Crowning the King.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 372, 24 June 1911, Page 5

Crowning the King.

IMPRESSIVE SPECTACLE. GATHERING OF EMPIRE. Uv Telegraph— Press Association.—Copy rip: lit London, June 22. No language can exaggerate the splendour and effect of the great spectacle London witnessed to-day. Four million visitors thronged the Empire's capital, including Royal Princes and envoys from every part of the world, and representatives from the Dominions overseas. To the thousands of representatives and members of the colonies today's ceremony was not only an act of religious consecration, but a recognition of the Kingly tie which binds the Empire together. For five miles every yard of the route was specially decorated. Lord Kitchener had control of the military, and rode up and down the line, inspecting here, and rearranging there, before taking his place in the procession, and later joining in the Abbey ceremonial. He was cheered enthusiastically. The Crown Prince of Germany was delighted with the cheers, as were others who were recognised in the procession. Clearing the streets and stopping traffic of all kinds was completed by 9 a.m., and at that hour every part of the route suffused dense masses of colour, the Bhimmer of steel and an expectant multitude. At precisely 9.30 a.m., the procession started from Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey. j

NEW ZEALANDS' ARCH. In the centre of Whitehall was New Zealand's triumphal arch, designed by Mr Frank Brangwyn, gay with the Dominion's new Coat of Arms and capped by the Imperial Crown; it was decorated by medallions of King George and Queen Mary, King Edward. Queen Victoria, Captain Cook and Sir Joseph Ward. The public began taking their places at daylight and at seven o'clock the thoroughfares were becoming impassable. Troops of whom there were 60,000 were moving to the line of routa and bands of music and carriages and motors for privileged visitors made up a scene of striking animation. Not all ihe Peers and Peeresses went to the Abbey by vehicle, many travelling by special tramcar. From Chelsea.there was the making of a strange boatload of brilliant colour, for all wore robes and carried their coronets in their hand. These landed at Westminster Pier and traversal the Palace yard. The entire soldiery were in gala costume, the brilliant uniforms contributing pictorial effects. Twenty-five thousand police also helped to preserve order and to avoid fatal crushinga of people. All streets debouching upon the route were strongly barricaded, but the pressure was enormous. Quite two millions of people journeyed by road, rail and steamship fur manny days before. When the landaus swept by there came into view the most picturesque section of the procession, a navy and army escort of nearly two hundred men, beat known in the service. There were Aide-de-camps General, officers, Inspector Generals, Field Marshals Wood.Grenfell and Roberts, members of the • War Office Staff, members of the Army Council, a crowd of marshal-men, equerries, and escorts of the Colonial Cavalry and Indian Cavalry, Colonel Heaton Rhodes and Major Percy Johnson (New Zealand) were included in this brilliant cavalcade. The varied uniforms made up a striking scene of colour which stood markedly out even amid the blaze and glitter surrounding a scene where all was colour and animation. THE KING AND QUEEN. Behind this magnificent procession there rolled along the old Royal coach, immediately surrounded by an escort of Guards and followed by the bronze and manly figure of Lord Kitchener, with the Royal Standard occupying the place of honour next to his Sovereign. The King wore a military uniform and the Queen was in a duchess satin Coronation gown of princess pattern, and wearing the Mary's gift and the Garter on her arm. Their Majesties received a splendid ovation. It is impossible to describe the enthusiasm. Both looked radiantly happy. A PROCESSION OF PRINCES. LorJ Kitchener rode at the hind wheel of the State coach, and immediately behind came the Duke of Connaught and the equerries. Then Prince Louis of Batenberg, the Duke of Teck, Earl Granard, Master of Horse, the Silver Sticks, and Royal Grooms.

SCENE IN THE ABBEY. Amid these stirring happenings in the streets the Abbey was filling up with privileged ticket holders, and before 9.'30 nearly 4000 people had entered the sacred building. The Peers, in their State robes of scarlet and ermine, were on a sloping tribune filling the whole of the sojth transept, and the Peeresses were in a similar gallery in the north transept. The body of the nave was crowded with officials and favoured persons. This part of the building and the galleries over and flanking the choir were also devoted to Cabinet Ministers past and present, judges, the more prominent colotiial officials, Indian chiefs, and diplomats, the whole group being the most distinguished persons in the building after the Royalties and Peers. Sir Joseph Ward was in one of the choir stalls and was accompanied by Lady Ward, and like Sir George Reid, wore a Privy Councillor's uniform. . Mr Fisher and the Agents-General wore levee dress. THE CORONATION OATH.

The Archbishop of Canterbury administered the Coronation oath, that the King will maintain the laws of God, the Protestant reformed religion, and the rights and privileges of the Bishops and clergy. The King advanced from his chair to the altar, knelt on the steps, kissed the Book, and declared that he would perform and keep his solemn promise. His Majesty, who was received with cheers and ovations, addressing his people and his Lords, said he had been hailed and accepted to rule the greatest Empire the world had ever seen. He now presented his own homage like any ordinary mortal to the King of Kings. THE GREAT CEREMONY. Afterwards followed the great ceremony of the day, which all present had come to witness. After brief earnest prayers by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the King still sitting in St. Edward's chair, the Dean of Westminster handed the Crown from the altar, and the Archbishop reverently placed the great emblem of sovereignty on King George's head. Instantly the electric lights were turned up and the whole congregation shouted, "GOD SAVE THE KING." The peers, who up to this stage had sat through th&'serviee without their coronets, simultaneously raised them to their heads. The acclamations over, the Archbishop of Canterbury presented to the King the Holy Bible, describing it as the most vauable thing the world affords. After the Archbishop's benediction, all the Bishops and clergy joined in a loud "Amen."

This was followed by the roaring of cannon, the clashing of bells, and suppressed sounds of cheering from outside. This, the first stage of the Coronation, then CROWNING THE QUEEN. Up to this stage the Queen had been seated in the Chiar of State, as when ehe first arrived. The Archbishop now proceeded with the coronation on a smaller and less impressive scale. She stood between Edward the Confessor's chair and the altar and four peeresses held a canopy over her while the Archbishop poured oil on her head and placed a ring on her finger. He then took the newly made crown from the altar and reverently placed it on Her Majesty's head. All the peeresses, mostly in the north transept or wherever ese they were seated, then put on their crowns. The peers next did their homage, the senior only, each in order, Norfolk for the Dukes, Winchester for the Marquises, Shrewsbury for the Earlß, and Devereaux for the Viscounts. Each touched the King's Crown and kissed him on the check. When ine homage ended with the anthem there were once more acclamations with the Abbey. KING'S FIRST PUBLIC ACT. King George's first public act after leaving the Abbey on reaching Buckingham Palace was the touching of an electric button, laying the corner stone of the Fishermen's and Sailor's Home at Saint Johns, Newfoundland.