, 1877-05-27


IMPERIAL wEEp1:;G AT THE READING or THE
wAR-MAs1FEsTo.
Correspanderce London Ntrx.
K1scnESEFF, April 1;1.-Thc troops were al-
ready under arms by o'clock, and thcy stood
there in long liues and masses, never moving in
the slightest oot;onless as statues, and as SILENT
too, for m hour ana half, until the arrival Of the
Emperor. There was something strangely in1-
prcss1ve md awful in this prolonged silence and
immobility. The crowds looking upon the scrricd
lfnes. SO silent and motionles<, became them
selves silent, and gazcd with wonder and awe.
with tho power OF causing such htdeous uproar as
to make the very earth trcmble, were now 70
etll and silent that they seemed to BE- held
inspired IN the crowd reclin. Of
vague dread. There was none Of the laughing, o.
much in crowd assembled for q holiday SIGHT,
They spoke to cach other in hushcd voices aud
f;e.y eve dase wofs serious earnest LOOK Nor
OF. The crowd only swayed and opened a passage,
taking gu thc!r hats as he passed. and not till he
the S' pse Ssoae and foowss ID
By an immense staa Of more than 100 officers, be-
Fun to ride slowly along the lnea was the silence
The review proper lastcd nearly an hour and
was over about halfpust II. Then, when the
mnste 1no &C Seassd these was silence again The soldiers
"a by the crowd. The voice OF man was heard;
lectns that of the n.hoo q
Three quarters Of IN hour, during which time
everybody, spectators well us soldiers remained
nncoyered. with composed but cxrectant faces,
FINALLY this came TO an end, and then an anxiuns
mur1nur ran through the crowd. If the manifesto
were TO be launched. II wnr were to be declared
now was the moment when it would be done, III
tact. the long-exEectcd. long hoped lar mnment
had come. There was dead silence for nm in.;anf
daring which could hear the ticking OF nv xyasch,.
then clear, strong voice broke the Stiffness If
was not the voice Of the Emperor hut NJ rhe |
bishop OF klschened. who wns reading the mani
festo: and, strange to say, be bad not read nnrr
than half way through It when aol,s were heard
and people, looking nbont to see whence they nro
ceeteu. perceived that they were from ths FIN
pctor Alexander, and that be was wecniny EEa
child. II had been this pride and glory Of hfs t
reign that u was one OF peace: IL had been hfs |
boast and his hope that be would fnish it without
war. ana now. tn spite Ut everything he had done
10 avoid it. the step waa at Inst t4ken and a war
"xs declared, the consequences Of which no man
can aoretee. When theE aaw how much the En-
peror was Affected by 1t, there WAS probably mol |
dry eye within tic range OF the readers voice. but
no sooner had ho dnthcd than tacsc went up wild
ana universal saous. such ~ never heard before !
and scarcely e1pcet to ever hear again. 1t was
shout OF exultstiuu, Of triumph mad Of relief. as
thoagh great weight Of suspense were lifted from
the heart Of the multitude. II spread through The
army With the raptaty of sound t.elf, and was in-
eanl!y tnkcn Up " tbs efumd outslde, and repent
CO over and osef again, ustt the vcrr sky was ful
~ IL me soldiers tossed thc1s caps high Ia the !
es ant eauxat thcn on their hayopct:, add tv1,led
the:, thp tunno 4Aa !enhd. shouting and yelling ~
toqach tae5 woat hus4t thcir t41oats