COURT CUSTOMS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 488, 3 August 1912, Page 3

COURT CUSTOMS.

RUSSIA : GERMANY

"One Who Knows" contributes aL article of much interest to the July '"Strand Magazine" on "Customs ai Foreign Courts." Here are two ex tracts dealing with the Russian anc German Courts :

"At a Russian Court ball at th< Winter Palace all the men wear ribbons and orders, and splendid uniforms are seen, the officers of the Imperial Guard resplendent in white and gold, the lancers in scarlet, the Hussars in. green, and the Cossacks in silver. : The only black coat is that of the American Ambassador And nowhere else can be seen sucl gowns;-jewels, and decorations. Russian- Court ladies wear a special Court dress, a glorified edition- of the national costume. Black gowns are disallowed, as in Berlin. The ladies "of the portrait' wear a miniature o< the Empress set in diamonds, anc the maidsi of honour have her initials in diamonds on a blue ribbon won on the shoulder.

"A Court ball begins at nine, ane: everyone must be present before the entrance of Royalty. The ball open: with a dance called a polonaise, lec by the Emperor and Empress. The Emperor dances with a grand duchess and the Empress with an Ambas sador.

"Less splendid but even more choice are the smaller and more intimate dances, called the bals dei palmiers. When these are given the long, gallery is transformed into z tropical forest. Among the scentec greenery are set little tables witl supper for 500 persons. "At the bigger Court balls as many as 3,000 guests are served at the same time with supper." The Court season in Berlin begins in the third week of January, aLd ends, six weeks later, with a maskec ball on Shrove Tuesday.

"An Englishwoman of position whe wishes to appear at the German Court must find a friend who wil: introduce her officially to the Oberhofmeisterin —a sort of feminine Lord Chamberlain —who is an arbiter of fate with regard to Court presentations.

"This dignitary holds a reception of her own previous to the Court, which, would-be presentees must attend, as it were on approval. If all goes well the aspirant is in due course bidden to a Court reception. "Courts at Berlin begin at nine. Pull evening dress must be worn, with trains, but no veil or feathers, and black gowns are not permitted.

"The Throne Room is entered between double rows of pages in scarlet, and, after deep courtsies to the assembled Royalties, the ladies pass onward into the picture-gallery, whence they make their way into another fine apartment, where a band plays, and the guests are sarved with light refreshments."