POLAR HEROES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1707, 26 March 1913, Page 8

POLAR HEROES.

NATIONAL MEMORIAL SERVICE AT ST, PAUL'S. KING GEOKGE PEESENT. "ihe national memorial service for Captain Scott and , his gallant comrades of tho ill-fated Antarctic Expedition. was held at St. Paul's Cathedral on February 1-4 with a solemn simplicity that was deeply impressive. The desire to make it a national rather than a State service was attained by the elimination of all 'ceremony as tar as possible. The .King was not, according to custom on State occasions, received by the Lord Major at tho City Boumlary to ba presented with the Sword of State. His Majesty drove quietly aiid privately to the Cathedral. At an early hour in tho morning groups of. people began to assemble near tho Cathedral, and the announcement that 110 tickets of admissioh were required brought together a hugo crowd soon after nine o'clock. All the available accommodation iu tho cathedral was soon occupied, and at 10 o'clock the announcement "Church Full had to be exhibited. The great gates had to bp closed, and there were even tlm.somo hundreds of men and? women patiently 011 the steps in the hopo that they might yet be admitted. The King arrived at tho Cathedral in a s closed carriage on the stroke of 12 o'clock. His Majesty wore the uniform of an Admiral of tho Fleet. .The members of his suite followed in closed carriages. Just outside the-choir, and right underneath the dome were seated the band of the Coldstream Guards. There was little colour in -the grouping 01 the congregation. Uniforms were not numerous, and juost.af the ladies wore somo form of semi-mourning. From 11 o'clock onwards the band at intervals played such selections as Handel's "Largo" and the impressive "Benedictus," which the conductor himself had composed. Towards noon a number of Bluejackets were accommodated with seats adjoining the band, giving the necessary naval touch to the gathering. The reserved seats under the dome began to fill up about 11.30, and several Cabinet Ministers were among tho'earlier' occupants of fliis space. The Prime Minister, who was accompanied by Mrs. Asquith, was among the first of the mem- • bers of tho Government to arrive. Th? seats nearest the south door were occupied by relatives of those who had been engaged in the expedition. •Among them were seated six boys iu naval uniform, representing tho junior branch of the Imperial Maritime League. Stated near Mr. Asquith, who was in the uniform of an Elder Brother of Trinity House, were Colonel Seely, Mr. Birrell, and Mr. Sydney Buxton. Lord Brassey, Lord Emmolt, and Lord Cureon, the president, and other representatives of the Hoyal Geographical Society, occupied seats iu .the choir, while the Lord Mayor, sheriffs, and aldermen cf the city were in their accustomed places. ,

In the choir were members of the British Antarctic Committee and representatives of the colonial Governments. Sir 13. Grey was represented by Lord Onslow, one of his secretaries. Most of the Ambassadors ami other representatives of the foreign Governments wore present, and scarcely any Department of State was unrepresented. After the impressive singing of "liock of Ages," Mackenzie's "Benedictus" was lieard. . The 23rd Psalm was beautifully chanted, and the "solemn "Domino Ivefugium" preceded the "Benedictus," which was rendered to Gray in A. The lesson from Corinthians was read by Dean Inge, the rest of. the service being conducted by the. Rev.-S. I. Claxke, Minor Canon. The playing of Handel's "Dead March in Saul," the musicians as well as tho entire gathering standing, will not bo forgotten by. any who wore present.' A portion of the Liturgy of St. Clirysostom followed to the Kieff Chant, and then the prayers beginning, "0 Lord, deal snot with us after our sins." The names of the intrepid five were included in the first of the Collects. .This accordingly read, "We humbly leave in Thy fatherly keeping the souls of our brothers, Robert Falcon Scott, Lawrence Edward Grace Oatcs, Edward Adrian Wilson, Henry Robertson Bowers, and Edgar Evans, beseeching Thee that it may please Thee of Thy gracious goodness shortly to accomplish the number of Thine elect." The intoning of this and other Collect? deeply moved many in the congregation. The favourite hymn, "Jesu, lover of my soul," in which the congregation joined, was followed by the. Benediction, which brought this most impressive service to a close.