The Royal Progress through London

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7871, 5 August 1911, Page 17

The Royal Progress through London

REJOICINGS IN THE CITY’S CROWDED STREETS MARCH OF THE OVERSEA CONTINGENTS From Our Special Correspondent-Loud on, June 23,

FROM an early hour this morning enormous crowds assembled on the line of route for the Royal Progress through London. Slight showers fell between 7 and S o’clock, but the weather later became fine, although somewhat cloudy. There wore really three processions, (ho Colonial, the Indian, and the King’s. The Colonials got on the move first and marched un the Mall, where they commenced the procession. The Indian section followed the same route, and tho military part of tho Loyal Procession on leaving the Birdcage Walk passed into Victoria Gardens, skirting the Memorial on its eastern side, and passed to the commencement of the Xing's procession right in front of the Palace, following tho Colonial and Indian section at Constitution Hill. As the various details of the respective procession passed, the people along the route cheered with a will. As a spectacle, the procession was, magnificent. The Colonial Troops. The. Colonial section was headed .by Royal Horse Guards, a mounted band, and mounted aides-de-camp. Then there were detachments of King Edward’s Horse, and Canadian and Now Zealand troops rode immediately at the head ot the carriages in which the Colonial Premiers sat. There were seven of these carriages, and the occupants included Sir Wilfred Laurior, Mr -Andrew Fisher and Mrs Fisher, Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, General and Mrs Botha, Sir Edward and Lady Morris, Sir Charles and Lady King-Hannan, Sir Everard and Lady im Thurm,. Six* Walter and Lady Egerton, Sir Alfred Sharpe, and the Sultan of Perak and Kedah. As far as practicable, tho section representing eacli Colony and Protectorate was preceded by a detachment of its own troops. General Botha, Sir Wilfred

The King’s Speeches,

At Waterloo Place tho Westminste, City Council presented an address, anil in the course of his reply his Majesty said:

"Westminster, as the ancient seat first of the Government of England, then of the United Kingdom, and now of the whole Empire, is rightly j)roud to have been tho theatre of many events which have made their mark upon the history of mankind. “Among these scenes—sometimes of triumph and sometimes of tribulation—which have marked the fortunes of our State and nations, no happier series can be found than the crowning of tho long line of sovereigns who have carried forward the traditions . and inheritance of the British monarchy from tho earliest periods of our Island’s records to the broad light of modem times. "The solemn ceremony of yester-

'day, in which yon so earnestly shared, has added fresh lustre to the City’s ancient renown, and has made more secure than ever the special place which you hold in our affection.”

The ovation was continued along the route to Trafalgar Square* where a further address was presented by the London" County Council. In his reply# the King remarked that: ‘The prosperity and contentment of tho vast population whoso lot is cast within the boundaries of tho Council’s municipal rule, is in many important respects dependent # upon your* zeal and foresight. Slou conduct the affairs of a xiopulatlon and administer revenues which would not be unworthy of an important Sovereign State. In the zealous and. successful discharge • of this solemn trust the Council and Its officers afford the largest and most striking example of the British system of . local self-government. We are very ’ glad to have this opportunity , of assuring you wo shall always Rind you our encouragement in your efforts to hold London in the forefront ' of every movement ot social progress." Through the City. As on the earlier portions of tho journey, tho crowd in the Strand singled out many of tho distinguished personages for a special ovation, amongst whom wore the Colonial troops, Sir Joseph Ward, Sir Wilfred Laurier, General Botha, Mr Fisher, and , tho Indian Princes. The naval contingents also had a flattering reception. Tho cheering as their Majesties passed developed into one continuous roar. At Aldwych, tho King replied to an address from the North London Boroughs. The scene at Temple Bar was picturesque. The : Lord Mayor, accompanied by the City officials carrying the mace find the sword all mounted.

Laurier, Sir Joseph Ward, and other of the more familiar figures among the Colonial Premiers were heartily cheered. Tho Indian section was a gorgeous affair. It also was preceded by a mounted band and mounted aides-de-camp. There wore six carriages in this part of tho procession, and they were occupied by the various Indian rulers who had come

over for the Coronation. The Royal Procession

■i The Royal Procession was headed by troopers of the Horse Guards, and then t in turn - came detachments of the Royal i Navy and Army, and a great company . of Royal aides-de-camp. The Inspcctor- . General of tho Forces followed, and - there rode side by side Field Marshals Sir Evelyn Wood, Lord Grenfell, and 5 the war • office staff; next in'order‘came I tho foreign 'military detachments and f officers in charge, and then representa--5 lives of tho various foreign regiments I with which tho King and Queen are . specially connected, and in which they i hold honorary rank. t While these detachments were passing t along in front of Buckingham Palace to r the accompaniment of music played t-y j tho Coldstream Guards band in the Victoria Gardens, .many of his Majesty's t Royal guests at tho Palace and the young Princes and Princess watched tho panorama from the Palace windows. ! Leaving the Palace. > It was 11 o’clock when the King and : Queen left the Palace and entered their ; coach—not the magnificent State coach . used yesterday, but an open carriage, ■ known as the new State coach, which was specially made for the progress of King Kdwaxd and Queen Alexandra ten years ago. Tho King wore his Field 1 Marshal’s uniform. The Queen sat at his left. There were no other occupants of the State carriage. Bain was falling smartly as tho starting signal was given, but by tho time the Eoyal carriage was clear of the* shelter in front of the grand entrance, the downpour had ceased, and tho sun shone*out brightly exactly as at tho start of yesterday’s procession. The naval and military guard of honour sainted, and the National Anthem was played and was repeated several times. In the Forecourt, his Majesty’s mounted equerries, members 1 of the army council mounted, Indian aides-de-camp mounted, the, Colonial isoort, Indian escort, and the first division of a Sovereign’s escort of Eoyal Horse Guards, tho second division of tho escort, and other distinguished military officers, moved into position to precede tho State carriage. The band outside the railings took up tho National Anthem, and tho people at tho head of the Mall and in -Victoria Gardens cheered lustily. There was also great waving of handkerchiefs and flags. Lord Kitchener rode beside the Koyal carriage. First came the Standard, then Prince Arthur of Connaught, riding beside tho Duke of Connaught; next. Prince Louis of Batteuherg, the Duke of Teck, and Prince Christian riding side by side. Behind them wore Lord Dundonald. the Duke of Norfolk, wearing his uniform as Bari Marshal, and the Earl of Granard. Master of the Horse. The Eovai equerries came next, and were followed by the Field Officer in Brigade Waiting, Silver Stick in Waiting, the equerries J to Prince Christian, Prince Arthur, and . the Duke of Connaught, the Adjutant in , Brigade' Waiting, Lord Kitchener’s aid-do-camp, a party of • Eoyal grooms, the third division of tho Sovereign’s escort, : Eoyal Horse Guards, and the fourth | division of the same escort. The recep- ( tion accorded to their Majesties was in j every way worthy of the occasion, and. - not inferior to that which was given yesterday. t i A Brilliant Scene. <

reached • Temple Bar shortly before 13 o'clock. Exactly at noon the mighty cheers of tho crowd announced the ar-

rival of their Majesties, The £>tato carriages stopped just inside the City boundary. The Lord Mayor advanced, and, after bowing, presented the sword to his Majesty. The Lord Mayor made a few remarks, and the King smilingly touched the hilt of the sword. . The Lord Mayor then remounted his horse and rode off to the Mansion House, to bo in readiness to receive. their Majesties.-

Cheer after cheer was raised as tho Royal progress was continued along Fleet street, -up Ludgato Hill, past tho Bank, through Lombard street, and over London Bridge. At the. Borough jHigh street his Majesty received an address from the South London Boroughs, and in tho course of his reply said: *T3y tho improvement in the South. London Estates of the Duchy of Cornwall, to which you make such generous reference, I hope to do . something locally to mitigate and elevato the conditions under which so many of our poorer classes dwell."

The Eoyal progress was continued by way of the Borough road, “along Westminster Bridge road, and over Westminster Bridge to Whitehall, thence to Buckingham Palace. The return journey was made by tho various processions in exactly the same order as tho outward journey. The Colonial and Indian procession passed the front of Buckingham Palace just after 1 o'clock, and within a few minutes the military section of the Eoyal procession followed them- Just before half-past 1 tho State coach, drawn by its team of eight creams* passed along tho Mall towards tho Palace* and again there was a remarkable demonstration of loyal enthusiasm on the part of the crowd. Tho military around the Victoria Memorial and iu front of tho Palace gave a Royal salute, tho band played the National Anthem, and almost exactly at I.SO their Majesties passed within the precincts of the Palace after an altogether successful progress. At the Palace Windows.

Within a few minutes of their enter* ing the Palace there was a repetition of &he scene which yesterday afternoon marked the close of the journey bach to Westmister. The King and Queen went on to tho balcony in front of. the Palace and stood side by side, bowing and smiling to the delighted people below, who cheered wildly and long, ana continued the demonstration until, with a final bow, their Majesties passed again within tho Palaco.

The troops joined in ‘ the demonstration with the utmost heartiness. liedmets were removed, placed on the points of the swords or the muzzles of the rides, hud waved above the soldiers' heads. The volume of cheering was aX least equally as great as that of yesterday. Hut there was this difference, that the military demonstration to-day was an organised one, and was made by permission, instead of being, like that o f yesterday, an entire surprise. The Queen 'during the drivo to-day wore a white dress, and across her breast the -Blue RibamP of the Order of the Garter. Her Majesty wore a hat tc match the dress. It was trimmed with feathers in two shades of blue—cue, the Garter blue, and the other considerably lighter. The King also wore the Riband of the Order of the Garter.

The Royal stand at the Wellington Arch, Constitution Hill, was the scene of a brilliant spectacle. There sat the Prince of Wales and Princess Mary, together with the three younger Princes, and the foreign Princes and their attaches. with their ladies. The stand was a blaze of brilliant uniforms and sashes, glittering helmets, and decorations. On the approach of their Majesties the assemblage at once rose. The greeting was acknowledged by their Majesties rising from their scats, the Queen bowing repeatedly and the King remaining at the salute. . Along Piccadilly the' King and Queen were accorded a very warm welcome, especially from the shining array : of Peers and Peeresses and notabilities on the .stamp in front of the Duke of Devonshire’s house. Here were the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Karl of Selborne, Viscount St. Aidwyn, Mr Austin Chamberlain, and the Duke of Devonshire himself in full uniform, with many ladies. Their Majesties, looking radiant, waved very friendly greetings to all their friends on the stand.

Amid tumultous cheering and the waving of hats and handkerchiefs, the King and Queen passed slowly down St, James’, street into Pall Mail.