COURT CUSTOMS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 566, 10 May 1913, Page 7

COURT CUSTOMS.

RUSSIA : GERMANY. "One Who Knows" contributes ai article of much interest to the July '"Strand Magazine" on "Customs ai Foreign Courts." Here are two ex tracts dealing with the Russian anc German Courts :

"At a Russian Court ball at tk< Winter Palace all -the men wear ribbons and orders, aud splendid uniforms" are seen, the officers of th< Imperial Guard resplendent in white and gold, the lancers in scarlet, th< Hussars in green, and the Cossacks in silver. The only black coat is that of the American Ambassador And nowhere else can be seen sue! gowns, jewels, and decorations. Russian' Court ladies wear a specia) Court dress, a glorified edition ol thi national costume. Black gowns ar< disallowed, as in Berlin. The ladies 'of the portrait' wear a miniature o< the Empress set in diamonds, ane the maidst of honour have her initial* in diamonds on a blue ribbon won on the shoulder.

"A Court ball begins at nine, ant everyone must be present before th< entrance of Koyalty. The ball opens with a dance called a polonaise, lee by the Emperor and Empress. Th< Emperor dances with a grand duchess and the Empress with an Ambas sador.

"Less splendid but even mor< choice are the smaller aud more intimate dances, called the bals dei palmiers. When these are given th( long gallery is transformed into e tropical forest. Among the scentec greenery are set little tables wit] supper for 500 persons.

"At the bigger Court balls as many as 3,000 guests are served at the same time with supper." The Gourt season in Berlin begins in the third week of January, ai-d ends, six weeks later, with a maskec ball on Shrove Tuesday.

"An Englishwoman of position whe ! wishes to appear at the German Court must find a friend who wili introduce her officially to the Oberhofmeisterin —a sort of feminine Lord Chamberlain —who is an arbiter of fate with regard to Court presentations.

"This dignitary holds a reception of her own previous to the Court, which] would-be presentees must attend, as it were on approval. If all goes well the aspirant is in due course bidden to a Court reception. "Courts at Berlin begin at nine. Full evening dress must be worn, with trains, but no veil or feathers, and black gowns are not permitted.

"The Throne Room is entered between double rows of pages in scarlet, and, after deep courtsies to the assembled Royalties, the ladies pass onward into the picture-gallery, whence they make their way into another fine apartment, where a band plays, and the guests are served with light refreshments."