New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-25
CORONATION OF THE GEAR.
A RUSSIANS ACCOUNT OF THE GORGEOUS
SPECTACLE.

KRFNuIN-BRIILIANT FEATURES OF THE CEhE-
MONIAL.
The long-expected ukdse has made Its appearance
Alexander Ill will be crowned In Moscow on sun
day, the 9th of May next, and will thus become
by right the Gear of all the Russa3 The coronation
is without exception the grandest, most solemn ana
brilliant ceremony in the world nothing ever seen
or heard of elsewhere approaching its spendor anu
for this reason full description OF 1t may % reau
with interest.
The Gar while uncrowned has very little power
as a monarch, being, SO to say, minor hoiuing ,lo
rens of State more by courtesy than by right. de
cannot proclaim war or conclude treaty oi pe"oo'
nor can he enter the Imperial throneroom, or con-
fer the grand Gordon of any of the decora-
TONS All orders issued by him are null ana
void unless they be countersigned by two OF the
Ministers of State the body of which they form
part acting in every respect Regents OF the EN-
pro during the Cars political minority. during
this period he has no right to the fty-six titles be-
longing only to crowned Cars, but Is addressed
simply as Alexander son of Alexander and, as
matter of etiquette, Car of Russia. Under these
circumstances 1t is not singular that the various
Cars should have always fastened their coronation
i'll Moscow as much as possible, being naturaiy uh-
willing to be under tuteage which IN the majority
of cases Is obnoxious; and hitherto successors TO
the throne have, with very few exceptions, Dcen
crowned within two months Of the deaths of their
predecessors In cases where there have been disputes
about the throne, where revolutions were threa'
ened or where the throne has been usurped, as IL
was by Catherine, the ceremony has taken place
with what may be called indecent haste. History
informs us that Catherine stole away while the Douy
of Peter was yet warm. travelled TO Moscow as iaSt
as horses could carry her. and on the very dAy ol
her arrival there got crownedj once crowned she
knew that she was safe. The millions oil hussah
peasants cannot believe the Car to he " by inc
grace of God the most powerful Gear" unless Ii
has been anonted at Moscow. E1en In death an
uncrowned Car does not receive the honors
due to his rank, the body of Peter III.
being deposited in tho common churehyard
Of st. Athanasius, instead of beng laid
among the Cars, in tho great mausoleum of the
Church OF ST. Peter and st. Paul within the st.
Petersburg Citadel; for although Peter was En-
peror. he had not been anointed and crowned.
The bodies of two other uucro Uned Cars have re-
ceiyed the same uuceremonious burial. In Russia
children who have died without being baptized do
not receive Christian burial. and to great extent
an uncrowned Ear is in the same category.
ale Roi est mort; rire 10 Roi," Is the saving
throughout the world; but IN the present case 1t
ba. not been 20. The reasons of the postponement
of the ceremony not understood Oy
strangers, who imagine that 1t was due
10 Nihism. Alexander Ill, Ike all the
Romanoffs knows not what fear Is; indeed,
he would not he Romanoff If he did Had he
been afraid of the assassins he could easily nave
been Amounted and crowned secretly long ago. IN
stead Of which he means that the ceremony shall DO
public and on 4 magnificent scale. The reason for
the postponement ID due to nothing more nor less
IN mar a1 al "a
his departed father, 70 whom he much attached,
and whose loss he, in common with all Russians
still mourns.
SUMMONS AND PREPARATION.
II has always been the rule TO issue the Imperial
ukase respecting the coronation several months IN
advance In order to give guests who have to come
from great distance ample time. Inc Minister oil
IN. Household, by order Of the Gar. sends invita-
tions to all friendly Courts. TO Presidents OF Repnb-
lies and TO foreign diplomats Commands, not inyi-
tons are sent to members OF the Imperial family tho
clergy mobiles, officers projects. governors. judges
the chiefs of towns and villages. etc The great
ceremonv has always been performed in the Church
Of the Holy Assumption, within the walls of the
Kremlin. At the ancient town of Moscow. An old
law orders that every building must receive three
coats of white paint for the occasion. but the Mus
coytes do not require TO be forced by law they arc
proud TO receive their Gar, and for weeks previous
to the ceremony their town ia in gay holiday attire
Invited monarchs, princes and diplomats are the
guests of the palace, but Russian mobiles arriving IN
Moscow 90 direct TO tho mansions Of other mobiles OF
the same rank, whom they. most probably. have
never seen before. and whose guests tsey remain;
while strangers go 10 the many hotels and private
dwellings which tho municipality rents for the oc-
casion where they stay at the expense and MS the
guests OF the city. Although some of the Emperors
have wished the ceremony to be performed IN 1t.
Petersburg the clergy have always maintained that
such n coronation would be Illegal.
The great Kremin is not one building, but city,
and strong city, too in itself. 1t is octagon
plot Of ground OF many acres on high elevation,
surrounded by high walls and Notifications, and
contains four Crown palaces, three cathedrals. the
Headquarters of tho Imperial Guards, the Cover
norss residence, q university, and num-
ber of monasteries and nunneries. The
appearance of the KremIin is exceedingly striking.
IA the walls are white. the fortfcations emerald
the entrances Iosetinted and the roofs OF the
cathedrals gilded, the whole forming n wonderful
combination. The coronation procession begins to
form at the cavalry barracks, four miles distant
from the Kremn.
THE MARCH TO TIE KREMLIN.
Early in the day appointed for the ceremony SIXTY
beralds mounted on crean-coored horses and COM
manded by a master of ceremonies, appear before
the gates of the barracks and blow salvo. upon
which the colonel of the regiment appears and asks
what they want of him. THE Car commands
thee follow me" is the answer, and the gates are
| thrown open and the regiment, which has been ex'
| peoting the summons, gallOps out and follows the
heralds The heralds then proceed to the barracks
Of the Lancers, where the same thing takes place
| then to the university, then to tho Cathedral
of ST. Nicholas where the clergy join the procession
| then to the law courts where the judges fall IN
| then to the headquarters of the marshals of the
nobility the staff officers the several professions, the
governors the projects, the Populations from every
part of the Empire the trade guilds etc. etc. each