THE MIKADO'S FUNERAL

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 16035, 16 September 1912, Page 7

THE MIKADO'S FUNERAL

IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES. WITNESSED BY ENORMOUS CROWDS. SUICIDE OF GENERAL NOGI United Press Association—By Eleotlio Telegraph—Copyright.

LONDON, September 13.

Flags on the warships of Britain were flown at half-mast on the occasion of the Mikado's funeral. At Tokio the ceremonies were witnessed by enormous crowds. The Emperor decreed an amnesty, and granted 1,000,000 yen to charities, assigning 200,000 yen to Korea. A Tokio message says that General Nogi and his wife committed suicide, concurrent with the Emperor's funeral. STREETS ABLAZE WITH FUNERAL TORCHES. A MIDNIGHT SERVICE. (Received September 15, 5.5 p.m.) TOKIO, September 14. A car, drawn by fiv a e oxen, carried the Mikado's coffin from the palace to tho Aoyama parade ground in the evening. It was accompanied by a hundred retainers bearing ancient symbols. Tho streets were ablaze with funeral torches and lanterns, and there was deep silence among the crowd. Five hundred British bluejackets were present. The Empress, with dishevelled hair, saluted the car. The service culminated a,t midnight with the Emperor's lamentation, and the Empress and other Imperial persons doing homage t 6 the dead. A gun announced the supremo moment to the nation, - and all work was supended for three minutes. Later the coffin was entrained for Kyoto. General Nogi occupied a modest home at Akasaki. He cut his throat with a short sword, and his wife stab-, bed herself in the stomach at the moment tho gun announced the departure of the funeral procession from the palace. Both were in full Japanese' costume, and drank a farewell draught of sake from cups presented by the lato Emporor, whose draped portrait hung on the wall. A letter addressed to the Emperor was found beside the bodies. A student who resided with General Nogi found both breathing their last. THE FUNERAL PROCESSION. QUAINT CEREMONIES. TOKIO. September 14. Foreign sailors participated in the procession, which was a mile in lencth. The hall at Aoyama accommodated 10,000 soldiers, siilors and civilians. Tho new Emperor, in the uniform of a generalissimo, Prince Arthur of Connaught, Prince Henry of Prussia and other envoys were in an prominent position in the hall. The Empress, Dowager-Empress and Court ladies wore hemp clothes. The coffin, consisting of 'several inner and outer caskets, was ten feet by five feet, and weighed a ton -uid a half. It was covered with white doth. The car wheels emitted melancholy sounds as they revolved. When tho coffin was placed on the car the' Imperial sword was laid at the head. Torches lit a military guard of 25.000 men, and a naval of 10,000. There were many attendants bearing white and yellow.banners, bows and arrows, shields and hs'berds. Musicians played ancient instruments. There were eight hundred torchbearers.

Tho decoration df the- streets cost £20.000.

Through tho grounds tho procession passed between giant mourning trees hung with black and white streamers with torches between, arc lights every sixty feet and Venetian masts swathed with black and yellow. Every house displayed mourning lanterns, which were distributed to the poorest free.

The pall-bearers included Generals Kuroki and Oka, Admiral Togo, Baron Saito and Admiral Ijuin. Tho fact that Marquis Katsura rode in the same carriage as the Emperor was much commented on.

The most striking moment of the ceremony in the hall was when the Emperor, after kneeling alone and praying silently, read an address of lamentation. Tho Empress next advanced and offered a prayer. The princes and princesses paid their respects,, then long natriotic addresses were read, and all tho notabilities and their wives did homage successively. The Emperor and Empress then retired. Tho squadron in Tokio Bay saluted their departuro for Kyoto." General Nogi yesterday had himself and his wife photographed. Ho attended the ceremony at the palace, and afterwards wrote letters explaining his intention, including one particularly apologising to Prince Arthur of Coniiaught. General Nogi's countrymen regard the suicide as a magnificent act of devotion.