CORONATION SCENES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 27, 26 July 1911, Page 3

CORONATION SCENES.

AX AMERICAN DESCRIPTION. • BRILLIANT AN 11 DIGNIFIED. Tin; American paper-, which arrived! by last week's mail, contain graphic descriptions of the King's Coronation. The I following description of the scene in London is taken from Ihe New York 1 Evening Post, of June 22: I "King George V. was consecrated today to the service of the British Empire, and in turn received the public homage of his world-wide subjects. The Coronation services, solemn and iinpos- ' ing, were those handed down from the' centuries, and the actors in the prin-' cipal secondary roles of to-day's great function were dressed in reproductions of the multi-colored gold embroidered trappings worn by their ancestors in bygone generations. They made a wonderful effective setting around the central figure. ' "Outside, the usually dull" street had' been transformed into a mass of color. The progress of the King and Queen to the Abbey and the return to Buckingham Palace was one unbroken triumphal succession. It was a proud day for the British Empire, but of all its* millions the one who, perhaps, had the most reason to be proud was denied by Court etiquette the joy of witnessing the triumphal event. At Sandringham Palace the Queen Mother, Alexandra, awaited the news that her son had taken his place in the long line of British monarchs. '•'Those who think the Britisher too cold-blooded to get enthusiastic, ,sliould have seen him 'coronate' to-day. He is fit to stand beside the most rampant 'Fourth of Julyer,' or French celebrator of the anivcrsary of the proclamation of the republic. It was a brilliant and lively scene, somewhat marred, to be sure, by dull weather and showers." "It was a great day for 'Tommy Atkins.' Sixty thousand of the Empire's picked men lined the processional route, and. as they swung along to tht'ir assigned places with a cocksure stride they were cheered vociferously . There were men in every uniform known to the j British army; here and there a group of i the ever-popular bluejackets, and scat-1 tcred along the route colonial troops in I their workmanlike khaki—white and col-1 ored troops gathered from north, south,! each and west. *THE QUEEN NOTICEABLY NERVOUS.

"The Queen was .1 magnificent figure, and most attractive in her gorgeous apparel. She wore quantities of diaiiMiids about her neck and bodies; but none on her head. She was noticeably nervous as she entered the Abbey. During the anointing and crowning of the King the Queen wept, and afterwords' she frequently placed hi-r handkcrchii ' to her eyes. She made a splendid picture as, after her own coronation, with the crown on her head and the sceptre in her hand, and in her dress of cloth of | gold, its train of purple velvet stretching 20ft behind, she knelt before King, George's throne, and then rising took her seat beside, but below, that of her] husband. Meanwhile the choir chanted, exquisitely. THE KlN'fi. ''The King, In red velvet, the cap of State, and other headgear, recalled old I pictures of Tudor scenes. When he passed the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Connaught he exchanged bows with them, but when he passed the Queen, husband and wife made deep obeisance' one to the other." A CHEERFUL CROWD. Crowds waited up all night to see the processions. They were good-natured, and no incident was tor, trivial to start them waving flags, choiring and singing the most popular song, '-Every Girl Loves a Soldier," sung with much gusto when a body of troops marched past, and varied to suit the occasion if the marchers happened to be sailors.'

A DIGNIFIED SERVICE. "The musical part of tlio son-ice in the Abbey was enchanting. and in the whole ceremony there was nothing tawdry, nothing common. It was intensely dramatic, Jmt not theatrical. The actors filled their roles with dignity. Altogether it was a noble picture iii a superb, setting. THE PROVINCES REJOICING. "Not only London and the other large cities of the Empire, but every village and hamlet in the English provinces participated in the national rejoicing. Wherever a British garrison or warship was stationed royal salutes were fired. At the moment of the crowning at Westminster the great fleet gathered at Spithead crashed forth welcome to the 'Sailor King,' and the foreign war vessels and merchant, ships in the harbor joined in the salute. As soon as it was known that the Crown had been placed on the King's head locomotives whistled, steamships 'sirened' and church hells broke out into a merry peal. All over the country the people made a holiday with picnics, sports, parades and fireworks."

TITE CORONATION' BANQUET. • A cablegram in tin' San Francisco Chronicle gives the following account of the great banquet at Buckingham Palace:—

"The most regal palace of King or Emperor ever witnessed, and a gorgeous Sbakcsperean ball under the auspices of noted society leaders stand forth as shining features of the second day of Coronation Week. The banquet' in Buckingham Palace on June 20 was a scene of Imperial grandeur so far as the assemblage of Royal and eminent personages, and the setting of' costly magnificence and beautiful decoration could make it. The King and Queen entertained the visiting arid "English royalties, all the special foreign delegations, the foreign Ambassadors and Ministers, the officers of State and the Household, the members of the Cabinet and former Cabinet members, the heads of the Church and judiciary, and of the Army and Navy. The two largest apartments in the palace—the lwllroom and' the picture gallery, which adjoin—were utilised as a banquetting kali. On the tables were displayed the Royal gold plate used only on historic occasions. The plate for the most part was obtained in the reigns of the four Georges, anil the principal piece is a massive peacock captured in one of the Indian wars, whose tail is studded with diamonds. Cut glass worth a fortune, ivory decanters 'hundreds of years old, and old wines dating back more than a century were on the board.

"Tho gallery holds more ti an 800 pictures. The decorations in both rooms are largely of gold, and the background was embellished with banks of palms anil giant lilies, white orchids, roses ,and ferns were, stacked on the tables. Yeomen of the iiii.in! ranged about the walls, and all the dititrs wore their richest uniforms. A MAGNIFICENT BALL. "The Shakesporeau ball was held in the Albert TTall, which was elaborately decorated. The dancers numbered thousands, while +OO boxes were occupied by representatives of foreign nations-, and the most prominent officials. As many as 29 quadrilles were danced simultaneously, the participants representing groups of characters from Shakes peare's play, beading actors and actresses took part in these quadrilles along with the leaders of the snuri; set.