LORD WOLSELEY'S FUNERAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 272, 9 April 1913, Page 8

LORD WOLSELEY'S FUNERAL

MAGNIFICENT MILITARY FUNCTION. MARCH THROUGH A FOG. ai k*— (Sydney Sun Special.) London, March 31. A thick, yellow fog enveloped London to-day when the remains of Field-Mar-shal Lord Wolseley were laid to rest in St. Paul's Cathedral. The gloom permeated every corner of the city, and in one way it seemed appropriate. It might have been the dense smoke of some battlefield. The obsequies were a magnificent tribute of a nation's feeling and of Britain's gratitude for a life well lived, a task well done. Hundreds of thousands of quiet, sorrowing people were wedged into masses on the sidewalks from the War Office in Whitehall to St. Paul's Cathedral at the gateway of London's East End. All through the Strand and Ludgate Hill the pavements were ten and nineteen deep J with white faces showing dimly through the fog. It was almost an eerie sight at times. The military procession was gorgeous. Detachments of Life and Hor«" Guards and other cavalry, and of ininnh".'. engineers, and marines pass" 1 ' "''"'lHv with slow and measured tread along the way. With arms reversed and bowed heads tliev went steadily on. while the military band played the dirge-like strains of Chopin's "Marche Funebrc" and the bagpipes droned out "The Land o' the Leal." Finally eame the gun-carriage carrying in a plain coffin all that was left of the great soldier, covered by the Union Jack, and with sword and hat, placed over all.

On one side, walking, were FieldMarshal Lord Roberta, Field-Marshal Sir Evelyn Wood, Field-Marshal Lord Grenfell, Field-Marshal Lord Methuen. Admiral Sir G. H. U. Noel, Admiral Sir A. D. Fanshawe, and on the other side Admiral Lord Charles Bcresford. Genenl Sir 'Robert Biddulph. General Sir Richard Harrison; Licut.-O-'nerul St Archibald TTii'iter. Gcnenl Sir Neville L'ttelto", mid General Sir John French. B'hind these again was led tin- (lend Field-Marshal'* charger, with the top hoofs reversed ii the stirrnns. The Cathedral was crowded with a distinguished company, and outside the press was great, not a tenth of those who wished to get in finding an entry, Beneath the mighty dome of St. Paul'* stood a bare, plain catafalque, on which rested the eolTin. Near the crvpt stood the old veterans and the younger soldiers who had ="en service with Lord Volselev throutrh many wars since the duvs of the Crimean campaign. 'Hi" service was a simple one. interspersed with the barbaric crash of trumpets and cymbal. The congregation—manv of those present wholly overcome with emotionsing "Nearer. My Cod. to Thee," and as ,the Benediction was pronounced the quiet murmur of the side drums started, risins and growing into a great peal of sonoi" ons thunder as bands and great organ wept into the stirring notes'of the Dead March in "Saul."

The strains of tlio fnnoral iiumli hrnl liiivillv fmishoil ()uivi'rinir llivouirlt llio "nlWii's lii'fnro (lie buyers of the T!»vnl Tn<h IJ.-'fiiiii'iil, of which T.nrd WoUolpv wus Coloiwl-in-Chiof. coiiinionccil to |l| ( > "Lust Post."

lli'Tc was hnviliv a dn- ovc miiiou" (ho pi'o].l(. in tin- jrrrnt edifice.