XIV] HISTORY OF BRITISH RCULE 529
Boers, in Somaliland against the Mullah, and in Pekin against
the Boxer insurgents. Many abuses still existed in the police Reform of
service, and charges of oppression and corruption in connexion police.
with it were not unheard among the people. In I905 the
numbers of the force were increased, the rate of pay was
raised, and improvements in training and personnel were
introduced.
In his relations with the Feudatory Chiefs, Lord Curzon The
laid stress on their position as his 'colleagues and partners Feudatory
States.
in the task of administration,' and lost no opportunity of
pressing upon them the duties and privileges of their high
station. He founded the Imperial Cadet Corps, to give
a military education to the sons of ruling and aristocratic
families. In 1902 an agreement was concluded with the
Nizam of Hyderabad, by which for an annual payment of
25 lakhs the British Government obtained a perpetual lease
of the Assigned Districts of Berar, subsequently placed under
the administration of the Central Provinces. A difficult
question that had existed ever since 1853 was thus finally
settled.
On the death of the Queen-Empress, January 22, I901, Death of
during whose long reign such epoch-making changes had taken Queen
Victoria,
place in India, remarkable manifestations of sorrow and Igo0.
loyalty were exhibited throughout the country. It was decided
to commemorate her name by building the Victoria Memorial
Hall in Calcutta, to serve as a National Gallery of Indian
antiquities, history, and art. On January I, 1903, Lord Curzon Corona-
proclaimed King Edward VII Emperor of India at the great tion
darbcar,
Coronation darbar at Delhi-a magnificent pageant attended 90o3'
by the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, and over a hundred
ruling chiefs with their retinues.
Lord Curzon returned to England for a few months in I904
and was reappointed to a further term of office; during his
absence Lord Ampthill, Governor of Madras, acted as Viceroy.
The chief act of his second period of office was the partition Partition
of the Province of Bengal. The dimensions of that Province of Bengal,
had long become unwieldy for purposes of administration. 1905'
Accordingly, in spite of a vigorous popular demonstration
against the change, the new Province of Eastern Bengal and
Assam, with Dacca as its capital, was constituted by com-
bining Assam with fifteen Districts of the old Province of
Bengal, under a Lieutenant-Governor.
In conjunction with Lord Kitchener, Commander-in-Chief
since 1902, Lord Curzon had carried out many important
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