"ALIEN'S" LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3467, 24 August 1920, Page 48

"ALIEN'S" LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

iSpeoiallv "Written for the L«dft*' t'age.J

THE FIRST PEACE COURT. June 14.

The holding of the first Court since 1914 at Buckingham Palace was the big social event of last Thursday night. The daylight saving time, which leaves the evenincr still light at 9 o'clock, enabled the crowd gathered outside the Palace gates to see the arrival** —an entertainment only of lesser interest than the Court itself, and of special attraction not only to Londoners but to visitors. from over the different seas. Minus the veils and feathers, the ladies made a less imposing sight than in previous years, being dressed in the usual evening-party style, but, with great perfection, the debutantes in white. The Court was at 9.30, and the sun did not set till almost 9, so that the carriages went down the Mall in broad daylight, and glimpses were caught of the occupants. A large number of debutantes and young married women who

iad not had an opportunity of making their formal bow to their Majesties during the past six years were presented. The motor cars, two abreast, stretched in a long row from the Victoria Mouument to Marlborough House, halfway down the Mall. There were many large and costly cars, and occasional horse-drawn carriages. Long ago persons went to Court in painted family coaches, with coachmen in wigs and bright-hued livery and cocked hats, and footmen with staves standing on the board behind. That was in the days before trade unions and strikes, and democratic sovereigns (who order simplicity of ceremonial), or the new poor. The crowd to-day has its undenied part in every pageant, its unrestricted opinion of every personage and event, its freely-expressed And as every carriage came to a standstill the crowd frankly stated its views concerning the occupants, and the American accent Was audible among Cockney and educated English, giving, information to those uninformed concerning officially-garbed men, pretty girls, or great dames.

The scene of the Court itself was traditionally beautiful. The staircase was a blaze of colour with the uniforms of the Yeomen of the Guard and the Gentle-men-at-Arms and the Under-state Porters, who lined the way right through the grand ball and throne room up to the dais, draped with the gorgeous drapery brought from India from the famous Delhi Durbar. Many uniforms added to the splendour. Many stars and medals shone among priceless jewels. The picturesque Court dress of the men was an accompaniment to beautiful toilets. The Court was new to many. Three of the Royal children made their first attendance—Princess Mary, the Duke of York (Prince Albert), and Prince Henry,—an interesting event for the debutantes. Princess Mary and her brothers were as evidently interested in all that transpired. In the diplomatic circle was a new' Belgian Minister, a new Chinese Minister, and the first Czecho-Slovak Minister seen at a British Court. The German Minister, Herr Sthamer, wore a dress suit in place of the gorgeous uniforms worn by pre-war German representatives at Court. The King and Queen, followed by members of the Royal Family, entered the Throne Room at half-past 9, and the thousands of men and women rose from the crimson damask chairs and stood while the Royal procession passed to the dais. The King wore the, uniform of colonel-in-chief of the Coldstream Guards, with orders and decorations. The Queen was radiant in a gown of opalescent pailette of cream tint, with delicate green showing with every movement. Her principal ornaments were emeralds and diamonds, and a high crown with the orders of the Blue Ribbon of the Garter and the Crown of India. Princess Mary was simply and charmingly gowned in white, with pearl ornaments. The King and Queen stood in front of their thrones, with the members of the Royal Family grouped behind them. Facing the dais were the members of the diplomatic corps _ with their ladies. A continuous procession of those to be presented made their curtsey to their Majesties, marshalled one after another by the Court officials, then passed out of the Throne Room to other State apartments. The absence of trains, although detracting from the stateliness and grace of the ceremony, saved space and time. Among the most beautiful gowns of debutantes were combinations of white and silver. Mrs Lloyd George presented her daughter Megan, who wore a gown of white and silver and carried a bouquet of carnations. Among the women Mrs Asquith's gown was noticed, being of close-fitting sequined black, with black satin shoes with silver heels, and a silver lace "halo" round hsr head. Another notable woman -was Priscilla Countes3 Annesley, in black with touches of peacock blue, with diamonds. The Duchess of Buccleuch was magnificent in peacock blue and gold and diamonds. No champagne was served at the supper, which followed the presentations, but claret-cup, orangeade, and lemonade. An interesting event took place on the 9th, when the King (who wore the uniform of an admiral), accompanied by the Queen, the Duke of York, Princess Mary, and the Duke of Connaught, -visited the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, and, after an impressive speech declared open the Imperial War Museum. It was an impressive moment when the vast audience rose, and to the strains of the organ and massed bands joined the choir in singing Kipling's "Recessional." The morning sunlight streamed through the roof of the great palace of glass, adding brightness to the scene, nicking out every splash of colour. The King and Queen 'spent over an hour among the exhibits, the Queen looking very charming in a saxe-blue costume and toque with parasol to match. His Maiesty paid special attention to the relics of vessels engaged in the Zeebrugge fighting, and uncovered his head before the gun from H.M.S. Chester, at which Jack Cornwall, V.C.. acted as sight-setter in the battle of Jutland. . But all the Empire knows that gallant story. His Majesty also took great interest in the R.A.F. wireless telephone service, and carried on a conversation with a Bristol aeroplane operator on view at the other end of the museum. The museum is o storehouse for all time of relics that form a complete history of the war. Here a battle is reacted," a tremendous moment of defeat or victory; heroisms made fact. All the wonderful mechanism of war, its science, its grim realism, is emphasised. With such a museum the war will not be obscured by a mist of poetry. Children who were born while their fathers fought will be grateful in future years for this war-story in relics. There is a great deal of tenderness in the • hearts «>f the people not only for the fighters for «ur Empire who died, but also for those who live, and never while this generation Jives will that personal tenderness die. note that at every unveiling of Biemorial or at any function in connection irith the war there is, in every a

iaithful majority who honour the dead or help the living. In a very few weeks the Evening Isews readers' subscribed more than £15,000 in aid of the blind soldiers, and no appeal to the honour or kindliness of the nation where destitute soldiers are concerned is made in vain. The Imperial War Museum at the Crystal Palace will never lack visitors. And when our oversea visitors come they, too, will be grateful for the opportunity of revisualising the world's great tragedy. The week-end has again experienced terrible thunderstorms, accompanied by vivid lightning and torrential rain, the storm sweeping over the Channel to London and the Home Countries. At Purley, south of Croydon, houses were struck and set on fire by the lightning, and in _ Croydon wood blocks were washed up in the main street and carried away by the waters. Hailstones over lin in diameter fell at Guildford, with terrific rain, which flooded the main streets. Different parts of the Brighton road were flooded, and the heavy traffic of Saturday afternoon was greatly interfered with, motor caxs having to pass through water a foot deep. The morning and early afternoon had been hot, and all the open-air resorts crowded. Cricket and tennis were in full swing all over the country, as is usual on the summer half-holidays. An abrupt ending was put to the Hurlingham polo, the Olympic trials at Stamford Bridge, and the Richmond Horse Show, at which the King was present, and was caught in the E-torm during inspection, with tens of thousands of others. A number of people who sheltered under trees in various parts of the country were struck by lightning and killed. The Paris-London air mail was carried home on the tail of the storm in record time. But in London itself much damage was done, and alarm caused by falling chimneys. Princess Mary had an experience similair to that of the King. -She was in Hyde Park at the rally of 1500 Girl Guides. Her Royal Highness had barely reached an ambulance tent when the storm broke in its full fury, and soon fainting girls were being carried in, and to make more room the Princess and staff faced the storm in the open. Policemen out in the open spread out their arms tinder their capes and made shelters, as a hen does with her wings, under which frightened and drenched girls took refuge. In an hour thousands of summer toilets were spoilt. Chimney stacks fell in Clapham road and showered bricks and chimney pots. A church at Haggerton was set on fire, also the Tottenham District Gas Company's works at Edmonton. At Parson's Green (near Hurlingham) the lightning split a chimney in half. The suddenness and the violence of the storm seemed to puzzle the weather experts, who had predicted occasional summer showers.