Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-05-11
xaxniaccnt Palace.

One of the imperial family, Is the
the apsc aIsce. with its front 700 feet long,
winter facing the Grand Neva at the
directly ;,s greatest width. Within the
point o. becomes SO confused by its ex-
palaee on ;,,mense number of its rooms,
tent, w brilliant magniticence, that he
and lhe nav but an uncertain picture Of
CARES haijs ceilings covered with wond-
maruse asntings, pillars of precious stones,
rons pha richest damasks, all making a
Win a I'D fitting abode for the ruler over
rosaraatest empire in the world.
the Iail called the Saloon of Nicholas
Inc nc enough to contain $500 persons,
iL5 gbted by twelve immense chan
sna &c crystal, which on fete occasions
deile' rith five thousand candles; at the
oI0 ara bullets reaching to the ceiling,
emu ,rhich are ranged gold and silver
90 some as much as two feet in
p lslsss, and all displaying marvellous
o lsn If workmanship. AT the side of the
nm saaa opposite to the throne are two
lO Slas Of solid silver. Around the room
III t.d six high silver candelabra; six more
Dssstened to tine walls, and chandeliers
rs.;ITer are suspended from the ceiling.
no golden saloon has its doors and all
.~,od work covered with solid gilt, and
sslIs and ceiling are heavily orna
I'D with gliding Over the mantel is
isSssr,ed long panel of mosaic work,
ll.aresen;ing an Italian landscape. This
- p.nel has a value of $4,000 The room
FINISHED with crimson draperies, and
.,r,ains mosaic tables, vases several feet
S;sh of malachite, jasper, etc. a beautiful
sre screen, consisting OF one large plate
~ c~imson glass standing in a gilt bronze
came marble statues and candelabra of
ian;s- lazuli, aud much other elegant
s,rniture. This, | believe, was the saloon
If the late Empress, mother of the present
The malachite hall has its walls orna-
,,ented with sixteen malachite pillars,
raschjng from floor TO ceiling; two mala-
ah;te marble mantelpieces and malachite
vases The doors and trimmings of the
,oom are of solid gilt One room has re-
,osrkable doors, each of which we We're
told cost 1000 roubles, equal to $4,000.
They are of rosewood, nlaid with wood
II the palm tree, and the panels are orna-
meuted with paintings on porcelain. An
other room communicates with the adj
ioiniug apartments by several sets of fold
Inc doors of tortoise-shell, inlaid with a
snp nattern in gold, and each pair of these
doors cost S12, 900. In still another room
ssch panel of the doors bears large oval
medallion, either of wrought cameo, or an
imitation of it, made at the mandatory
AZ seyres china, near Paris. A very valua-
HE mosaic table, its tops representing
EIGHT separate Italian landscapes, was, we
were told, the gift of Garibaldi to one of
the Grand Duchesses. A massive silver
mantel set of clock and vases, curiously
and heavily wrought, together with the
central chandelier in the room, we were
also told, was presented by the City OF
London to the Emperor of Russia, at a
costof $500, 600.
But we have yet to take peep into the
nriya,e apartments of the imperial family,
which. If not equal to the state apartments,
are nevertheless extremely rich, and many
Of them have their walls covered with
silken damask of various colors. In the
general sitting room of the Empress and
her ladies, of whom | Judge from the
number of chairs and tables she had
enough, her Majesty's seat is on raised
platform separated by railing from
the rest of the room; the walls are
of crimson damask, and there are
number of beautiful pictures; but
the chief thing i noticed here were
tall folding screens OF exquisite work
manship in colored glass, many repre-
senting miniature scenes of royal story.
The walls of the sleeping-room of the
Duchess OF Edinburgh were, like the
drapery and furniture, of pearl-colored
damask From this room we passed into
her boudoir, with walls and furniture of
white silk, wrought with bouquets OF
bright flowers; both rooms had arched
ceilings, frescoed in delicate but cheerful
colors. Beyond was the bathroom be-
longing to this suite Of apartments, and
the most perfect jewel OF room ever
saw. 1t was softly lighted by the mosaic
windows of rich colored glass. Between
the windows was marble mantel of in
describable beauty and workmanship, and
before the CRATE fire. screen of crimson
glass in gilt stand, so heavy that L could
not lift one end of it. On the opposite
side of the room was the marble bath
partly sunk in the floor. Behind the bath
the wall was one wide, high mirror; the
ceiling overhead was an arched dome, not,
however, with smooth, carved surface,
but hanging in scalloped stalactites OF
stucco-wOrk. These stalactites were OF
various delicate colors, their edges shining
with slight line of gliding. The side
walls of the room were covered TO harfno.
nize with the ceiling overhead, and the
thick, soft carpet seemed to have been
woven for the room. There was but little
furniture, save table, sofa and couple
Of chairs in small alcove. These were
painted white and covered with a pale
blue silk. could not help wondering II
the fair young girl for whom all this had
been arranged might not some time be
homesick for familiar surroundings in her
iar.away English home.
The last room visited was in the upper
story and contained the imperial jewels, a
"ondeFful, rare and extensive collection ;
they were guarded by two armed soldiers
and two keepers. They are arranged in
show cases on. tables extending halfway
around the room. In the first compart-
ment were mostly diamonds, among
which was diamond necklace, whose
value, we were told, is so great that l
actually dislike TO repeat it, and will only
say that it was several millions OF dollars
hsa circlet of twenty-five large dia-
monds, with fifteen pendants, each pre-
cious jewel. Here are also jewels ar
ranged in the form of trimmings ready to
pe applied TO dresses, shoes, headdresses,
eN In the second case was large col
lee'lonof black diamonds, to be worn as
eouH-mourning emeralds, pearls, dia-
hiehds, and an assortment OF fans 10
match whatever jewels might be selected
a. Al. hl