OUR LATE QUEER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1509, 31 January 1901, Page 31

OUR LATE QUEER.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE FUNERAL.

GREAT GATHERING OF ROYALTIES.

LONDON, January 28. Every available warship is assembling at Spitbead to participate in t!ie Qsseen’s funeral. The Queen's body will be removed to Windsor on February Ist via London. The Channel Squadron will escort it to Pba-tsinoath. The funeral will be at Windsor, and the interment at Frogmore, on the 2nd. Before her death, the Queen expresses! ai wish for a military funeral. This is interpret ed as proof of her love for the «rmy, of which she was technically the head. There will be no lying-m-state beyond the coffin being allowed to remain for a few days in the diningroom at Osborne.

" The Duke cf Norfolk, Earl Marshal, notifies that - it. is v expected, in pursuance of the order of the King in Privy Council yesterday, that all persons will go into mourning from the 28th. The Dutch churches at. the Cape are draped in black. The Dutch and British, for the first time for many years, are sincerely united in sorrow and mourning. The burghers of Pretoria show respectful sympathy. - During her Majesty’s last moments, the Bishop of Winchester and the Hector of Whippingham read special pray ers in the Queen’s room. The Bishop, late in the evening, conducted a short seavice in the death chamber in the pres • ence cf the Royal Family. There is sincere mourning for she fate Queen in Germany, Denmark, and Italy.

Two thousand persons attended morning service at St Paul’s Cathedral, and five thousand evensong with a special memorial service. A similar service is held daily, The annual festival of St. Paul’s has been postponed. The Court of Russia goes into mourning for three months. The Sunday School Union is organising memorial services for February 3rd, and suggests that similar bodies in the colonies should do the same.

Purcell’s music will be conspicuous in the Queen’s burial service. Emperor William, the Crown Prince or. Germany, Princess Henry of Prussia, Archduke Francis Ferdinand (nephew and heir-presumptive to the Emperor of Austria), the Crown Princes of Portugal, Greece, and Belgium, the Dukes of oaxe-Goburg, Aosta, Chartres, and Aratulf of Bavaria, the Grand Duke or Hesse, the Crown Prince of Denmark, and many other royal personages wil'. attend the funeral.

The German Emperor will remain in England till the end of the ceremonies. . , The German warships Hohenzol' er u and Kaiser Wilhelm will also remain ill British waters.

The Poet Laureate (Mr Alfred Austin) has written a poem entitled ‘‘Victora.” Eighty-one minute guns fired in St. James’s Park, London, and in every fortress of the kingdom, announced the death of the Queen. The theatres are closed until the funeral. Musiohalls will close on the day •f the funeral.

- The spontaneity with which the geneatol public has adopted mourning fo phenomenal. The Agents-General have written to ■fchp King expressing their condolence on tfc'e death of his august mother. ‘ The Irish Nationalist newspapers pay respectful and frank tributes to the late Queen’s great personal virtues. There .will be general mourning for sis weeks in Malta. The Australian troops under MajorGeneral De Lisle heard of the death of tiie Queen on arriving at Olanwilliam, Cfcpe Colony. They were terribly shockand grieved. MCr Yarn Wyck, Tammany Mayor of Jfaw York, rvf'ctse* to lower the flag to kalf-mast i* th© Queen’s feoaour. Along miles of Fifth Avenue drooping flag# are display od. The English competitors, and several Australians declined to shoot for the two thousand guineas pigeon prize at Monte Carlo as a sign of mourning, it was considered that Mclntosh, aw Australian, would prove the winner. TRIBUTES BY IMPERIAL MINIS-. TERS. : , LONDON, January 26. V Lord. Salisbury, speaking in the House of Lords, was almost overpowered with emotion. He declared that the abatement of social friction, the increase < f public prosperity, and the expansion of tSaa tact and wisdom, the passionate devotion and the incomparable judgment of the deceased Sovereign, who was a great instance of government by example, esteem and lord. , Mr A. J. Balfour (Home Secretary), speaking in the House of Commons, said the importance of the Crown m the Constitution: was ah increasing factor.

Every citizen felt the irreparable personal loss of the Queen, who was without an enemy in the world. Even those who loved not England loved her. MOURNING ON THE CONTINENT “VICTORIA DAY.” LONDON, January 26. The Belgian Court will go into mourning for eight weeks ; Roumania for six; Greece and Bulgaria for four; Bavaiia, Wurtemburg-and Montenegro for three; Italy for two. Archbishop Vaughan lias issued a pas-toral-eulogium. The Emperor of Austria is sending from his conservatories wreaths made exclusively of such as are grown in Britain and Greater Britain.

A magazine states that Canadians are unanimously in favour of retaining Mav 24th as “Victoria Day” and a public holiday

PARLIAMENTARY CONDOLENCES. FINE SPEECH BY MR BALFOUR. LONDON, January 26. The Grand Duke and Duchess Sergo will represent Russia at the funeral. The French and other navies will be represented at the obsequies. The membeirs of the Houses of Lords and Commons will meet the coffin at Victoria Station and march in procession to Paddington Station. , The coffin will he carried on a gun carriage. The obsequies in London will consist of a military pageant. The remains have now been coffined. After special religious service yesterday the coffin was taken to a. Chapel of Rest in the dining-room at Osborne. Only ai privileged fetw were admitted to see the coffin, including those on the Queen’s visiting list, the Mayors of municipalities in the vicinity and officers in uniform. King Edward’s message to Parliament states that he is conscious Parliament will share his and the nation’s deep sorrow. The Queen’s devotion to the welfare of the country and people, ner wise, beneficent rule! and glorious reign would ever be held in affectionate memory by his loyal and devoted subjects throughout the dominions of the Empire. Addresses of condolence with the Royal Family and congratulations to the King have been passed by Parliament. Lord Salisbury, Lord Kimberley, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Hon. A. J. Balfour, and Sir Henry CampbellBannerman paid high tributes to the Queen. Mr Balfour’s speech was the greatest piece of oratory he has ever given to Parliament —simple yet touching and magnetic.

The Archbishop of Canterbury testified to the influence of the Queen’s truly religious and domestic virtues on the whole nation.

The King and Lord Roberts will ride at the head of the London precession.

MOURNING IN THE ARMY AND NAVY. LONDON, January 26. The period of mourning for the army has been extended to July 24th. The officers of the British navy will go into mourning for six years (Pmonths). Lord Kitchener has issued a special order expressing the great grief of the army in South Africa,. THE KING’S THANKS. * LONDON, January 27. King Edward has cabled that he is much touched by the sympathy of Canada. His Majesty has also thanked President McKinley, adding that he had felt sure Mr McKinley and America would share Britain’s loss. LONDON, January 27. The allied fleets in Chinese waters fired minute guns when news of the Queen’s death was received.

All the corps of the garrison (including the Garrison Band) will take parton Saturday afternoon in a ceremonial church parade to be held during the service at the Parliamentary Buildings. His Excellency tihej Governor, in a letter to Mr G. Fisher (Consul for Italy) has acknowledged receipt of the address from the Italian community on the occasion of tliel Queen’s deatn, and expressed .his gratification for the expressions of sympathy contained therein. Mr George Fisher, who attended all the public ceremonies in connection with the Queen’s death as a member of Parliament, has made an official call on the Governor as Consul for Italy.