THE LATE KING.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13737, 19 May 1910, Page 7

THE LATE KING.

FIRST STAGE OF THE FUNERAL. PROCESSION TO WESTMINSTER, THE LYING IN STATE. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. ' LONDON, May 17. The body of the late King was conveyed from Buckingham Palace to "Westminster Hall to-day. Immense crowds, subdued and silent, thronged the route, which was lined with troops. Thero were 3000 people at Whitehall, and the roofs of the adjacent Mansions were crowded. At Queen Alexandra's instance, a short service was conducted a& the Palace by the Bishop of London and Canon Sheppard. The procession started at 11.30, Queen Alexandra acknowledging the salutations of thoct; assembled in the forecourt of Buckingham Palaco, where the Royal Standard is now flying at the masthead, King George being theoretically in residence. The Coldstream Guards, in the centre of the Palace yard, formed « guard of honour, with draped colours. King George walked behind the coffin to Westminster. Lord Kitchener, Lord Roberts, and Lord Fisher walked side by side. The Speaker of the House walked between the Prime •Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The procession reached Westminster amidst the roll of drums and the boom of guns, Big Ben also tolling. The coffin was received with simple solemnity, tho Primate and "the Dean of Westminster, preceded by a golden cross, awaiting it at the door of Westminster Hall, and conducting it to the catafalque inside. Entering Westminster Hall, King George supported Queen Alexandra. The Dowager-Empress Marie of Russia ■was on Queen Alexandra's left, and Princess Victoria and Queen Mary followed. Tho King of Greece, the King of Norway, and tho King of Denmark, and the Royal Princes were present, as well as. the ladies-in-waiting, and au immense number of naval and military officers. Amongst others present were a dozen lady nurses from the Royal palaces. A large enclosure -was sot aside for members of the House of Commons on the south side, and for those of the House of Lords on tho north side. The Lord Chancellor, -with, his mace, confronted the Speaker, with whom was the mace of the House of Comn-ons. I , After the Benediction, the ■•■ Primate delivered an address, emphasising the belief that, for a Christian, death was swallowed Tip in a lnrgcr life. The Primate remarked that a common sorrow betokened a common hope, and urged his hearers to rise from Borrow to thanksgiving for a ruler devoted to tho service of his people, and for the peace and prosperity enjoyed during King Edward's reign. Hβ hoped that aU would be united in the fight against all that was unworthy of their calling as Christian inheritors of a greet Empire. Queen Alexandra knelt in silent prayer, and King George raised, and, with 'Queen Mary, conducted her out of Westminster Hall. Queon Alexandra then drove bnck to Buckingham Palace, preceding the other Royal mourners, escorted by tho Life Guards. THE KING'S ACKNOWLEDGE j MENTS. J (Received May 18th, 11.10 p.m.) LONDON, May 18. I The King, in identical letters to tho | Earl Marshal and tho Chief of Police, j says:—"l was impressed with the manner in which everything was car-' ried out at to-day's beautiful ceremony. Nothing could have been better than the quiet dignity of the tribute thus j paid to the memory of my beloved I father." FUNERAL INVITATION'S. COLONIAL REPRESENTATION. (Received May IStli. 11.10 p.m.) LONDON, May IS. The Lord Mayor of Dublin, who was invited to attend the funeral, has accepted the invitation. Anglo-Australians are gratified that the earlier pnnouncsment to the effect that colonials would take no part has been withdrawn. Sir George Reid, Colonel N. J. Moore, Premier of West Australia; tho Hon. W. Hall-Jones, High Commissioner for Xew Zealand, and the various Agents-General have now been invited to bo present at St. George's Chapel, Windsor The. Australian naval draft is to join the Naval contingent in tho procession. Majors Buckley and Bruscho, Captain Wlu'te, and Lieutenant Macartney re- j present Australia in the colonial mili- j tary contingent, while Colonel R. j Da vies and Major Hughes will represent New Zealand. Comments have been published in the Canadim newspapers regarding the difficulty of providing places for the representatives of overseas dominions at the funeral, and as a consequence (if Lord Stratheona's intervention, Mesers A. B. Aylesworih and S. A. Fisher, Canadian Ministers; the Speaker, •Mγ C. Marcil; the Chief Justice, Sir Charles Fitzpatrick, the Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba, Sir Daniel McMillan, and the Mayors of Montreal and Toronto have been invited to be present at St. George's Chapel. Windsor. Four Canadians have been included in the military contingent. THE LYING-IN-STATE. Tho Agents-General were invited to the lying-in-state at Buckingham Palace yesterday afternoon. The pnblio were admitted to Westminster Hall at 4 o'clock'. Thirty thous-