The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1874-01-20 00:00:00

THZ ROYAL
_MARRIAGL

- -
It is dieted that the marriage of the Duke of Edin-
burgh will be celebratiol on the 23rd inst. The (oriel-
tie, will comment* with a banquet on the tame after-
noon, and will be ouatinued through • suorodon of
dinners and balls till the 4th February, when the Court
Is to remove to Moscow. There tho 'nobility will give •
uncluding bail on the 6th.
Toe Chard Duchess Mails, it is said, will reocive a
dower of £75,000 and £2,000 r year. Her Royal High-
nee is said to be a splendid ninsiorn. Her beat portrait
is that which represents her playing the organ.
On Friday night there was • grand performance of
the Trueiola at the Italian Opera-house, St. Petersburg,
Patti being tie prima donne. The Prince ol Wales and
the Grand Duke Alexis erupted the stage box on the
grand tier. Immediately underneath, In the box on the
pit tier, were the Princess of Wales, the Priors+ Dee-
mer, and the Hake of Edinburgh. The Princrees of
Wales, who looked fatigued Ly her journey, wore a
blab brown silk dress. The other Protestors were in
white.
Se. Pillffitthttso,lJan. 18.
The ceremony of the benediction of the Nees was
theperformed
Metropolitans Imperialofhto-day
asp ea:1,1golof
rt bood'ale:cBWtk.inpteenter Palace at
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officiated. The Czar, the Imperial Family, and the
foreign Priory.' were present; and the diplomatic circle,
the Ministers of State, and the nobles and officers of
It. Russian army and navy, to the clamber of about
2,000 fillad the chapel and the saloon and corridors of
recitative a and wiast • °ta Palace.
tmh n. andltaT he,
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richfir te a air
ost;...iro ofg hour
dignitaries, the pomp of silken embroidered banners, of
golden crosses and jewelled outs, the long curling hair
and dignified crountenances of the Metropolitans and
Bishops, of the priest' and chorister', made the
etoleabtatimil put of the ceremony very gorgeous and
impressive. To this was added the magnifier**
of a thousand uniforms. A better opportunity for
witnessing the laved splendour of the stremonies at
the Winter haler one Dodd at have than the passage
of the Emperor, the Imperial Family, the foreign
Princes, the clergy, and the Court, from the Palace to
the Pavalloo by the riverside. The mass and tolour of
IL. great procession as it descended the grand stair-
case and traversed the oorridors between lines of
soldiety presenting arms was magnificent. The clergy
walked first, with the choir of the Imperial Chapel,
carrying candles and censers and singing Mies.
After the Metropolitans and their cross-bearer
end attendants there was a break la the line, and
then followed the Czar, the Prince of Wades, '
Prince Arthur, the Duke of Feriaburgh, the Cesare-
witch, the Greed Duke, and all the Court, every
one walking bareheaded. Lolly erne the flags of the
regiments, carried by riders. The prooesaion pared
out of the river entrance of the Palace, across the quay
to a pavilion built at the edge of the frozen Neva.
There the roes was dipped into the water whore the
Ice had been broken, aod the river received the bene-
diction of the Metropolitan to the thunder of the guns
of the tortures of Bt. Peter and St. Paul. Then
followed • reel°e of singing and °heating, and next
the riot'ss of the regiments were blessed. The Czar,
toe Grand Duke, and others kissed the hand of the
Metropolitan and the procession returned to the P•lace
as it came, the Prior of Wales and the Cesarevitelt
walking near the Czar. A spar was kept clear on the
quay, but the crowd pressed close, the women holding
their children up to rer the Emperor. His Mejesty
paused before entering the Pero*, bowing and looking
towards the surging bareheaded masses of his people.
The Emperor and the 0011 Ii haring returned to the
great dining-room, the (odours of the regiments were
presented, bands playing the regimental air as each fits
was brought. The peasageo, stairways, and saloons were
kept by the splendid troops, oulnuders, and infantry
of the guard, and mailers were drawn up in squadrons
and companies oaths Patqaet floors. The Emperor and
Priors walked rapidly round the lines, the Imperial
salutation of "Health to you" being returned by the
troops speaking all together, according to the Buries
military form. The ceremony was followed by a
dlailiker, tables in several grand saloons being spread
with the splendid profusion for whioh the Winter
Pelage is famous.

The Duke of Edinburgh did not attend the ceremonial
I. the open air, his Royal Highness having • bad cold,
which is, however, better than it wee yesterday. The
Grand Duke Coast:saline was kept indoors from Ikea.
cense. There itt • rapid thaw. The los of the Neva Is
covered with water, and the streets are in • dreadful
esuditioo. An elk bat at Orienbarror, Axed for to-
morrow, hes been put off to oonmqesotte of the weather.
Dean Btanky preached in the English Church this
afternoon. The Prlnos of Wales, the Duke of Idin•
burgh, and Prince Arthur, and their MUNI vi ere present
in uniform.

Just before the hour for the ceremony to-day the
Emperor was sum muted to the deathbed of General
Berg, the Governor of Poland, who died at 11 o'clock.
The cause of the deity not being known, greet anxiety
prevailed. When the Emperor reached the house,
General Berg was already dead. Ma Majesty there-
upon retuned to the Palace.