CEREMONY EXPLAINED.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 814, 11 May 1910, Page 5

CEREMONY EXPLAINED.

THE MEANING OF THE. SILKEN ' CORD. LONDON CIVIC RIGHTS. The proclamation of King , G.eoi'go 'V will he :in this \l'ise: "That .the high ind mighty Prince Geol'ge Frederick Ernest Albert is now, by the death of our late Sovereign, of happy memory, become our lawful and rightful Liege Lord, George V, by tho grace, of God King of tho United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the seas, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, vo whom we do acknowledge all .'faith and constant obedience with all hearty and humble affection. beseeching God, by' whom Kings nnd Queens do reign, to bless tho Royaj Prince- George V with long and happy years to reign over us." 'When the clos-,' uitf word of the proclamation is heard, tho Deputy-Garter cries out, "God-. Save the King." ' The trumpeters below St. James's Palace blow a flourish, the band strikes up the . National Anthem, and the crowd waiting outside the Palace gates sends up a thrilling volley of cheers. Theii the State carriages are reached, and the officials who are to form the procession' oi cavalcade througu the streets .for the accomplishment of the Proclamation take the places assigned to them. , . ' King Not in Procession. In the first carriage (writps the Auckland "Star") are seated tho Sergeahts-at-Arms, in the second tho three Pursui-vants-of-Arms, while if tho three Heralds do not ride on, horseback, they occupy a third carriage, as was the case on the accession of King Edward, the. ceremonial on that occasion being divested 3f much of its usual .antique gorgeous.ness, and while retailing all.the requis.ile forms, being made as Simple and unlhedtric as possible. It is an indispensable part, of the Coronation ceremonial that the new Sovereign should be duly proclaimed, and tho officials entrusted with tho duty of accomplishing the Proclamation are tlie. Officers of Arms. On the occasion of His late Majesty's proclamation the King himself did not take part in Hie procession. This absence of the Sovereign was' not in accordance with most of tne precedents, and was the .cause of some disappointment to the crowd which had assembled outside tho Palace in the hope of seeing the new King; but in this, as in other instances, tho departure from precedent was owing to the desire of King Edwnrd to avoid all possible temptation to undue and perilous pressure among the masses thronging tho streets. "Knockihg at the Gates." Afler the Proclamation is read lo (he crowds oulsido the Palace, the procession moves towards >lie eity. When tho procession reaches, the eastern end of tho Strand where the Law Courts stand, a momentary halt is called. In former days . ,th» viay into Fleet Street was obstructed I,

by the picturesque old gateway known as taiplo Bar, marked in memory with many brilliant, many grim historic associations. It was (ho custom for tho City leathers to close the gates of Temple liar when a procession escorting Royalty or a Royal menage was known to be approaching. The idea was that the ♦.ondon Corporation thus averted ils civic righto and civic ownership against nil intrusion, even that of Uoyaity itself, Mid thus compelled the visitors to eo throtigh the ceremony of knocking at tho gates and requestirig-permission* to enter boloro they could obtain admittance within tho precincts of the city. Of late year's, however, Temple liar has disappeared, and only a crimson rope drawn Across the street forms on these occasions the symbolic barrier between' Westminster and the City of London. Rouge Dragon Seeks Entry. The procession ceremoniously acknow* ledges the existence of the barrier, and the Royal official who it. known by his title of Rouge Dragon, accompanied bv two trumpeters, advances on foot towards the crimson rope. The City Marshal gives the usual challenge, "Who comes there?" and Rouge Dragon explains the purport of his coming, which is to demand entrance for tho Oflicers-of-Arms : to proclaim the new Sovereign. The Lord Mayor directs that the .Officers shall be duly admitted, and tho procession then passes 'through tho city to the Royal Exchange, where the Proclamation is read and trumpets are sounded. Shouts of "God Savo tho King" again rend the air, and after the National Anthem is sung by the assembled people the procession is joined by'tho City authorities* and moves on to Wood Street, where, at the site of the Old Cross, which was removed during the Cromwellian time, the Proclamation is repeated. And so the pageant passes through tlrc city, ceremoniously announcing to tho liege subjects of tho British crown that King Kdward VII is dead. "Long Live King George V." .