Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-01-17

the late Prince Consort Some portions Of it
win be interesting to American readers
the FUNERAL,
Yesterday, with little Of the pomp and pngeRn-
try Of State ceremonial, hut with every outward
mark Of respect, and with all the solemnity which
befitted his high station and his public virtues,
the mortal remains of the husband Of our Queen
were inferred in the last resting place Of Eng
lands 5overeigns - the Chapel Royal Of ST.
Georges Windsor. By the express desire Of his
Royal Highness the funeral was of the plainest
and most private character but in the Chapel,
to do honor IN his obsequies, were assembled all
the chetest men of the State, and throughout
England, by every sign of sorrow and mourning,
the nation manifested It's sense Of the loss it has
sustained. Windsor itself wore an aspect of the
most profound gloom. Every shop was closed
and every blind drawn down. The streets were
silent and almost deserted, and all who appeared
abroad were dressed In the deepest mourning.
The great bell of Windsor Castle changed out its
doleful sound at intervals from an early hour,
and minute bells were tOlled also at st. Johns
Church. AT the parish church of Clever and at
st. Johns there were services in the morning
and afternoon, and the day was observed
throughout the the Royal borough in the strict.
est manner.
INTERIOR OF THE CHAPEL.
The interior of the Chapel itself differed little
from the aspect Of solemn gloom and stately
mourning il always wears on these most mourn
full occasions A raised platform had been con-
structed down the centre nave, leading from the
south entrance to the choir, with balustrades
dividing it from the north and south aisles. All
this Of course was carpeted aud draped with
black, 80 that the change, though slight in fact,
being one Of color, completely altered the aspect
of the fine old building. The basement seemed
black every where-black over nave and aisles
AMI side walls, and deeper aud more dense than
all seemed the black within the dimly.lighted
choir, where he empty oaken stalls md vacant
oanopies Of the Knights of the Garter gave still
more desoate aspect to the scene. The steps
leading to the communion table, the communion
table itself, even the walls at the back, were hung
with solemn black and thus the grained arches
and fine white fuled columns of the building
had, by contrast, bleak, shrunk, ghastly look
while over all beneath, 80 absorbing was the dark
hue that it was difficult at times to distinguish
the forms OF the attendants as, clad in deep
mourning, they crowded the floor, like shadows
fitting noiseessly to and fro.
So complete was this muifled ubscurity of the
basement that all the steps leading to the stalls
would have been quite undislinguishable but
that the outline Of each stair wns marked along
its edge with a thin line of white, which, II pos
sible, gave a still more cadayerOus and skeleton
look to the whole enterior. Only one thin nAr.
of the floor, stretching from the west end of the
nave to the front of the communion table This
was laid 10 gnide the assistants, who, when
covered completely by the pail, would have to
move the heavy bier up the centre of the Chapel
to the platform, where it was to be lowered to
the passage leading to the Royal vault. This
thin line ended at broad square aperture in
the floor, the extreme entrance to the Royal
tomb house below though the mouth of this
ulnnny chaam with ifa nj ,ynll on
little dstingnlshable amid the general black
ness that, had not IT'D edge been marked with
white bands, il might have been dangerously
overlooked by those engaged in the choir beneath.
But in all this there vas not much that differed
from other Royal funerals. The north aud
south aisles were carpeted with black, and along
the raised dais in the centre OF the nave at eacn
side were rows of seats for the servants of the
Royal households aud the baiifs and others
connected with The management of the late
Princes farms. There was also gently y-sloping
incline, leading from the southern door up to
the dais, for the passage Of the bier but, except
in these particulars, the arrangements were
precisely the same as those made lor the funeral
Of the late Duchess of Kent
None were admitted to the Chapel till after
hall.past 10 O'Clock. Before that hour all the
preparations were complete. The communion.
table rails were draped with black velvet, and
the communicable itself was covered with
massive plate, which showed out with almost
startling brightness amid the black around. To
avoid the possibility also of any mischance oc-
ourring, the bier was lowered to the vault en-
trance, and raised again, when the aperture was
finally closed for in these royal Obseques the
opening that gives entrance at last to the Royal
vault is never seen till the service is almost over
The square platform, which is worked from
beneath by powerful machinery, completely fills
the opening. On this the coffin and bier are
placed, and at the appointed time they slOSly
sink out of sight
THE INTERMERT.
AS the last strains Of the solemn chant ended,
the personal attendants OF his late Royal
Highness advanced and slowly removed the pail,
leaving tho coffin in all its moufnfu gorgeous
ness uncovered As this was done Earl Spen-
Ger, Groom Of the Stole to the deceased Prince,
placed on the head above the inscription plate
the crown of a Prince Consort At the same
time Lord George Lenox, Lord of the Bed
chamber, laid the baton Of the late Prince as
Field Marshal, crossed with the sword, and sur
mounted with the Field Marshal's hat and plume,
on the foot of the coffin, above the insignia of
the Garter All these memorials were fastened
TO the heavy black velvet cushions on which
they were laid. Thus. left alone in the midst Of
the expanse of black, tue melancholy gorgeous
ness OF the crimson Gothn stood out the one con-
spicuOus centre in startling contrast, almost the
only solitary object in all the Chapel which was
not covered with black and draped in solemn
mourning. As this last ceremonial ended the
attendants retired from the grave, and there was
Il silent pause, during which as the wind
nonrned hoarsey against the easements, the
quick, sharp rattle oil the troops outside rever-
sing arms was plainly audible, Then came the
muiiied toll OF the hell, the hoom Of the minute
guns, and the coffin slowly and ut frat almost
imperceptihly began to sink into the grave.
There was more than mourning al this nost
soleian time. The Princes hid their fnces and
aobbed GSsply. All, not only in the Royal train,
but in the Chapel, allowed their tears to flow
almost unchecked, aud some such az the Crown
Prince of Prussia and the personal attendants OF
his late Royal Highnoss, among the pal-hearera
seemed not less deeply moved for time thar
ahe Royal orphans themselves Still the coiIir
continued to sink. II is but few short monthI
ag0 since the lnte Prince stood at the head O
the same sobre opening and wept as the remain
Of the Duchess Of Kent were in tho snme manner
lowered slowly TO the Royal mausoleum. TIN
ceremony thea WAS gloomy and m0urntu
enough, though, after ALL IL was hut the buria
of n member of the Royal family long retire,
from public life full of years and honors ant
one who had already passed the term allotted 4
mankind. But here, with the Prince consort
the husband of our Queen, young man in III
pride Of life and usefulness, of health an
strength and manly beauty, the loss SCENE
more than Gond even be renlized und IL va
difficult, it seemed almost impossible. to believ
that the coffin then so slowly creeping dowR ia
wide black grove held all that was mortal
Prince Albert II was soemn period, m
most trying one for the mOurners, whose hal
stihed sighs were audible from all parts of th
choir, as with the faintest aud slowest motto
the coffin still continued sinking.
Nba oil in ha tutau n