The Chandni Chauk is an easy place for committing an
outrage, as owing to the trees in the middle of the road a procession is compelled to pass close under the houses, and the howdahs of the elephants are as high as the upper windows. Signed pledges not to harbour undesirable characters had been given by the owners of the houses, but in deference to their feelings the stricter course of stationing police in the houses had not been adopted. After the Viceroy had been removed to the hospital the Durbar was held by Sir Guy Fleetwood Wilson, and subsequently the procession returned through the Chandni Chauk. Everything was carried out in fact as though no-outrage had been committed. This was admirable, yet no more than we should have expected. Unfortunately, the assassin was able to escape, and at the time we write has not been arrested. A reward was offered for his arrest, and the sum was greatly increased by donations from Indian notables. The expressions of indignation and horror from the Indian people have been particularly noticeable. Yet there is a general opinion that the outrage was planned by organized conspirators. We have written of this subject elsewhere.
