DEATH AND FUNERAL OF THE EMPEROR FREDERICK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1902, 26 July 1888, Page 3

DEATH AND FUNERAL OF THE EMPEROR FREDERICK.

The death of the Kmparor Frederick 111, took place at Potsdam on Juae 15th at twelve minutes after eleven o'clock. Daring the early hours of the preoedlug night the Emperor's physlolaos reported the patient In a comparatively favorable condition, but it waa not until about four o'clock m the morning of the 16th that untniatakeable signs of the end began to appear. At that time the patient grew roßtloßß but continually weaker, and members of the Imperial family were hastily summoned, aud remained waiting m an adjoining room m readiness to be warned tiiat the Emperor waa passing away, but no immediate change occurred from that time to ten o'olook, when the following bulletin was issued :— " Juie 15th, 10 a.m.— The KMser la now m a light slumber. He wakes at intervals, ia ( conscious, aud glfjs no indication of pain. H(b pulse and breathing are ye y weak." Soon after the substance of the ten o'clock report was ' known oame the announcement of tho Emperor's death Ii created a great shock, ah hough it had been for mary hours expected. The Emperor died without a struggle, and with a placid faoa. The on y minister present at the fatal moment was MenorgoDrme. the Oonrt chaplain, who admiuis tered oonaolatlon to the dying man Of the Royal Family there were around tho bedstead the Empreaa Victoria, the Grown Prince Willlarr, Prince Henry, Princess Victoria, Prlnoeofl Frederloko, Dowager Empress Augusta. Prince Blb marck, Sir Morell Mackecz'e and assistant physicians, and many members of tho household were also present. The room m which the Emperor died is not lOyda from the apartment In whioh he waa born It Is of medium sfzj. On the walls are portraits of the Emperor William, of all the Emperor's children, and balf-a-dczjn engravings of Frederick the Q eat. At the foot of the bed on an eaaei stood a portrait of the Empress. Confused accounts of the Erope:or'a latt hours say that suffocation was averted narrowly ; several times there were convulsions, followed by swoons. Nature gave the sufferer but little rest during his last hours. The Empress held the Emperor's right hand, and the Drown Prince and Princess stood on tbe left side of the bed, While life was passing away, the Emperor took Bismarck's hand m his own feeble grasp, and joined it with thai of the Empress as a token of hla desire for a reconciliation of all differences between his wife and the Prime Minister, Uatil late In the afternoon of June 14th the Emperor wrote with a pencil on little square paper tablets his last wishes. He also wrote regarding some family arrangements, and. added : — " I feel that Mackenzie? has done all human eoienoe, natohfulnesa, and skill could do to prolong my life, and I thank him. I have tried to do my duty to my God and my oonntry, and feel that tho end is now near. God's will be done." The came laurel wreath that his father had given Frederick after the battle of Woenh was laid on his body, whioh, after a post mortem, waa clothed m the uniform of a fields marshal. Immediately after the Emperor's death the Empress Viotoda ran from the bedside, and taking Lr Mackenzie's hand, said " The first words whioh I shall speak will be to thank you for having lengthened my husband's life." Preparations' for State balls, oonoerts and other festivities m London were stopped, and the parioo of mourning Is prolonged for some time as for a son of the Queen. A number of pubtio and private entertainments were all stopped. A rumor was current m Berlin on June 16th that, despite the entreaties of hla mother, the new Emperor caused aii autopsy to be held on the body of the dead Moniroh, the result showing that at tbe time of his accession to tho throne, he was ho victim of a malignant; form of cmcer. Under the Prussian constitution Frederick was therefore Ineligible to reign, and the widow's title as Empress Dowager was brought iDto question as well as the legality of the acts of the late Emperor. Sir Morell Mackenzie now admits that Frederick's malady wes cancer. a despatob of the 15th says Dr Mackenzie bad made a statement that there waa a fistula at the base of the larnyx, aud pneumonia rapidly developed, and the Empress was informed by the doctor on Wednesday that he had abandoned all hopes of tbe Emperor's recovery. la a final report on |;he dead Emperor's o&se made immediately after death, and prepared by command of the Emperor William, Dr Maokerz'e said— "ln my opinion tbe Emperor died of oanoor of the larynx. Ho adds that a proper diagnosis was vory difficult, as tbe disease attacked tho oartllago of the larynx at the outset, and afterwards developed qnlckly m the lower part of tbe larynx." Another despatch Bays " Professor Bergnianu made an external and Internal examination of the remains before they were arrayed for lying m State. He found unmistakable flignß of oanoer lv the Urynx. The post mortem examination was confined to a diaseotion of the neok, larynx and lungs, In the larynx, whioh was found destroyed by suppuration, was a cavity about the siz3 of the fist." The "National Zjltung" eayo the autopsy proved that the larynx wbb oomoompletely destroyed by cancer, and that putrid bronchitis existed. The painful sensation frono whioh tho Emperor Buffered during the last day of his life appears to have been dae to the collapse of tbe larynx, owing to the destruction of the oartilage. The direct oauao of death Is given as paralysis of the tongue. The post mortem o cupied one hour. The Emperor's c< ffin Is of oak, covered with purple velvet, and ornamented with gold handles and rails. Tn every detail it Is like the casket of Emperor William, The funeral services, whioh were held In Friedensklrche, on Monday, Juno l§th, were of a simple oharaoter, devoid of pomp and, to a great degree, of a military oharaoter. The Imperial family attended speolal funeral service m the J»Bper Gallery at 6 o'clock on Sunday, and requiem services were held m Berlin churches at 7 30 the same evening. By the Emperor's will, which was opened on the evening of tho day of hla death, his body was burled In tbo grounds of the Palace at Sana Souol, wheye his children Waldemar and Slglamuqd are Interred, Tho Emperor lay m Btnte m the room adjoining the one m which he died, it having been settled that tbo funeral was to be of a strictly private obaraoter. The Imperial and royal relatives and representatives of the foreign sovereigns were admitted to tho Ohurch. No grand preparations were made like thooe for the Emperor William's funeral. The representatives of Germany were notified to inform tho foreign Governments that, owing to the limited blzj of tho Ohuroh at Potsdam, where the servloo was hold, no large legations had been sent. The general mourning was limited to six weeks, and public amuaements were euapended for only two days after the funeral. It waa a favorite Idea with the Etrperor that the public should not be deprived of their buainesi or pleasure for any considerable apace of time on his aooount. Ho hoped to live m the hearts of hits pooplo as a bencfioent not as a sorrowful memory. 3§The procession started at an early hour from Frederlohakrow Oaatle, but the b&ro monies attending the sepulture of the reirjalnß of the Emporor were pot over before noon. The Empress Dowager yiotorla Beleoted the Bervlce, whioh consisted of the staging of hymna and other religious exercises. The obaequlea weiej In express accordance with the programme j and the prooeßslon an epitome, aa it were, of that of tbe late Emperor William. An immense and sorrowful throng witnessed the piißßge from Fradeclohakcow to

Frlodensk'ohe. At the latter plaoe all pomp oeaaed. The oaroraonies within were ample and plain, there, was no attempt at display. At the oloae of the bnrlal service th-re waß a volley of artillery. The Empress approached the coffin and bade hor husband a solemn farewell. Among the moat obs r.ved In the prooas Blon were the Emperor William, tho Prince of Wales, and the King of Saxony, who walked after tho hearse, Tho Count von Solberg bore tho Imperial orown m tho prooeeslon, Herr Makbaoh the soeptre, Dou Luoins the orb, Count von Sohellendorf tho sword, Herr Frledberg the great seal, and Herr von Hohold the eleotoral a word. General voa Blomenthal was the Imperial standard bearer, supported by Generala Mesoh and Wtnterfield. The p»H bearers were Generals von der Gjw»z, Von Fresoow, Von ObernHz, and Von Popo, all of whom are If nights of the Blaok Eagle. The generals of the army carried the canopy and aoted as attendants to the bearers of the Insignia* A detachment of the military formed a striking feature of the procession, forming the vanguard and ri-ar guards of the Emperor, Saxon Kiog, Prince, and repre • tentativea of tbe foreign monarchies. Af'er the followers of the Royal mourners came attaches of legations and varions Imperial dlalnltiri'ip. At the church the Chaplain Koerneu and a number of aeslatingolergyraen conducted the services) m whioh the late Emperor's desires and instructions were explicitly honored The funeral address was made by the chaplain As tha final benediction was prunonuoed, salutes 'of maaketry and artillery were followbd by the resumption of the tolling of the Cathedral Bella. "I know that my Redeemer llveth" was sung as the ohorale. • Both at the Oatbedrol and the Castle F. ederioskrow the scene was impressive beyond description.