DRIVE THROUGH CITY

Evening Star, Issue 26029, 18 February 1947, Page 7

DRIVE THROUGH CITY

. After a triumphal reception from the wildly-cheering crowd, estimated at 250,000,'during their 45-minute journey through Cape Town, the Royal Family went to Government House, where they will rest before the State banquet at the City Hall to-night. In the drive through the city, their Majesties .were in the first car, the Princesses in the second, with a mounted escort in front and behind. Then came five cars carrying the Governor-General, the Administrator of the Cape Province, the Mayor and Mayoress of Cape Town, and members of the Royal household. Cape Town is having a public holiday. CHILDREN FORM LIVING "WELCOME” , Reuter’s correspondent aboard the Vanguard says many thousands assembled on the hillside to watch the majestic array at sea. The light-grey hulls of the ships glinted, in thq sunshine.

As the Vanguard, Nigeria, and two Royal Navy sloops, preceded by three South African frigates, passed the suburb of Seapoint, 1,200 children, dressed in white, formed a living “Welcome” sign. •Everyone aboard the Vanguard, from their Majesties down, was excited as the ship entered the ’’ hole in the wall, which leads to the harbour.', The waters of Table Bay were mirror-smooth as the Vanguard made its way escorted by four tugs.

His Majesty, sunburnt and fit and wearing a light tropical naval uniform, came on the quarter-deck at 8 a.m., and remained there. The Queen and the Princesses, who were up very early to see the first sight of Table Mountain through the windows of the Royal lounge, remained in their apartment until the last minute, before coming to the saluting platform over the gun turret. The whole of the Vanguard’s company, in white uniforms, manned the ship.

The Exchange Telegraph Agency’s correspondent says the crowded city lies in a shimmering haze, forecasting another day of blazing-hot sunshine. Thousands of people are still pouring in from outlying districts, forming the largest crowds ever seen in Cape Town. No beds were available in the city last night. Caravans were parked along the sea edge, with people huddled , in blankets near parked cars. $

Men worked on the decorations at the week-end winding branches of pines and local flowers on pylons festooned with red, white and blue, and orange, blue, and white bunting. Bunches of fresh begonias and petunias add colour to the sunny streets. Many buildings are decorated with boxes of and the crests of the South African provinces, as well as “ welcome ” signs in English and Afrikaans.