At the Czar’s Wedding.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 8132, 16 January 1895, Page 4

At the Czar’s Wedding.

One of the London correspondents at the Czar’s wedding says Words and space alike. fail to enumerate the wondrous varieties of the uniforms of all nations, especially the Eussiah. Nearly, every regiment was' represented, the mpst picturesque uniforms being the dark Toherkess, the; scarlet Cossack Guard, the scarlet Cossacks of the Don (of all of which the Tsar is Ataman), the Bavarian blue and silver, the Chevalier Guards in white and gold and green and

gold. Tliere was an inexhaustible paletie of colours in each of the great salons later, what, with guards of honour, cavalry, guard- dragoons, hussars> in scarlet and white pelisses, apd,Chevalier Guards, having oyer- their; white uniforms corselets, of scarlet in lieu of steel. These were stationed in only two of the salons. The salons nearer the chapel wore assigned to infantry, the senior arm in tie- Russian service. Among the company; assembled were many Asiatics. Notable was General Genghis Khan, descendant of the famous Tartar sovereign, and a chieftain who fought for Russia in 1878 under General Schobeleff. Among the merchants represented was the Tartar head of the Guild, wearing over a velvet and gold uniform and orders, the Guild gown of azure silk. Facing him were Samarcand merchants wearing the lilac cap, covered with embroidery, and large pearls. Both the variety afidl extent of the empire were fully represented, the European side naturally predominating. At the door of every room stood two cavalry soldiers with drawn swords, brought to the cany when Field Officers or Generals passed. Altogether it was a singular mixture of European and Asiatic pomp and panoply. At a quarter to twelve a salute of fortyone guns from the fortress announced tlie formation of a procession through the private apartments, and half an hour later the gorgeous train moved slowly towards the chapel, preceded by the General commanding at St. Petersburg and the Prefect of Police. Nothing more imposing was ever seen, even in Russia. It rivalled, in my opinion, the Jubilee ceremonial at Westminster Abbey.