WORLD'S GREATEST PAGEANT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 200, 13 August 1908, Page 4

WORLD'S GREATEST PAGEANT

SLTKIUi SCENES IS YIESXA. j HOMAUE TO THE Eill'EßOfi. \ ienna, J ime I^. Probably the greatest pageant iu hi» tory passed through tue streets o \ ienna to-day in celebration ot the iHamond jubilee of the accession of th Emperor FAneis Joseph. His Majest watched thy whole procession defile fore tiim.

Half a million spectators were pre-. sent, and 25,000 actors took part in the procession, whicli included 400 carriages and 4000 houses, while 10,000 troops lined the route.

Every period of Austrian history was represented, from the founding of the Habsburg dynasty, in Die thirteenth century, to the present day. livery race in the Empire sent itjs delegates, to pay homage to the beloved Sovereign.^ The great procession assembled iu the Prater at half-past seven this morning, and it had reached the. Imperial pavilion at ten o'clock. Count Wilc/.ek, the organiser of the pageant, approached the Emperor and said: "We have the estimable good fortune to be the first among thousands to give expression to. the unutterable joy iliriti reigns everywhere to-da.y. We apeak \ the thanks of the nation that since the . time of Rudolf has fought for your Ma-1 jesty's ancestors. All the races of j Austria join iu thanks to your Majesty ' in the. consciousness of forming oiu nation and of being the true subjects.of one good master and Emperor, who for sixty years with such graeiousness ami love has cared for his people. Cod pro ; tect, God bless, God preserve your Majesty!"

When the roar of acclamation had died away, the mass of brilliant colors surged forward, the bright sunshine glistening on mediaeval helmets, armor and j plumes. The jxngeant took three hours j to pass the Kmperoiyhis Majesty watch-j ing it all with eager interest. i First came Rudolf, of Habsburg on horseback, followed by a splendid escort of the living descendants of the noble 1 families who fought for the Emperor's ancestor in the thirteenth century. Many of these nobles wen; clad in the very armor their ancestors wore hundreds of years ago. Ancient catapults and other implements of war followed together with an endless panorama of the warrior nobility of the past. Delay was caused bv the wheels of one of the giant catapults becoming red-hot. The fifth group of the procession represented the double wedding of the grandchildren of Maxinilian 1., by which the crowns of Hungary and llohernia were-united with that of Austria. The two little brides, aged ten and twelve years, were seated iu a state carriage in the centre of the group. Pastoral and military pictures from the dead centuries followed in great number, there being twenty separate grouus iu the pageant, the most remarkable, perhaps that has ever passed through the streets of any city, ancient or modem.

' Ten Archdukes and Archduchesses with their families came to the capital to witness tire procession, and there was a va.st invasion of sightseers from ■ every part of the country. Every house in the city was shut up during the procession and every entrance or exit had to he paid for by a small fee to the police. The proceeds of the fete were to have been devoted to the care of deserted children,-whose welfare the aged Emperor had specially at heart, but it is announced to-night that there will be a deficit of <20.000.