CROWNING OF THE KING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1111, 26 April 1911, Page 7

CROWNING OF THE KING.

7000 GUESTS IN ABBEY. Accommodation in Westminster Abbey for the Coronation of the King on June 22' is oven more restricted than on tho occasion of King Edward's Coronation because of the increase in the requests for representation. Although no one can attend save by summonsin the case of Peers- and Peeresses—or invitation, the desire of his Majesty that Britons overseas shall be adequately represented has made the task of tho Earl Marshal and the Lord Chamberlain one of exceptional difficulty. At most there are scats for 7000. An estimate of attendances is as follows:— '■• Members of the Royal Family and relations ' ; 40 Foreign Royalties and representatives 200 Peers and Peereses 1450 Spiritual Peers, clergy, Privy Councillors, Ambassadors 300 M.P.'s and their wives 900 India, Dominions, and Colonies ... 800 Members of Orders 100 Various suites 350 Navy and Army ".", 400 Civil Service 230 County and municipal representaa t'ves .... goo societies and other organisations 100 Westminster masters, boys, and King's scholars 250 Orchestra and choir 500 Other guests 870

This makes a total of nearly 7000. All the details aro a.nd will be subject to change till about the middle of May. when the arrangements will probably receive the final authorisation of his Majesty. The King's desire that the overseas Dominions shall be prominently represented at his Coronation will mean that over a hundred more places than at the last Coronation will be allotted in the Abbey to distinguished visitors from the far corners of the Empire. The Colonial Office, on behalf of the over-seas Dominions, has applied to the Earl Marshal for about 460 positions in tho Abbey, and it was stated that as a result of this application at least 400 invitations to be present at the Coronation service would be sent out to representatives from distant parts of the umpire.

The King and Queen are expected to go to India for the Coronation Durbar in the new P. njid O. liner Medina. She will be chartered from the company by the Admiralty, and will, for the period of thq charter, bo in commission as a warship, both officers and men being furnished by the Royal Na\'y. She will fly the Royal Standard, the King's flag as Admiral of the Fleet, ajid the white ensign.

The Medina has a length of 570 ft. and a displacement, of 18.700 tons. Being built for comfort, and not for war, she will tower above her escorting cruisers. The voyage will begin, it- is expected, about the e.nd of November, and will occupy about sixteen days.