ROYAL TOUR BEGINS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1938, Page 5

ROYAL TOUR BEGINS

KING AND QUEEN CHEERED AT DOVER Tumultuous Acclamations in France M. DALADIER’S WORDS OF WELCOME By Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright. LONDON, July 19. Cheered by thousands in London, along the whole route to Dover' and at all sightseeing points,-the King and Queen left for Boulogne aboard the Admiralty yacht Enchantress today, escorted by destroyers and arrcraft and amid the firing of gun salutes. The Enchantress and her escorts were soon lost to sight in the Channel fog. The fog lifted as the Enchantress approached the, French naval escort vessels, which fired a salute and hoisted the British flag. The sailors cheered-while the Enchantress was entering the harbour of Boulogne. A giant statue of Britannia, commemorating the landing of British troops in 1914, was unveiled by their Majesties on landing. ... M. Bonnet, French Foreign Minister, and Sir Eric Phipps, British Ambassador in Paris, with due ceremonial, and accompanied by military salutes, received their Majesties, who then left for Paris in a specially decorated train amid tumultous acclamations. < ■ M. Daladier, Premier of France, in a statement today, said that their Majesties were bringing “a valuable testimony of ’ personal friendship which makes France aware of the close amity uniting us and the British Empire. This friendship is all the more precious because it represents the highest and most solid determination for peace existing in the whole world.” SPECTACULAR RECEPTION. SCENES OF GREAT ENTHUSIASM IN PARIS. TEN THOUSAND PIGEONS RELEASED IN SUNSHINE. (British Official, Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.35 a.m.) RUGBY, July 19. A guard of honour of the First Regiment of Infantry of Picardy, the oldest regiment of foot in the French Army, drawn up by the quayside at Boulogne, presented arms, and the band played the British National The Royal train arrived at the Bois De Boulogne station, Paris, at 4.48 p.m., and their Majesties were greeted by the President, M. Lebrun, and Madame Lebrun, behind whom were the Presidents of the Senate and Chamber and M. Daladier (Prime Minister). -j,---. His Majesty was still wearing the blue and gold full dress uniform of an Admiral of the Fleet, conspicuous on which was the ribbon of the Grand Cordon of the Legion of Honour. After the presentations, M. Lebrun and the Royal guests emerged into the sunshine outside the station and simultaneously an enormous Union Jack and French tricolour of similar dimensions were broken at the mastheads of two sixty-foot staffs, while ten thousand pigeons, released as a symbol of peace flew up into the azure blue of the summer sky, with the brilliant sunshine flashing on their wings. As the procession moved off down the Avenue Foch, the vast crowds broke into roar after roar of cheering. The cars were escorted by a squadron of mounted Spahis in picturesque uniforms, followed by mounted Civil Guards. At the Rond Pont Des Champs Elysees, the cadets of Sam Cyr and the Ecole Po ytechnique were on guard in full dress uniform and presented arms. The enthusiasm of the crowds continued as the procession moved to the Place De La Concorde and towards the Quai D’Orsay. _ . . , After the passage of the first two cars, in which rode the President and King and Madame Lebrun and the Queen, special cheers greeted the fifth car in which Viscount Halifax rode beside M. Daladier. • After a short rest at the Quai D’Orsay, their Majesties drove again through thunderous cheers to the Elysee, to call on President and Madame Lebrun. On his return, his Majesty received the Diplomatic Corns Their Majesties later drove back to the Elysee for a brilliant banquet at which they were entertained ’by the President and Madame Lebrun.