ENTHUSIASM OF CROWDS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 192, 11 May 1937, Page 9

ENTHUSIASM OF CROWDS

London Night Scenes WEATHER PROSPECTS FOR CORONATION Rehearsals of Ceremony ROYAL GUESTS ARRIVE AT PALACE By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. (Received May 10, 9.20 p.m.) London, May 10. Despite depressing weather conditions huge crowds maintained their enthusiasm in sight-seeing until past midnight last night. Weather experts refuse to make a definite forecast for Coronation Day, beyond stating that the prospects are for showery and sunny periods at least until Tuesday night. The “Daily Mail” says that many details of the coronation ceremony were rehearsed behind the scenes. Tbeir Majesties drove in Buckingham Palace courtyard in the golden coach. It is very highly sprung, and it was essential that they should get. accustomed to its swinging. Their Majesties also were able to observe how best to sit to enable the throngs to see their regalia. Half an hour’s interval between the end of the service and the start of the procession to the palace has been allowed to enable the King and Queen to obtain cold luncheon in an annexe and also to permit them to doff their heavy robes of purple velvet for a few moments. Their Majesties to-night met the Royal guests who are staying at Buckingham Palace. These included Princess Juliana of Holland, who arrived in the evening. MEANING OF CEREMONY Consecration to Service ' London, May 9, “Some people think these old ceremonies have no place in modern life. It would surely be as reasonable to think a medieval cathedral has no place in our life to-day because it is not of modern architecture. It is the very merit of the Coronation that it represents the whole course of national history,” said the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Cosmo Lang, preaching in a joint broadcast service in which the free churches and the Scottish churches participated. ‘‘Moreover,” he said, "it will be distinguished from former Coronations, as first, the whole world will be the audience, and secondly, it marks a stage in history, as owing to the Statute of Westminster the great Dominions will be mentioned by name, and will thus realise it is their King who is being consecrated and crowned. The presentation of the King at the four sides of the theatre in the Abbey will symbolise his rule over the Great Dominions in the four Quarters of the globe. "Three months ago I addressed the British people calling them back to religion as the one sure foundation of personal and national life. May I now extend an appeal to the Empire and also urge acceptance of the full meaning of the Coronation by ensuring that it represents the consecration of all his people in and with the King to the service of the King of Kings.” FOREIGN DELEGATIONS Distinguished Arrivals London, May 9. The Duke of Kent welcomed at Victoria Station Prince Nicholas and Prince Paul of Greece, .Prince and Princess Paul of Yugoslavia, and the Crown Prince Michael of Rumania. Among the coronation visitors arriving at Dover to-day are delegates from Germany, led by the Minister of Defence, Field-Marshal von Blomberg; from Poland, led by the Minister of 1 Foreign Affairs, Colonel Joseph Beck; from Spain, led by the Spanish Ambas- ■ sador in Paris; and from the Vatican, 1 led by Archbishop Monsignor Guiseppe Pizzardo. 1 ATLANTIC ROUND TRIP Airman Leaves America (Received May 10, 9.30 p.m.) New York, May 10. The airman Richard Merrill, who is : attempting to make a round trip across the Atlantic for the Coronation, took off at 4.35 o’clock yesterday afternoon, accompanied only by a pilot. The Department of Commerce refused a permit for him to carry a Wall Street broker as a passenger, as intended. The weather outlook is favourable. Merrill established two-way radio communication and is reporting hourly to Newark Airport. At 11.15 o’clock last night he reported that he was over Witless Bay, 24 statute miles south of St. Johns, Newfoundland. His average 1 speed was 172 miles an hour. i CANADA’S CONTINGENT i In Camp at Pirbright i i (British Official Wireless.) 1 Rugby, May 9. The Canadian Coronation contingent, 1 which went into camp at Pirbright, 1 consists of 299 officers and other ranks ‘ of the regular army, the militia and ] the Air Force. Thirty-five members of s the Canadian Mounted Police are at j Knightsbridge Barracks. , There are only four privates in the t contingent at Pirbright. It is made < up of two jfla toons of lieutenant- ) colonels, and there are nearly 80 war- ’ rant officers, either first or second-class. ' The rest are majors, captains, sub- , alterns and non-commissioned officers, ( The reason for this unusual make-up j is that those who have come over have j been chosen by their commanding offl- i cers solely because of their length of 1 service and devotion to duty. Over 75 < per cent, wear medals and decorations, ! and some were members of the Canadian contingent at the Coronation of King George I'. Every branch of the Canadian armed forces is represented, 1 and every district and unit from the i Atlantic to the Pacific. ji