The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-06-29 00:00:00

THE CZAR AT THE MOSCOW
EXHIBITION.

The Special Correspondent of the Daily 21-dwe. Irriting
under date, the lihh inst., gives the following interesting
account of the presence of the Cur at the Moscow Exhi-
bition :

--Ila.rsly this morninga stream 4f fashionable company,
of officers in full uniform and of ladies dressed as though
for a flowersh.ov, set towards the Cathedral of the
Assumption within the Kremlin. It is in this cathedral
that the Czars are crowned, and tne effect of the
Forgeously but quaintly decorated building with all
its historical associations and with all the pomp of
its religious service, is very striking. His Majesty
was present this morning, as a matter of course,
as were also the members id the Imperial family
who had accompanied him to Moscow, and the
Grand Duke Constantine, who had come beforehand
to open the Exhibition. High functionaries, civil and
military, high dignitaries of the Church, and leaders
of the Russian beau monde were assembled to join in
the servi e. Characteristically of affairs in Russia,
the Church was to be put first, then the army, and
afterwards the commercial and educational undertak-
ing. When his Majesty left the Cathedral of the As-
sumption, he next proceeded to review the Eka-
terinuslaff Regiment of Grenadiers of the GIVIINI, on
the parade-ground before the great theatre. The regi-
ment made a fine appearance in its summer costume—
the white trousers worn over the boots, nit tucked
into them- and the seen moved very solidly. No
better marching, indeed, could be wished than that of
the Russian Guard, nor could you ileire to see stronger
and more hardy-looking soldiers. If this part of the
army should ever break down on a campaign, it will
not be for want of an excellent Physique, but from
failure of supplies or inferiority or equipment As to
that matter, all the Russian Guard has brecch-loading
rifles, and so have a large proportion of the other
troops. But the commisaariat may prove a weak
point, as many critics think that it will, and may not
stand the strain of a mat. war._

,
There was a crowd outside the Exhibition entrance
to greet the Emperor's arrival, ani we, who were
inside, could tell that he way cominn. by the sound of
shouting in the distance. When, however, the Im-
perial party had entered the garden, all sign of noisy
welcome ceased at once. The smartly-dressed com-
pany within showed a good deal of curiosity to see him
Maje,ty as he passed, but did not allow that feeling to
hurry them into any undue blocking up of his path.
At a word from the officers in attendance, they fell
back to right awl left, leaving a passage open for the
Imperial patty, whichever direction it might take.
Thi re were a great many of the exhibitors present,
awl many of the season-ticket holders, but compa-
ratively few of the rouble-paying public. Only
tickets were available at the main entrance, ant

this may have choked off some chance vi.sitom.
But there was another entrance open all the while,
at whieh anybody who chose to pay his rouble
could I 1/1:1:11 admission to the grounds. When I
remember the scale of exhibition rMhes in Eng-
land, especially at a time when Royalty may be
seen, it was a relief t.) find that with an entrance
open as above-mentioned, there was not more crowd
inside. his majesty passed from shed to shed,
guided by the Grand Duke Comttantine and some.
times turned back for a moment to examine some
object which had been passed by, and once os twice
stopped to speak to persons whom lie recognised. I
saw a little lad in the uniform f amilitat y school made
very shy and very happy by being suddenly addressed
in a voice of authority, and finding the Czar's tall
figure drawn up before Lim, whilst the grave, haughty
glance of lie Imperial master was fixed upon his flush-
ing face. You may be sure that the youngiter icame to
the stiffest salute that he knew how to make, and held
up his chin and threw back his head during the few
moments of the interview.

His Majesty, who wot e an undress uniform of dark
green with red facings, and a flat green forage
cap with a red band, was looking remarkably well;
co said those who had often seen him, and he
walked with as firm a tread as any of his own Grenas
diers. As they stood together, one could see that he
was taller by some inches than his brother, the
Grand Duke Constantine ; taller also than his son,
the Czarewitch, who is a large, powei fully-built
man. I must mention that the Princess Dagmar
was present, leaning on her husband's arm, in a
charming summer costume, which it would be rash in
me to attempt to 'describe ; and that the Imperial
party was completed by the Grand Duke \Vladimir
Alexandrowitch. Both the younger Princes wore,
like their father, undress military uniforms, while
the Grand Duke Constantine wore a naval unifertn,
with the fiat white forage cap universal in the
Russian navy, from admirals down to lieutenants,
Of how the 'Emperor moved from one department
to another, and in what order he visited the shed
and pavilions and :Tartar tents, it is not necessary
for me to speak. There was now and then a great
bustle among the exhibitor's and their assistants
when his Majesty turned back towards some part
of the show which he had previously passesl by, and there
was a gradual setting of the current of unoccupied
spectators in the direction valid.' he had taken, but
after the first entrance the proceedings were quite in-
formal. You would have smiled to see the alacrity with
which the Tartars of the Turkestan department were
motioned to regain their feet when they knelt at the
Emperor's approach. It was evidently considered that
the occasion did not supply a fitting means of raising
them. should they be too formally allowed to kneel.
His Majesty spoke a few words to the chiefs among
them, and moved on to inspect the department.