THE PASSING OF THE GREAT QUEEN.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13738, 20 May 1910, Page 8

THE PASSING OF THE GREAT QUEEN.

QUEEN VICTORIA'S FUNERAL. FROM. OSBORXKTO WINDSOR. Tho following is «■• account of the funeral of Queen VictorTa. on February Ist and 2nd, 1001:— As thc mournful proccf&ion begon its sorrowful march from Osborne at halfpast one in the afternoon, thc pipers played the plaintive funeral dirge of the Black Watch. Every eye, as the cortege passed, was riveted on the guncarriage. Over the poll, of finest white and gold embroidery, was stretched the Royal Standard, and on the flag were the crown, the orb. and tho sceptre, symbols of power and majesty, now for ever laid aside. Behind tho pincarriage walked thc King, with head I .owed ;on his right hand his Imperial nrphew, the Emperor William, and on his lr-ft his brother, the Duke of Connaught. The Kins "nd tho (iernmn Emperor wore tho uniforms of British Admirals, and the Duke of Connaught was in that of a general. The sijiht of tho Royal uniforms reminded one that our sailor Prince, the Duke of Com wall and York, was absent through illness, and the hearts cf all who l-r.okod on as the sad procession ixisscd went out to the Royal Grand-son of our beloved Queen Victoria, who was thus prevented from paying his last respects to her memory. After the King and his two R.yal relations came the Crown Prince of Prussia, Prince Henry of Prussia, Prince Christian of Sehleswig-Holstein, the Duke of Saxo-Coburg, Prince Arthur ol' Connaught. Prince Charles of Denmark, and Prince Louis of of Battenbtirg. All the Royal mourners went' on foot, and it was touching to see Queen Alexandra and the other Royal ladies, with their mourning veils nearly reaching to their feet, .pass slowly by. Tho Duchess of Cornwall and York turned back when the Admiralty Pier was reached, to return to the bedsido of her husband. The Royal ladies walked three abreast, and as they passed there were few in the crowd who were not moved. There was something in the Queen and Princesses following afoot, like the humblest of subjects, which appealed pathetically to tho beans of the spectators. As tho procession moved towards tho gates of the Royal estate, the /pipers changed their tune to the "Flowers of the Fordst"—a wailing dirge that has accompanied many a Highland chieftain to the grave.

As the procession reached the Queen's Gate tho pipers story**! playing, and the muffled drums, forty of them in all, rolled out with oft-recurring rhythmic heats, and then the massed bands burst forth with the magnificent music of Chopin's "Funeral March." At length tho Trinity Pier at East Cowos was reached. Outside the gates was a guarel consisting of a body of Princess Beatrice's Regiment of Isle of Wkrbt Volunteers. As tho gun - carriage swung through tho gates io the left of tho flagstaff, the muffled drums of the majseel banels irolled out solemn funeral notes. Tho King, tho German Emperor, and the various Royal mourners, with their suites, halted as the gun-car-riage stopped in front of the steps, and saluted. Those officers who had the privilege of being aides-de-camp to Queen Victoria lifted the silken pall from the coffin. The bluejackets in turn lifted tho coffin from the carriage, and the solemn procession was continued from the. waiting-room to tho deck of the Alberta. The. King, tho Duke of Connaught, and the German Plmperor immediately followed, and stood to the salute as tho Royal remains were reverently placed upon flic catafalque, and when all was ready the Royal Procession began its progress through tho fleet. As the Alberta, with tho Queen on beard, guarded by her equerries, steamed away from her moorings with tho Royal Standard at half-mast, the whole military saluted. The procession steamed very slowly along the line. As the yacht approached, overy ship was manned, and minute guns boomed out, while the beautiful funeral marches of Chopin and BeefJhoven could onco again be heard floating over tho still water.

At three o'clock the first minuto guns wero heard announcing that the precession had started; at ten minutes past four tho first signal that the cortege was nearing Portsmouth Harbour was given by the firing of a minute gun from tho Victory. Hardly had tho Royal yacht been berthed than darkness began rapidly to gather; and then thc night guard began their vigils. At nine o'clock the following morning, Saturday, the coffin was taken from the Alberta and placed in the special carriage of the King's train. The train started for London at seven minutes, to nine, amidst the booming of tho guns from the ships. Portsmouth Harbour and forts. The coffin was carried from the yacht to the train by eight petty officers from the various Royal yachts. Her Majesty's crown, orb, and standard were carried behind. At seven minutes to nine the train started for London. IN LONDON. It was at 11.25 a.m. that the signaller at Buckingham Gate waved his flag to pass the wortl along the route' that all was in readiness at Victoria for a start, and almost immediately the words 'Slow march" were uttered, and the pathetic cavalcade started. The slackened drums boomed dully, and the massed bands of tho Coldstream and Scots Guarels, together with the bands of the Royal Marino Light Lifantry, the Royal Engineers and Royal Artillery. - played now Chopin's magnificent "Funeral March," now Beethovon's beantifnl and mournful strains. Every eye was strained to catch the first glimpse of the all invDortont feature of the sad pageant, and when it came it was like a brilliant burst of sunshine through the gloom. Thc gun carriage with the eight cream coloured horses in their gorgeous trappings, tho snowy whiteness of tho pall, the beautiful colour of the. Royal Standard, and \he dazzling symbols of Royalty—the sceptre, crown, and two orbs, which rer*osed thereon—-combined to make a hlr.zo of colour which came in wonderful relief to tho surroundings. The route taken by the funeral cortege on the journey from Victoria to Paddington was by way of Buckingham Palace road, the Mall, St. James's street. Piccadilly. Hyde Park (from Apsley Gate to tho Marblo Arch). Edgeware road, and London street. The streets, which wero lined by troops, were filled by millions of thc. late Queen's subjects eager to pay their last tribute of respect to their beloved Sovereign. Behind tho coffin, as chief mourners, weretho Kinc. thc German Emperor, and tho Duke of Connaught. These were closely followed by the Kings of Portugal and Greece, and by the King of the Belgians, tho licrman Crown Princo. Prince Henry of Prussia, md some forty other Royal personages. Tho procession included representatives from every European State. ;:s well «"s an imposing array of soldiers, sailors f»nd colonial and Indian troops. Pnd"inrjton was reached by 1 2.30. and tV>e Tfov.-l train eonvevin" the coffin of the late and the. illustrious mourners reached Windsor at ten minute* after two.