A STATE BANQUET.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 7 (Supplement)

A STATE BANQUET.

ITS SPLENDOUR DESCRIBED. DAZZIIiXNG DISPLAY OF PLATE. LETTERS OF SIR JOHN MONASH. Sir John Monash, who was in command of the Australian Forces during the Great War, wrote remarkable letters to his wife and daughter. His description in a letter to liis home of a State banquet at the end of the war at Buckingham Palace appears in "War Letters of General Monash": "After a wait of some ten minutes, during which the remainder of the guests assembled, we were conducted singly, each by an officer of the Household, with his wand of office, into the White drawing room, where the Royal Household were assembled. There was 110 formal announcement of names. Each guest wag first welcomed by the King, and by him presented to President Wilson, who stood on his right; then welcomed by the Queen, and presented to Mrs. Wilson. When each guest had passed he was ushered along a brilliantly lighted corridor, full of beautiful paintings, to the Banquet Hall, which was a blaze of splendour. In size it was about as wide and half as long as the ballroom of our Government House in Melbourne; richly decorated in white and gold, with six great crystal electroliers spreading a magnificent illumination. At one end was the dais and Throne (which remained unoccupied throughout the evening), and at the other end an organ gallery, accommodating the band of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. The whole corridor and the whole of the Banquet Hall were lined on all sides with bearded Yeomen of the Guard in their traditional Tudor black, gold, and crimson, standing at attention, with their pikes and halberds, throughout the whole banquet.

In rfddition, all the table attendants were in the Poyal livery, scarlet and gold, ' there being one to each guest, standing stiffly at attention behind his chair. The chairs were crimson damask with white and gold frames. The Royal gold plate had been brought from Windsor Castle, and made a most amazingly magnificent display. The table appointments, including plates, knife handles, forks, spoons, salt cellars, flower bowls, vases and dishes, were all of solid gold, highly polished, atid brilliantly scintillating. Each flower bowl was a beautiful specimen of delicate modelling, and most of them were large and imposing. The flowers throughout were scarlet and crimson, comprising chiefly azaleas and ranunculi. Around three sides of the hall were displayed great high trophies ef the remainder of the' Royal gold plate, trays, dishes, vases and salvers, each most exquisitely modelled and chased, and each specially illuminated by concealed electric globes, so that their polished surfaces reflected a blaze of golden light in all directions. On the walls were also three of the famous Royal tapestries. Except the small handful of naval and military officers, the guests were in evening dress (not Court dress), all wearing the stars and ribbons of their orders and miniatures of their badges. The ladies were in full evening toilette, with diamond coronets and necklaces. As soon as all the guests had taken their appointed places at the table, which was arranged in one great horseshoe, the Royal party entered, ushered in by the Officers of the Household, walking backwards and waving Uieir hands. The President led in the Queen, and the King followed with Mrs. Wilson, and then followed the rest of the Royal Family. The small procession was followed by "The StarSpangled Banner" and "God Save the King." The meal passed amid ii

loud buzz of conversation and laughter, and without restraint of any kind. Contrary to custom, the two toasts came 011 before, and not after, the dessert. When the King rose to speak the whole company, including the ladies, rose also, and remained standing while the King delivered his oration.

Water thrown from a bucket freezes before it touches the ground in OiMekon, a town in East Siberia, where the usual temperature is minus 102deg. Fahrenheit. This it stated to be the coldest place in the world.