The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-24
ANCIENT MOSCOW
A Scene Of splendor Behold One
in a Lifetime.
Graphic Description of Gorgeous
Pageant---The Gear in the
Line,
The Empress, Carriage, and the Dis
tinguIshed Attendants - The
Bomb story Denied---F For
eign News Items.

! broke not altogether promising. The temper
! allure was pleasantly mild, but the sky was
cloudy. Preparations ON a colossal scale and
of the most elaborate character had been made
by the authorities III order to insure the SUE
eessfuf progress from tho beginning to the end
Of the kolsmn entry of their imperial ma es3fies
into the ancient capital of their tionlinions
As early as O'Clock almostthe entire popula
ton, the majority in holiday clothing, seemed
afoot
The coneourse of rapidly driving droskes
was prod gious, but each quarter of an hour
passed it became more and more apparent tina t
the authorities had vigorously determined to
keep clear the entire line of the procession
from the city gate along the Iverskaia, dis
lance of four English miles, to the kremiin.
From early forenoon huge waterca1ts were
peramDulating the Via Triumphalis to lay the
dust But at noon unfortunately, there was
no need of irrigation. slow, drizzling rain
set in, SO that many of the crowd were covered
with miry slush On the side OF the road
| facing the Minin and Pojarsky monument was
colossal estrada, the seats rising amphi-
| theatricallv.
In the tiers of benches were ranged 500 ma
sieiana and behind them a vast conconrse of
provincial delegates, and at the sizes d joyous
1
bright summer costumes. The girls were in
| terspersed among the dark masses in male
costume, producing surprisingly beautiful
/ effect
To the right of the Milan and Boja1sky
| monument was a curious survival of the an
cient Muscovite manners in the shape of "a cir
c1lar PLATFORM surrounded by Il bulwark with
| an entrance in the centre. The circumference
was approached by flight of three or four
steps. In the midst of the platform itself there
were three more steps of wood, isolated,
not leading anywhere. From this plat
form in bygone times the solemn will
Of the ear was formally promulgated.
From the self same platform an imperial her
aid viii at the proper time make solemn declar-
alton of the date of the coronation of their I'M
perial maiestes. But this circular platform
served in bygone times another and darker
purpose. 1t was public scaffold. The cen
trail steps were the block which the Grim
mails kneit to be beheaded. Close to this dark
side of the past, nearer the Kremlin was an
entire battery of artillery, eunners, drivers,
and everything complete. Sln nearer the |
kfemlin was an ambulance wagon bearing the |
cogsszance of the Geneva cross and a great |
body of the clergy OF the Krenin waiting to |
receive the emperor
At 2:l5 a cannon was fired from the kremIIn /
and clergy issued from the neighboring |
churches in new yestments, dalmatics, copes |
and chasubies, with sacred images and incense.
The bells changed out m cheerful harmony
with tbe hum OF the visitors talking in every
languiEse-Slav, Monaghan, German, French |
ami Engtlsh-alded by the cheers of the en-
crowd and the booming of cannon
all this could not drown the Ginning # TIE
bells.
As the cortege approaches the bells grow
louder, the censers swing in air, the drums
roll, and the band strikes up. Then comes the |
Cossack guard of the emperor in Circassian
frocks, with shapkas of black AstAakan and
faced with orange cloth, with rifles carried on
their hips AfterF these came two squadrons
Of Don Cossacks in scarlet and two sqaadrons
3f the Dragon guards of Moscow. When |
-hese have passed "a novel sight appears. Dele |
gates from all the Asiatic tributary tribes APP
)roach, two and two-kirghiz warriors, IN |
10th Of gold and purple; Mongols. with vel |
ow faces and dark-biue gowns Georgians |
and Iartars OF every grade in silks
atlns, and turbans and caps OF every shape
nd color, in fur, lambskin, and brocada
These have scarcely passed when the sight 4
dazzled by long serpentlne line of gold, =
which resolves itself into multitude OF I'M !
'eTial laekeys OF the household, Behind these !
re four running footmen, in the oi grenadier Q
at and feathers, carrying large canes. Then
ONE four giant negroes in full Oriental suits,
nd chasseurs without end in scarlet green.
nd gold. These precede the first rank OF | +
tate carriages Six whites horses .draw | :
he first one, the animals caparisoned with l
ullion in relief. Positions III three L
ornered hats, and grooms are by each Y
orse, and running footmen by each {
Wheel; Six cream horses drew the next; / I
TX black horses the next, and still come four | h
lere state coaches, each of more elaborate Or / n
ament and wealth of accessories. But the | n
reater attraction of the gorgeous Cheyalier | =
uard drives the other wonders out of ken | q
hey alfred in white tunics, with gold | +
urasses and polished casques on which daz- +,
ing silver eagles open their brilliant wings. n
he front rank of each section bear lances ON a
hich red and white pennons tiutter The rear n
INK carry sloped swords n
These splendid cavaliers, 30oin number pre- 81
"a ru-f4n =
lived with deafening shouts by the worship
g crowds. He looks very noble, happy aud
-hshed. The emperor's dress was the dark
'een uniform of a cossack general, with
ack wool camp on his head He salutes the st
iouting peoples or crosses himself as he passes
G holy pictures, and with his Young princes \;
Ear him and the Duke of EdnburS little to "a
e left PAGES on, followed by his staff of 20O bi
en- of every regiment, nation, and uniform it w
possible to imagine
Gen. Lord Wotseley was conspicuous from IN
$ British uniform among the blue, green and
ack military costumes which crowded the st
ID white horse. yelled IN cascade. Of cold i IL
nge and ridden by Positions draw the spiei-
vehicle in which the handsome young en-
ess is seated in her imperial robes. She,
'afs the Russian tiara. Her carnage Is
'rthy Of note, not only for the detali and
7ish decoration IN crimson velvet OF the roof n
d painted panels, but because was built
the great Catherine and used at her coro-
ton The state coach which bears the
lchess of Edinburgh is nearly as fine. 1t is ,
ofned Win pictures OF Dympfs and cupId5
gold
The pageant was magnificent success II
sd slowly through the siouble portal of the ev'
si.reasensky gate past the northeastern face oti
the hremlin, which adorned with Ex
IaldIc shields OF cities, provinces and nation . I
ties. Along the ronte were many American NJ
rs. - The procession passed along the face of lie
grind stand. containing upward of I0,tD0 | eyf
rsons, and III front OF the renowned church | -
St Basil, with its extraordinary cluster OF oei
Fers and domes, and near that spot entered the
kreIniin. TOO
rhe emperor remains foa the next three tlays -
ting in the palace within the kremin, not ,l'e
LIle proitzka monster as orieinalIv n has
ded sin
THE ALABAMA AWARD SURPLUS. Iatt
LONDON. May 23.-Mr kennard. at bee
desire of the Tory party, has decided to ran
lnIon, for the present session, his motion car
arsd IN the House of Commons, in relation TIL,
he disposition Of the gnrplus of the AlabaTas ~,
rd II is thought the question can be raiaed 49,
re conveniently at the expisation OF the | =,
cry treaty in 1854. as I
DENIAL nigl
81 PETERSBURG. May % The Off e esI'
Messenger denies that an explosion oc its
rod IN the dressing room of the Car, be- dist
} his departure for Moscow 1t SAYS, how
T, that an explosion, which was due to the ~
ape OF gas, did occur opposite the palace nas
AMNESTY ia.
he persons to be granted amnesty by the Of !
on the occasion of his coronation viii IN &C,
lie the civilians exiled to. Archangel