The Portland daily press., 1881-03-25
The Emperor's Funeral.
Magnificent Pageant in st. Petersburg
Described by George Augustus Sala.


George Augustus Sala telegraphs as follows:
81 have just been spectator of one of the
most magnificent most impressive, most pa
thetic pageants on which, in the course of a
heightened career accustomed to the pomps
and vanities of regaiity, from royal bridals and
feasts to royal funerals, have ever been privi-
+ legged to set eyes. The route taken was from
the great plain in front of the Winter Palace
by the Admiralty Quay and the English Quay
to Nicholaivsky Bridge, crossing which the
procession took the street on the line of the Is
land of Vassile Ostroff, across the Tootehkoff
Bridge, and by the Alexander park to the for
tress, entering the gate called 'Ivaneskaia.'
The procession consisted in all of IS sections,
comprising 172 groups, to describe which would
occupy many columns.
The Corps des Payh, in full uniform, march
ing two and two, attracted, as ashistorieal body
of cosmopolitan cadets, much attention Then
there was clump Of banners the imperial
family banner, the crimson military standard,
broideied with the imperial arms, and the sad
die horses of his late Majesty, led by grooms in
deep mourning, Next came a long defile of
peculiarly interesting local ensigns, the stan:
dard with the arms of Tchoorkal, succeeded by
flags with cognizances of Armenia, Strararda,
Georgia and Cartalinia, each attended by a
mounted man-at-arms and a groom. The line
was broken at intervals by masters of ceremo-
nies mounted on white steeds, and by Court
marshals with crape-wreathed batons, Viatka,
Pero, Tver, Karilia Samogic, Esthonia, Podo-
liza, Lithuania, Astrakan, Vladimir, and Kiew,
which succeeded each other, until at length
there came relief to the wearied sense in the
appearance of the great banner of Moscow, the
old Muscovite dominion, borne proudly aloft
before mounted men-at-arms.
Representatives of the various governments
and provinces of the Russian Empire followed,
and then came corporations of peasants, of bur-
ghers, of traders, and of the several admins
trations. Then came very curious episode a
long line OF officers in full uniform, bearing on
variously y-colored cushions, embroidered with
gold, the badges and decorations conferred by
foreign monarchs ald princes on the late Gar.
Some were simple circlets of plain gold-oth-
ers diadems literally blazing with brilliants,
emeralds and rubies of Kasan. After these in
care Of functionaries of the second class came
the crowns of the kingdoms of Georgia, Jauris,
Siberia, Poland, Astrakan and Kasan, with
the imperial globe, sceptre and crown followed
by two masters and the grand master of the
ceremonies; all these order and insignia bear
ing officials being f1anked ON each side by bat
tdilOu VI CduelS from SU raul Military School,
marching in single file. Among the noticeable
features OF the procession was a figure which
attracted much attention-the Knight of the
Golden Armor, mounted upon a gorgeously
harnessed steed, carrying a drawn sword, and
supposed to symbolic the bright and spotless
character of the departed sovereign. After
him walked man-at-arms in sable armor, with
drawn sword.
Not the least striking or solemn portion of
the spectacle was vast, silent crowd who
spot from which distant view could be OBJ
tanned OF the procession. There they stood,
bareheaded and mute, kneeling and praying
for the soul OF the dead Emperor, followed by
long line of priests and acolytes, numbering
many hundred and attired in their ecclesiasti-
cal robes, the priests bearing tapers. The
crowd pressed forward and deep silence pre-
vailed, broken only by the melodious and weird
like notes which rose and fell upon the ear.
Following the priests came the gorgeous cata-
falque, on which rested the coffin, under a
rich canopy OF gold, surrounded by white os-
trich plumes.
The hearse came suddenly into view, and the
prodigious mass of humanity rapidly. so to
speak, as flash of lightning, uncovered. 1t was
wondrous sight to behold, that black sea Of
hats and caps transformed into an immense ex-
panse of pale, upturned faces The funeral
car was bier of ebony and silver, on wheels
with heavily carved spokes and a superstruc-
ture OF black and silver. The whole was can
opied by superb material, encircing the COL
umns of the bier. The coffin of the illnstrious
deceased was almost hidden by golden pail
lined with white satin, and the vast car itself
was drawn by eight black horses completely
shrouded in sable draperies. Four General
aides-de-camp stood one at each corner of the
catafalque, the polisLe ed metal wheels of which
glistened in the sunlight. Sixteen general
officers held the silken cords of the canopy.
Behind the bier of his murdered sire walked
Alexander Ill, in his imperial solitude, bear
ing alone his filial sorrow and his State cares,
and symbolizing in this last respect his unique
position. The Emperor was dressed in a
generals uniform, wearing the ribbon of the
Order of st. Andrew over his shoulder. Fol-
lowing the Emperor at a respectful distance
came the Minister of the Household, the Min
lister of War; and the three officers on duty
Next in order followed the Grand Dukes and
Princes, according TO precedence, with foreign
Princes. These included the Grand Dukes
Vladimir, Alexis, lSergius, Paul, and Constan-
tine, Sergius Michaelovitsch Dimitri, the
three Nicholases, Peter, the two Michaels,
George and Alexander, all on foot like His
Majesty, with innumerable Princes, Roman
| etfsky, Leuchtenberg, Nicholas and George
| Maximilianovich Peter, Alexander and Con-
| stantine, of Oldenburg. and Dukes George and
| Michael, of Mechlenburg -Strelitz."