Farewell Dinner to Prince Ranjitsinhji
Farewell Dinner to Prince Ranjitsinhji is an article published in the Aberdeen Daily Journal on 20 october 1908.
Farewell Dinner to Prince Ranjitsinhji
GATHERING OF CRICKETERS AT CAMBRIDGE.
A complimentary and farewell dinner was given to the Jam of Nawanagar [1] in the Guild-hall, Cambridge, last night, when the leading figures in the world of cricket met to honour His Highness on the eve of his return to his Indian home. Viscount Clifden presided, and had the guest of the evening on his right. The company numbered 150, amongst those present being Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Dr W. G. Grace, Mr C. B. Fry, Mr F. S. Jackson, Lord Dalmeny, Mr A. C. MacLaren, Sir E. T. Candy, Mr H. D. G. Leveson-Gower, Mr Arthur Priestley, M.P.; Mr E. M. Grace, Mr H. L. Simms, Mr C. L. A. Smith, the Mayor of Cambridge (Mr H. G. Whibley), Mr Tom Hayward, Mr A. A. Lilley, Mr G. Cox, Mr J. Vine, Mr E. Killick, Mr E. Arnold, Mr G. W. Beldam, Mr S. Hargreaves, Mr J. T. Hearne, Colonel Kennedy, Mr K. G. Macleod, Mr W. Richards, Mr A. F. Somerset, Mr C. J. V. Weigall, the Master of Downing, etc. The picturesquely-attired native servants of the Prince were in attendance on His Highness.
Apologies of regret were intimated from, amongst others, Viscount Curzon, the Duke of Beaufort, Lord Harris, Hon. Alfred Lyttelton, Lord Morley of Blackburn, Mr A. G. Steel, K.C.; Lord Desborough.
Lord Hawke, in his apology for absence, said — "I have had the very great pleasure of being the guest of my friend the Jam Sahib in India, where he has given me the best of sport after big game. I yield to no one in my admiration for him as a cricketer, so I am doubly sorry I cannot join you in wishing him bon voyage, and in expressing the sincere hope of all his friends that ere very long we may have the pleasure of welcoming him to England once more. I need scarcely say I am sure you will have a most enthusiastic gathering."
The Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University (Canon Mason) wrote expressing his sense of what His Highness had done to promote the right and proper relationship between Indians and Englishmen.
On the souvenir menu toast list was given Prince Ranjitsinhji's cricket record, which showed averages varying from 25.82 in 1893 to 87.57 in 1900 for Sussex. The Jam Sahib has been top of the averages on eight occasions, including this season. In first-class matches for his county he has on fourteen occasions scored more than 200, his top performance being 285 in 1901, in which season he scored 3065 runs in 40 innings. This year he again came out top of the averages, with 45.52; his best score being 200.
THE TOAST OF THE EVENING.
The toast "Our Guest" was proposed by Mr A. Priestley, M.P., who said that the cricketing career of him they knew best as Prince Ranjitsinhji was common knowledge to every school boy in the Anglo-Saxon world, and to the many thousands who had been fascinated and charmed by the marvellous performances of his wizard hand. What was the key to this romantic career? The Jam came from our great Indian possession over 20 years ago as an ordinary prince to this cultured seat of learning. What great gifts of nature were they which had enabled him in a few years, not only to compete with, but to teach something to the greatest Englishman at them own game?? They knew he had a quick eye. (Hear, hear.) At least bowlers did. (Laughter.) They knew that he had a wonderfully subtle wrist. (Hear, hear.) But was that the whole secret? Possibly there was something else — something more than physical aptitude, for all men who reached pre-eminence possessed a power of determination, a concentration of effort, and a perseverance which alone placed them on the pinnacle of success which the few great achieved. (Hear, hear.) In season and out of season, whether successful or not, there was one motive power in his cricket that dominated everything else that he did, and that was that he was playing for his side. (Hear, hear.) He was going back to assume duties of an imperative character, and he (Mr Priestley) was satisfied that the qualities that had stood him in such good stead in the cricket field would be equally valuable to him in the administration of his great dependency. They and tens of thousands in England wished him God-speed — (hear, hear) — in discharge of these responsibilities, long life, and a large measure of the happiness he had here provided for others. (Cheers.)
The toast was received with musical honours.
THE PRINCE'S REPLY.
His Highness the Jam who was accorded a vociferous reception, devoted the greater part of his speech to the relationship between this country and India. The honour done him to might be regarded somewhat in the light of a second installation as Jam of Nawanagar, and all the more gratifying it was to him in that it was a voluntary act of the people of this country. He ventured to say that there were no finer set of men in India than the loyal, educated chiefs. (Cheers.) A retired and very distinguished British general told him the other day that the existence of the ruling princes of India was now considered by the Indian Government as an essential feature of the government of that country. That feeling was creating a loyalty in India of which they had no conception. To Englishmen the King was a constitutional monarch, to Indians their Emperor was more than that — he was there by divine right, and they would do any mortal thing for him. (Hear, hear.) He looked to the future of Anglo-Indian relations optimistically and cheerfully, but if they were to pay their proper homage to their King it was only right the Governments of India should see that the authority of the ruling princes was respected, and that assistance should be given in making them respected. (Hear, hear.) He believed in the full justice and honesty of purpose of the British Government in India. There was not a service in the wide world which did its duty in a foreign land with a greater sense of justice than the military and civil servants of India, but where mistakes had been made — and no Government was perfect — he thought Caesar might unbend and acknowledge his error. (Hear, hear.) When they read of the malcontents in England, might he not make an apology for the malcontents of India. (Hear, hear.) He thought as an empire we ought to treat all British subjects alike. The closing of the doors of South Africa, Australia, and Canada to Indians had given rise to dissatisfaction just as unemployment had caused malcontents in this country. In concluding, His Highness said:— I shall leave you with a very sorrowful heart, but at the same time I am starting on my new career with this one high ideal, to do my duty to my country and my people, to uphold the honour of my house and race, to maintain the unity of our common empire, and to show unswerving loyalty to the person of my Sovereign. (Cheers. )
"Our Indian Empire" was proposed by Sir A. Conan Doyle, and Sir E. T. Candy, C.S.L., responded.
"Famous Cricketers and County Cricket" was proposed by Rev. A. H. F. Boughey.
Dr W. G. Grace, the first of a number of cricketers to respond, said he hoped Prince Ranjitsinhji would never give up cricket. Like himself, Ranji was not so thin as he used to be — (laughter) — but be ventured to say that he would never lose his form with the bat, and he was sure none of them would ever live to see a batsman who would beat their noble friend.
Mr H. L. Simms replied on behalf of the Sussex Club, and mentioned that to foster the game in that county the Jam had promised the magnifcent subscription of £150 a year for three years to help their nursery along. With Ranji in their team, Sussex were practically unbeatable. The secret of Ranji's success was that he had a heart double the size of other men's, (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Sussex wished him bon voyage and a speedy return.
Mr C. B. Fry said he had seen their distinguished guest make many hundreds and one or two ducks, but he had never come across anybody who could make a duck with such consummate cheerfulness. Never had he played with a man who was so entirely self-forgetful.
Mr A. C. MacLaren said that in Australia he had seen Prince Ranjitsinhji rise from a bed of sickness on which he had laid for three weeks and make a score of 170. That, he considered, was the Jam Sahib's best performance.
- ↑ Correct spelling : Navanagar.
