New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-16
AN IMPERIAL WEDDING.
FESTIVITIES IN RUSSIA.

Il
| sELo--ILLUMINATIoN AND NAVAL REVIEW.
lrRox AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
ST. PETERSBURG, Aug 27-The Russian capital is
now in a whirl Of excitement over the marriage OF.
| His Imperial Hghness Vladimir Alexandrovitch to
Her Grand Ducal Highness Marie Paulovna, daughter
of the Grand Duke of observation-disclosures. The
affair was arranged o few months ago, as
| all such affairs arranged in fanilies
Of blue blood, not because the parties
to be united straw for each other, but because
it necessary that Vladimir should be married to-
somebody, and that somebody must belong to one
of the Imperial, Royal or Grand Ducal families OF
Europe When his august brother, Alexander, was
Of marrying age, seven years ago. it was necessary
that he should marry the daughter of King or
Grand Duke. and the choice fell upon the Princess
Dagmar, daughter Of the King of Denmark. She
had been previously engaged to the elder brother Of
Alexander, but the elder brother died and left his
betrothed as heritage to his successor.
Such proceeding would hardly be con-
sidered regular among plebeians, but il
entirely in the mode when you get
among the crowned heads. The wedding to be SOL
emnized tomorrow is not union Of individuals but
of titles and positions. All those homely notions OF
two souls with but single thought and all that
sort of thing, must be set aside by heads that wear
crowns. Imperial and royal personages cannot
hes as marrying and settling down for life.
Two weeks ago happened on the Russian from
tier and found the station at Werballen dressed
with flags and lively with officers in brilliant uni
forms. dozen Imperial carriages were on the
track at one side of the building and servants were
hurrying about with an air of great importance.
AS the time for the arrival Of the train drew near
the gay parsonages on the platform drew them
selves into double line from the doorway to the
plank that overhung the track, and presently the
locomotive came screaming over the border. Vlad-
imr the hero of the scene, stepped from the door
way and greeted the who was to be his BRIDE.
He has q tendency to stoutness, more 80
than his father or his elder brother and future,
years. with the good living which he can afford, will
doubtless give him the figure of beer barrel His
face is round full, and unwhiskered. and bears
pleasing expression. like his features better than
those of the Czarevitcb, and he is generally COM
mended for his good temper and amiability. In his
gay uniform he presented a marked contrast to the
plainy-dressed woman that stepped from the rail-
way carriage. She was clad like any common tray-
eer of her age and SEX and might readily be taken
for an English governess or German ladies maid.
She Is pretty without being handsome. She met the
Grand Duke with a smile of either genuine or well
| counterfeited pleasure, and took his offered arm
without any appearance OF hesitation. AS ne led
u
some atrocous music, which was continued with
very briet intervals during the stay OF the party.
After lunch the lady was escorted to the train and
the party moved off in the direction of the capital,
| The bride was brought, not to st. Petersburg,
but to the palace at Tsarskoe Seo, the celebrated
resort of Catharne H., about 10 miles west Oh the
| capital There she was met by the Emperor anu
| Empress and other members of the Imperial family,
| and there she was made comfortable as possible
| until to-day. One night last week the grounds at
Tsarskoe Selo were Illuminated, and there was
public announcement of the event, so that many
persons went thither from the city. have never
seen a prettier illumination anywhere. nor
| grander one without pyrotechncs. believe there
were half a dozen rockets or so. but did not see
| them, and certainly they were not a prominent
| feature of the display. Near the pal
| ace there is lake; it 10 not
| a large one as was able TO walk around 1t inhan
an hour and that without hurrying. All around the
lake. close to the waters edge, lights were placed
within 90 inches of each other, and following the
| sinuosties of the bank. There is an island IN the
| lake. and there is a sort of column or lighthouse
| near the island Then there a bath-housc and
| boat-house there is Chinese temple on little
promonory, and there is large pavilion that would
| cut up into hotel capable of holding 100 per-
| sons without putting more than two in
| he'd. Island, column. temple, boat-house, bath
| bonse and pavilion were covered with lights lights
| were hung in the trees, and strung along the
mathis and through the grounds. There were electric
lights in several places and the end of the palace
| vas brought into full relief by several very
luminous torches The boats on the lake were
| covered with lights, and at o'clock the Imperial
party came from the palace to the pavilion ana took
| a row around the lake. Marie. the bctrothed, was
on the arm of the Emperor.
| Two DAYS after the illumination there was to be
| naval review at Cronstadt and went there to see
IT, The wind blew and the rain fell the Emperor IS
| not a good waterman, and he concluded to post
none the affair until day before yesterday. Inc cap
tain of the port of Cronstadt made good thing out
| of the postponement On the morning hrst APP
| nonted for the review he ordered TO hoist
certain flag and to keep it hoisted until the review
| was over He receives 700 roubies, or 2oV irahcs'
| for every day the flag is at the mnst-heaui
| 80 il can be easily understood why ne
was not heart-broken at the postpoDement.
| But when the review did come off 1t was grand
| affair. The sky was clear the sea was calm, ana
! the wind was mild; and everybody was happy
Forty sbps of the Baltic fleet in line rather
in three lines and they included frigates. cor
yettes. sloops-of-war. and monitors Among them
was the Svetlana, familiar to NEWCOMERS az
the time the Grand Duke Alexis paid us
his memorable visit, and l recognized an
old friend the corvette Variag, on which once
made cruise of six weeks in the Pacific Ocean and
the Okhotsk Sea. The lines were as straight as
surveyor could run them.
| The Emperor came at o'clock IN his yacht the
| Alexander escorted by three steamers 10 whicn
half dozen more were added as he passed the port
of Cronstadt The cortege made the tour oil the
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