted mightily in the successful administration of his high office.
Under the Curzons' regime Government House balls and garden parties were
counted the most brilliant occurring in the East.

A mighty personage in present-day Calcutta is General Viscount
Kitchener, commander-in-chief of the Indian army. In Egypt he reformed
the nature of the Nile peasant to the extent of making good fighters of
the sons of the cravens of Tel-el-Kebir; good enough, when led by
British officers, to annihilate the army of the Khalifa; and in South
Africa Kitchener wound up with success a war that had been horribly
bungled by others. Military critics had long been aware that the army of
India was antiquated, honeycombed with dry-rot, and largely ruled by
favorites sitting in high places at Whitehall. Consequently, Kitchener
was sent to India with instructions conferring almost plenary power to
reorganize the forces, British as well as native. He prefers work to
participating in the social game.

In England there is a growing desire that finds expression frequently in
the newspapers for Kitchener's translation from Calcutta to the War
Office in London, from whence the British army as a whole might profit
by the trenchant efforts of the Irish soldier who has seldom blundered.
As commander in India Lord Kitchener is paid a lakh of rupees a
year--$32,0