LYING IN STATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14374, 19 May 1910, Page 5

LYING IN STATE.

SORROWING EMPIRE. MOURNFUL CEREMONIES. IN WESTMINSTER HALL. PROCESSION FROM PALACE. .'■;';" "X. ', By Telegraph.— Association.— London, May 17. The mournful ceremonies in connection with , King Edward's funeral began to-day, when the body was "removed from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where it will lie in state until Friday. • ■ The ceremony was an, impressive one, and was witnessed by immense subdued crowds in Pall Mall and Whitehall. The mansions at Whitehall were all crowded, both at the windows and on the roofs. Prior to the coffin leaving the palace, at the Queen-Mother's instance, a short service was held in Buckingham Palace, the Bishop of London (Dr. F. Winnington-Ingram) and the Rev. Canon Edgar Sheppard (Canon and Precentor of '. St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle) conducting. At 11.30 a.m. the procession started, the route having been lined from 8.30 a.m., the forces including 3000 men of the naval brigade. As the procession left the palace the Queen-Mother acknowledged the salutations of those assembled in the forecourt of the palace. The King walked behind the coffin. The coffin was carried into Westminster Hall amidst the roll of drums, the boom of guns, and the tolling of Big Ben. — "' . ; The remains were received with simple solemnity. The Primate and the Dean of Westminster, preceded by a golden cross, conducted the bearers of the coffin to the catafalque. On entering the hall, King George supported Queen Alexandra, while the Dowager-Empress of Russia was on her left. Princess Victoria and Queen Mary followed, and the Kings of Greece, Norway, and Denmark came next, followed by the Princes and Ladies-in-Waiting. Among those present were a dozen nursing sisters from the Royal Palaces. There was an immens'e number of officers and admirals present. Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener walked side by side, while Lord Fisher followed the/ admirals. .. . »*"«. . ,<-. .. t»*\. r After a short service the Primate (Dr. Davidson) gave an address. He emphasised that for the Christian death is swallowed up in the larger life, and remarked that common sorrow betokened "common hope. He urged his hearers to rise from sorrow to. thanksgiving for a ruler devoted to the service of the people, and for the peace and prosperity they had enjoyed during King Edward's reign. He hoped all would be united in the fight against all that was unworthy of our calling as Christian inheritors of a great Empire. . , . • The Queen-Mother Alexandra knelt in silent prayer after the service, and King George raised and conducted her out. Queen Alexandra and the Dowa- ! ger-Empress Marie drove to Buckingham Palace,. preceding King George, Queen Mary, and the. foreign Royalties. The Life Guards formed the escort. ■■ ■ - * ■ THE LAST LOOK. ENORMOUS CROWDS VISIT THE HALL. * A QUEUE THREE MILES LONG. (Received May 19, 12.25 a.m.) ; ■ London, May 18. The public were admitted to Westminster Hall at four o'clock yesterday afternoon to view the body of the King lying in state. Thirty thousand had been . waiting in ; a queue for an hour previously. ■■*-', By nine o'clock forty thousand had passed the bier, and 13,136 passed during the remaining hour. ' Four thousand, who were waiting their turn, . were disappointed, and dispersed quietly. King Alfonso • of Spain , visited Westminster Hall after the doors had been closed to the public, and jremained half-an-hour. To-day the queue began to assemble at midnight,; and, despite heavy rain, 50,000 people were waiting by eight o'clock. At 7.30 the line was three miles long, and although people were standing four to six abreast it stretched away to Lambeth bridge, Chelsea. * Ten thousand people are now passing the coffin hourly. As the day wore on the proportion of men amongst _£hose who entered the hall increased. In the queue are many artisans in corduroys, clerks, typists, shopgirls, and dressmakers. GUARDING THE COFFIN. AN IMPRESSIVE SCENE. THE GREAT HALL AT NIGHT. • (Received May 19, 1 a.m.) London, May 18. : A Yeoman of the Guard with halberd reversed stands at each corner, and four Gentlemen-at-Arms at the head of the catafalque, which is draped with cream satin. Two Grenadier , officers,, with, ; heads

bowed, and' leaning on their swords, stand >on either side, and two Ghurka officers at the foot of the coffin, all motionless. ....■„;,■..■ ~ ; .7.. The Kaiser's and other magnificent wreaths of lilies and orchidsiare ranged .along the sides of the hall, and the Queen-Mother Alexandra's cross of, violets and mauve orchids lies against the head of the coffin. - As night fell the gaunt, bare hall was lit by uncanny flickers from four candelabra, the same as' were used on the occasion of the Duke of Wellington's funeral, and which added a mysterious beauty of the.- scene. The only sound ■■ was the dull tramp, of thousands of feet. In the .early hours ■of the morning many well-dressed women, nur3es, clergymen, boys, and retired officers passed through and saluted the coffin. ..'.:' FOREIGN ROYALTIES. KING OF GREECE ARRIVES. (Received May 19, 1 m.) London, May 18. The King of Greece, the Crown Prince of Greece, • Prince Christopher of Greece, and.Prince Henry of Prussia have arrived. THE OVERSEAS DOMINIONS. COLONIALS AT THE FUNERAL. CANADA AND AUSTRALASIA. (Received May 18, 11.30 p.m.) London, May 18. Some comments have been published in the Canadian papers regarding the difficulties of giving places to representatives of the ''overseas dominions at the King's funeral. As a consequence of the intervention of Lord Strathcona (High Commissioner for Canada), the Hon. A. B. Aylesworth (Canadian "Minister for Justice) and the Hon. S. A. Fisher (Canadian Minister for Agriculture), the Speaker (Mr. Marcil), the Chief Justice of Canada (Sir Charles Fitzpatrick), Sir Daniel McMillan (Lieutenant - Governor of Manitoba), and the Mayors of Montreal and Toronto, have been invited to be present at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, hon Friday, and four Canadians will be included in the military contingent. , Anglo-Australians are gratified that the earlier announcement has been withdrawn, and that Sir George Reid, Mr. Moore (the West Australian Premier), Mr. Hall-Jones (High Commissioner for New Zealand), and the Agents-General for the various States have now been invited to be present at St. George's Chapel. The Australian naval draft is to. join the naval contingent in the procession, and Majors Buckley and Bruschc, Captain White, swad Lieutenant ' Macartney will represent Australia in the colonial nriVtary contingent, Colonel R. Davie? and Major Hughes representing New Zealand. ' : The Agents-General were specially invited to view the lying in state .at Buckingham Palace yesterday afternoon. At Sir Geo. Reid's instance, representative ■'» Australian journalists were invited to the Westminster service, f." ,\ ': ".' / '.■'" : '