Coronation Day.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 334, 22 June 1911, Page 5

Coronation Day.

London En Fete

PREPARATIONS FOR THE CORONATION. EXTENSIVE DECORATIONS AND ILLUMINATIONS. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright London, June 20. The decorations and illuminations in preparation for the Coronation are being completed. Many banks, insurance companies and clubs are spending £SOO each. Westminster City Council is spending £IO,OOO on the decorations of Whitehall. The work includes the transplanting of the electric standards in order not to obstruct the procession. Whitehall is being decorated with columns 35 feet high surmounted with white lions carrying a portcullis and griffins and winged Victories carrying shields of the British kings. Near the New Zealand arch the province of Ontario has erected handsome pylons showing a farmer shearing sheep and the word "prosperity," with the horn of plenty.

Fleet street is decorated with wreathed masts carrying festoons of evergreens, with alternate lions and unicorns. The newspaper offices, in particular, have elaborate decorations and illuminatjons. St. Paul's Churchyard is decorated with the shields and banners of the pa.tron saints of the United Kingdom. The city has huge flower bells hung in Oheapsidn recalling Bow Bells. The Bank of England is outlining its columns, roof and architectural lines with five thousand . lamps. The Mansion House is similarly outlined with ainber and green lights. Mansion House Square is decorated with Corinthian columns bearing Griffins. Business houses in the city are decorated with crystal crowns and royal monographs, some costing £2OO each. There is a beautiful laburnum color scheme in King William street leading to London Bridge, where an elaborate scheme of lattice pilasters is connected bv festoons of purple wistaria. Londoners are crowding the sixpenny 'busses in order to inspect, the decorations. The special White Star Coronation liner Adriatic has arrived with 400 New York and Washington society leaders. A full musical and ceremonial rehearsal was held at the Abbey to-day. THEIR MAJESTIES' PORTRAITS. Received 22, 1.5 a.m. Sydney. June 22. The Secretary of State is advised that the King is presenting New South Wales with a oopv of a State portrait of himself and Queen Mary in commemoration of the Coronation. IMPRESSIVE DETAILS OF THE ABBEY CEREMONY. OFFICIAL RITUAL. Following is the official "Form and Order of the Service that is to be Performed ,'ind ol the Ceremonies that are to be Observed m the Coronation of their Majesties King (leorsre V. and Queen Mary in the Abbev Church of St. Peter, Westminster, on Thursday, the 22nd day of June, 11)11." The "Preparation" opens thus: In the morning upon the day of the Coronation early care is to be taken that the Ampulla he filled with Oil and, together with the Spoon, he laid ready upon the Altar in the Abbey Church.

flu' Archbishop and Bishops -lirstnnt vested in their copes wait outside .lie vst dour for (lie approach *>f Ui?i' Majesties. As the King and Queen enter they are received with the anthem. "[ was glad when thev said unto me, We wilt go into tne house of the Lord." The King and Queen shall in the meantime pass up the body of the church, into and through the choir, and so up the stairs to the theatre; and having passed by their thrones, they shall make their humble adoration, and men kneeling at the fahl-stools set for them before their chairs of estate on the south side of the altar, use some short private prayers; and after, sit down in their ehaii<

THE KECOGMTIOX. The King and Queen being so placed, the Archbishop shall turn to the east part of the theatre, and after, together with the Lord Chancellor, Lord Great Chamberlain, Lord High Constable and Earl Marshal (Garter King of Arms preceding I hem), shall go -to the other three sides of the theatre in this order: South, we«t, and north, and at every one of-the four sides shall with a loud voice speak to the people; and the King in the meanwhile, standing up tiv his chair, shall turn and ®how himself unto tne people at every one of the four sides of the theatre as the Archbishop is at every one of them, the Archbishop saying: Sirs. I here present unto you-King George, the undoubted King of this realm: Wherefore all you who are

this day to do homage and service, are yoli willing lo do the same? Hie people signify their willingness and joy by loud and repeated acclamations, all with one voice crying out, "Owl save King Uoorgel" Then the trumpets shall sound.

After the Litany, beginning of (he Communion, Gospel' and Creed, one of the bishops begins the sermon, ''which is to be short and suitable to the great occasion."

And whereas the King was uncovered during the singing of the Litany and the beginning of the Communion Service; when the sermon begins he shall put on his cap of crimson velvet turned up with ermine, and so continue to the end oi it. THE OATH. His Majesty having already on Monday, the 6th day of February, 1011. in the presence of the two houses of Parliament, made and signed the deelarat:on prescribed, the Archbishop shall, after the sermon is ended, go to the King, and, standing before him, administer the Coronation oath, first askin* the King, "Sir, is your Majesty will to take the oath?"

And the King answers, "I am willing." The King then solemnly promises to govern according to law'and to maintain the Protestant reformed religion. Then the King arising out of his chair, supported as before, and assisted by the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Sword of State being carried before him, shall go to the altar, and there being uncovered, make his solemn oath in the sight of all the people, to observe the premisses; laying his right hand upon the Holy Gospel in the great Bible (which was before carried in the procession and is now brought from the altar by the Archbishop, and tendered to him'as he kneels upon the steps), saying these words: "The things which I have here before promised, I will .perform and keep. So help me God."

Then the King shall kiss the Book and sign the oath. THE ANOINTING.

The King returns to his chair, and a.ter the "Veni Creator" and a prayer, lie King, rising from his devotions, having been disrobed of his crimson robe by the Lord Great Chamberlain, and having taken off his cap of state, shall <»o before the altar, supported and attended as before.

The King shall sit down in Kino- Edward's chair (placed in the midst, of the area over against the altar, with a faldstool before it), wherein he is to be anointed Four Knights of the Garter shall hold over him a rich pall of. silk or cloth of gold. The Dean of Westminster, taking the ampulla- and spoon fiom off the altar, shall hold themreadv pouring some of the holy oil into the spoon, and with it the Archbishop shah anoint the King in the form of a cross(l) on the crown of the head, saying Be thy head anointed with holy oil, as knigs, priests and prophets were anoint-

(2) On the breast, saving, "Bo t,Jiv breast anointed with holy "oil." (?) °" the P aln 's of both the hands, saying. Be thy hands anointed with loly oil: And as Solomon was anointed King by Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, so be von anointed, blessed and consecrated King over this Peoole! whom the Lord your God hath given von to rule and govern, In the Name of'the if , 1 an , d of tllc s °n, and of the Holv Onost. Amen."

The King then kneels for the blessing ..aid by the Archbishop. ° This prayer being ended, the Kin" a r, ,se , nT ? d sit "gain in Kh" lid ward s cliair, while the Knights of the j-arter give back the pall to the U>rd Chamberlain; whereupon the Kin» a"a in arising, the Dean of Westminster shall P«t_ upon Ins Majesty the Colobium Sindoiii» and the Supertmiica or close pall of c ot.ii of gold, together with a <»ir<ll, of the same. R

SPURS AND SWORD. Tito King's heck are touched with the (•purs brought from the altar, and lie is girt bv the Lord Great Chamberlain with the sword of justice, the Archbishop saving: "With this sword do justice, stop the growth of iniquity, protect the holy Church of God, help and defend widows and orphans."

Then the King, rising up, shall ungird his sword, and. going to the altar, offer it there in the 'scabbard, and then return and sit down in King Edward's chair: and the peer, who first received the sword, shall offer the price of it, namely, one hundred shillings, and having thus redeemed it, shall receive it from the Dean of Westminster, from off the altar, and draw it out of the scabbard, and carry it naked before his .Majesty during the rest of the solemnity. ROBE, RING AND SCEPTRES. The dean then receives from the Master of the Robes the Armill and Robe Royal or Pall 01 Cloth of Gold, the Robe of Righteousness, and invests his Majesty, the Lord Great Chamberlain fastening the clasps. Jlis Majesty sits down, and the dean bringing from the altar the orb and the cross, they are placed in his hands liv the Archbishop. The Archbishop receives from the Keeper of the Jewel House the .King's Ring of Dignity and places it upon his .Majesty's light-band little finger. The glove presented by the Lord of the Manor of Worksop put on, the King takes the sceptre with the cross, the ensign of power, in his right hand and the sceptre with the dove, the rod of equity and mercy, in his left. PUTTING ON THE CROWN.

I lie Archbishop, standing before the altar, shall take the crown into his lianas, and, laying it again before him upon the altar, he'shall say: "0 Cod, the crown of the faithful: Bless, we beseech thee, and sanctifv this thy servant Heorge our King; aml as tnou dost, this day set a frown of pure gold upon his head, so enrich bis roval licjut witli thine abundant grace, and crown him with all princely virtues, through the King eternal Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

rhen the King sifting down in Kill" hdwards chair, the Archbishop, assisted with other bishops, shall come from the altar: the Dean of Westminster shall bring the crown, and the Archbishon taking it of him shall reterenllv put it upon the King's head. At the sight whereof tlie people, with.loud and repeated shouts, shall crv, Clod save the King! the peers and the Kings of Arms shall put on their coronets: and the trumpets shall sound, and bv a signal given, the great guns at the Tower shall be shot off. THE HOMAGE.

. After tlie presentation of the Bible and Benediction comes the fiithronisation, the King being lifted into his throne by the archbishops, bishops and "other peers." The homage follows, first by the Archbishop of Canterbury, then by the Prince of Wales and the other princes of the blood Royal, who touch the crown on the King's head and k.ss his left cheek. Dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts nnd barons, each in their orders, then do homage, the first of each order touching the crown, "as promisiiv to be ever ready to support it," and kiss" ing the King's cheek. When the homage is ended, the drums shall heat, and the trumpets sound, and all the people shout, crying out:

God save King George! Long live King fleorge! May the King live for ever! The solemnity of the King's Coronation being thus ended, the Archbishop shall leave the King in his throne and go to the altar. CORONATION OF THE QUEEN, The Coronation of the Queen follows. The Communion Service is celebrated, the King at the offertory giving an altar doth and an ingot or wedge of gold of a pound weight, and the Queen an altar cloth and a mark weight of gold. Prayers and the Te Deuin conclude the ceremony.

In accordance with continuous precedent irom early times, the Archbishop of Canterbury will crown the Queen as well as the King. Practically the only exception to this rule was at the Coronation of King Edward VII., when Queen Alexandra was crowned by the Archbishop of York. By his Majesty's command, the sermon at the Coronation will be preached by the Archbishop of York.

PREPARATIONS AT GISBORNE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Gisborne, Last Night. Extensive preparation* are being made here to celebrate the Coronation. Most of the shops and other buildings will he illuminated, and a monster procession and fancy-dress football match and other festivities are arranged for .tomorrow. NEW PLYMOUTH'S ARRANGEMENTS. Respecting to-day's Coronation procession the following times will be adhered to:— 0.45 a.m.—Procession proceeds to Recreation Grounds, via Devon and Liardet streets. 10.15 a.m.—Military manoeuvres. 11 a.m.—L'nruriing of Hag, speeches by His Worship the jlayor and o'hers. 11.30 Religious service by co bined churches. 3 p.m.—Laying foundation si j of Memorial Hail, St. Germaine Sq ire.