Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-05-13
Victoria cat Home"


Very few persons who have not been
abroad have an idea of the machinery
of state reception by the Queen of
England at Buckingham Palace, and a
mere outline of one of these cumbrous
affairs must prove interesting. Itshows
more clearly than anything else can how
very different all the ideas Of ceremony
and formula in England are from those
in vogue here.
If you take up the London Times
some morning and read the account of
the court which her majesty yesterday
held at Buckingham Palace you will
at first be inclined to believe that you
are reading the dramatis persona Of
the fairy extravaganza. You are in
formed that his highness the mahra-
rajah duleep singh and her highness
the mahara-nee arrived attended by
so and so, and that His Imperial
Highness Higashi Fushima Yo- Mipa
was prevented by indisposition from at
tending the court" With these we are
not overwhelmed, but when we hear OF
the Nawab Zasern of Bengal, and
Prince Sulelman, Kudr Valid Ali
Bahadoor," we are firmly convinced that
the carnival has penetrated to England,
and the august members OF the royal
family have gone masquerading. But
no these are all names belonging to
real people come from the various far-off
colonies to render homage to their SOW
ereign. There is an immense crush of
carriages for miles away on either side
of the palace through parks and sombre
Streets and thousands of the lower
classes stand looking admiringly at the
glow and glory of fashion in which they
can never hope to participate.
When the queen holds court her
majesty's body-guard of the honorable
corps of gentle e-men-at-arms," and the
royal body. guard of the yeomen of the
guard are on duty in resplendent uni
forms. In the courtyard of the palace
the Scots Fusilers Guard is drawn up in
line, mounted on fleet, sinewy horses.
At little before three o'clock in the
afternoon the queen enters the throne
room of the palace, accompanied by
members Of the family (oftenest the
youngest children) and by an innumer-
able train of persons of rank who wait
upon her Among these are the mistress
of the robes, the lady of the bed-cham-
Der in waiting, the maids of honor in
waiting, the lords steward, the lord
chamberlain, the master of the horse,
and comptroller of the household, the
the master of the buckhound, the keeper
of the privy purse, the groom of the
robes, the captain of the gentlemen
alarms, the gold stick in waiting, the
silver stick in waiting, the field
officer in frigade waiting and the aides
de camp in waiting. This brilliant, and,
to an American, somewhat singular
throng of servants, is made up from
dukes, duchesses, viscounts, countesses,
colonels and honorables in confusion.
The spectacle of the entry is always
quite imposing, and the immense hall,
filed with the elite of the land, and
radiant with rich dresses and jewelry,
becomes a lovely kaleidoscope vision.
The queen is usually dressed with sim.
plicity. This is favorite dress of hers
on court occasions A black silk dress,
with train trimmed with crepe and
Jet, and the usual long white tulle veil
surmounted by coronet of jet. In ad-
dition to this, she usually wears some
let or ornaments, the riband and star of
the Order of the Garter, the orders of
Victoria and Albert, and Louis, of Prus-
sia, and many German family orders.
The Princesses usually wear black and
silver, with pearls ornaments, and the
attendant throng is dressed with a Law
ishness unknown to many continental
courts.
The presentation of distinguished for
eigners by the ambassadors or consuls of
their various countries then occurs, and
is a long and formal ceremony. The
Countess Granville has usually presented
American ladies. All persons who have
received or honorably acquitted appoint
ments in the service of the state, are
also presented, and the archbishops,
bishops, and other church dignitaries are
very numerous. All persons who are
on tho list invited, and who do not APP
pear, are next morning summed up in
list of the official journal as follows; OF
tse foregoing, the undermined were pre-
vented by various causes from obeying
Her Majesty's commands" After the
presentations the carriages begin to come
up, and there is frightful crush in get
ting home. ts