, 1880-04-18

Her Visit to Darmstudt-Confirm
Of Two Of Her Granddauxhters.

Her Visit to Darmstudt-Confirma
/ Of Two Of Her Granddaughter:
| Dtspateh to London Times,
DARMsrADr, March 31.-The proverbial
| sunshine which the Queen Of England is sup
posed to Take with her wherever she goes has
not belied the popular belief to-day. The
weather was as beautiful and radiant as
could possibly have been wished for to pro-
mote the succeeds Of a ceremony which her
Majesty has journeyed hither to witness.
| But not this alone has brought the Queen so
| far from home. # the dead cannot be re-
claimed from the tomb, 1t is at least some
consolation for mourners to revisit those
scenes which are inseparable from
the memory of the departed; and
though to witness the ceremony OF the
confirmation Of her grandchildren may have
been sufficient motive in itself for her
Majesty's present visit to the Courto Darn
stadt, it will scarcely be doubted that q still
stronger incentive existed in the shape OF
desire to make pious pilgrimage to the
grave Of a deariy-beloved daughter. OF the
seven children born of the marriage Of Prin-
cess Alice Of Great. Britain with the Grand
Duke Of Hesse Darmstadt, two preceded her
to the tomb, and of the remaining five. the
two eldest Victoria and Elizabeth, have
already reached the age, being II and
IL respectively, usual III Germany for
the assumption Of independent relig- |
ious vows and convictions. TO Victoria, |
the elder of the two, was given the |
nn1ne of her maternal grandmother, while |
Elizabeth was cAristene d after Princess
Elizabeth Of Prussia, similarly related to her |
on the fathers side. Both young ladies are |
tall and well-grown for their age, with very |
fair hair, light blue eyes, and fresh CON-
pIexion, bearing a striking resemblance to
their aunt, Princess Beatrice, and still more
to their cousin. Princess Charlotte, eldest
daughter OF the German Crown Prince and
Hereditary Grand Duchess of Saxe-Aleinill-
gen, who also arrived here last night with
her father, to witness ceremony In which
SHE herself was not soyerY long ago the1nain
actor.
The scene of to-day's confirmation was the
place of worship IN which the English col
Dny here have had the advantage OF assenl-
bling OIL Sundays. A simple whitewashetl
sditce Of moderate Size, with an 0rgan-loft
porting a couple of galleries, this Court
chapel seems well suited to supply the scanty
:itualistic wants Of sovereign family who ]
ldllere to the Lutheran form Of worship. On
'essels, while oil each side were ranged
of vertlant palms and tropical !
,lants. Directly: in front, about four PAGES
III, were placed y couple of seats for
he xonns N PrnssSss ro W9o " e,rs
otted to the most i1lustrious partieipaters III \
he ceremony, The body of the church was t
etimcs filled by the members Of the Diplo-
,atic Corps accredited here, including the '
Ion ". n. .Jocelyn and A1r. Charles Scott, 9
er Majesty's representatives at the Courts e
t Hessc and Coburg-G Gotha respectively. by =
he Ministers Of State, the Privy Councillors, r,
he civic, educational, and ecclesiastical | a
the latter the Rev. J. J. NJ. I,
unynghame, the English pastor here,--and b
:,lleries had been reserved for = few priyi- o
.geI guests Of the Grand Duke, mostly II
ldies and for the members of her Majesty's !;
ousehold accompanying her. Shortly be- : r
ire the entry of her Majesty and the mem :,
outh Shore, Chaplain to the Queen, WHO, Il
4 friend OF the late Grand Duchess, had Ia
.ceived an invitati!l n to attend to-lay's Ger RI
nony, arrived and took his seat in the side c.
aiery Immediately beside the Grand Ducai P,
~, w!Ileh dacng the altar, was Occupied :' k; q
tor and his younger sisters, Princesses II
Receiving word that all was ready to begin, Ii
e Grand Ducal family, with their illustri- in
Is relatives and guests, who had all in the r r
stle. began to file into the chapel, pre- ~ ~
ded and followed by the high Court yT yr
licers and Ladies in Waiting. First OF pa
came the Queen, leading in her grand in
ughter, PRINCESS Victoria, and S4p en-
ajesty, whose mourning dress was relieved w ":
bands and edging OF white, took her seat l tn'
the side Of her sO11-fn-law at the end OF the In In
st horseshoe row before referred to on the Na
sned M of the o fi aeess @ aSth s Sf 81 opPs pPsuss
10 escorted her naHesake Princess Eliza | we