Notes

Despatches reported that at the coronation of the notorious "Mr. A." as Maharaja Sir Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir (TIME, March 8) over 337,837 rupees ($125,000) was expended upon the hire and expenses of dancing girls, who were brought "from all over India" to entertain his guests.

For good measure, it was told that "Mr. A." flung a diamond necklace valued at 540,541 rupees ($200,000) to one of them, a nautch* dancer from Delhi.

Echoes of the so-called "typewriter scandal," precipitated when King George discovered that most of the typewriters used by the British Government are of U. S. manufacture (TIME, March 1), continued to be heard last week. It was revealed that the Prince of Wales possesses six U. S.-made "portables"; and yet both he and the Duke of York felt called upon to speak publicly in praise of British-made machines.

In the House of Commons, Mr. Ronald McNeill, the rubicund Financial Secretary of the Treasury, was asked: "What are so many U. S. typewriters used for by the Government?"

Blandly Mr. McNeill replied: "For typewriting."

The Earl of Scarbrough set out to lead a "Crusaders' Pilgrimage" to the Holy Land last week. He led the Earl of Galloway, the Countess Haig, the Countess Cromer, Baron Lamington and an odd hundred of almost equally distinguished pilgrims. He led them as Subprior of the English Grand Priory of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem (TIME, Jan. 4). He will lead them on a month's journey to the ancient crusading strongholds of the order--to Jerusalem, to Bethlehem, to Jericho. ...

*A performer of the nautch, an Indian ballet-dance in which the dancers sway and vibrate their bodies without moving from the spot on which they stand. By developing certain muscles, especially those of the abdomen, they are able to produce seemingly impossible twitchings and convulsions, which are highly esteemed.