New-York tribune., 1885-08-17
GRANT AT WESTMINSTER.
NOTES on THE MEMORIAL SERVICE IN THB
ABBEY

'"
memory of great soldier, chat of yesterday to-
General Grant was spontaneous One Of tho London
papers this morning speaks of Invitations having
been issued to those who sat in the choir. Not onG
was issued There can be no harm In saying exactly
what occurred. The FIRST communication between
the American Committee and any Engishman was
with the Prince of Wales. The Prince had already
expressed desire to show some mark of respect 10
General Graut. He was asked whether he would
prefer that an invitation to he present at the Abbey
should be sent to him. His answer was. No; tnat
he thought 1t would show higher respect to his
memory if he volunteered to be present. whether 10
person or by Representatives" That settled tho
question, ii question there wcre II the Prince of
Wales was not to. be invited nobody, according To
English etiqucte could be invited In one or tive
cases, owing to absence from town or other reasons
notes passed between members of the COMMITTEES
and those present In each case ii wac said that no
invitation was sent None could have been. No.
body but the committee appointed by the American
Minister had authority TO issue invitations. and ths
comir ttee voted there should be none. II was de-
srable TO Know who meant to come IN order that
places might be reserved for them in the choir
where bat hundred seats were available; the rest
being occupied by the Clergy of the abbey and tho
chorsters Places were reservsa so far as possible.
but some eminent personages arrived without notice
and had to be provided for at the last moment The
Dean of Westminster gave up his own stall to Mr.
Forster Sir Lyon and Lady Playfar had seats
found for them somehow, and others were III like
case.
The presence of a representative OF the Queen was
not unexpected but was wholly unsolicited. Her
Majesty acted on her own impulse without, so Tar
as 7 know, a suggestion from any one abc'V her;
certainly none from outside Colonel Ewart WHOM
she sent as her delegate is officer OF distinction.
~ 4 nnro
was at Cowes aud Lieutenant General Sir Digrtoa
Probyn. controller of his household, represented
him We hear today that, at the suggestion Of tho
Prince. the flags Of the Castle at Osborne, Of the
RoyaI Yacht SGuatlron at Cowes and Of the yachts
assembled for the regatta were at lalfmast during
the Abbey service; thoughtful anil CHARACTERISTIC
thing for him 10 do. The Duke OF Edinburgh was
present in the person of Colonel the Hon. w. j.
Colyille controller OF his household, sand Major
Egcrton came in behalf Of .he Dnke of Connarght.
Perhaps il should be sail that in the case OK
Royalties It is the custom to send some osiicsr
attached to the royal household or royal person.
The Queen never attends ceremony. The Proce
of Wales as I have said earlier, would have como
| himself had circumstances permitted The pres
! enee of the Duke of Cambrd1e meant several
things lie il grnndsOn to George I'LL, the queens
| cousin and Commander-in-chief. with blm were
| Lieutenant General Iyrwhtt aud CAPTAIN St John
| NilJpay Many officers came for the War Offices
| and Horse Guards; foremost among them Lord
Wolseley and nothing was more remarkable In THIS
! -geat gathering than the number Of military men.
and no seluage could have been more grateini 70
the object Of it taaa tl5;ss Jhe Marquis oi Lofio
! NAV be taken tc represcns his rasieF tue DuSe OF
Argyll. his wife the Princess Louise, a1d tas
| Dominion OF Canada. Oh which ne IA" beV. So'-
crnOr-Gcn raj.
| Mr.. GIadslones health was such that it was M
certain on Tuesday morning whether he would DO
able 20 come The air of Westminster Ajbcy Is noD
| thought beneficial TO throats and Mr. Gladstones
throat is still in very deHcate condition He had
been staying over sunday with Baron Ferdinand
de Rnthschd at WoddesdOn. the wonderful place
which the Baron has literally created within tho
! last ton years. He had been unable to say word
TO the deputaton winch greeted him there. hiI
physician protested against his running any risk
whatever. However, be came and with him MIS-.
Gladstone lie and Mr.. Forster and Mr. Shaw
efevre both in the Cabinet at time or another.
represented the late Government. The actual Cow
ernnent sent two Ministers among those highest IN
Cabinet rank the Earl of Iddesleigh First Lord of
the Treasury whose interest in America would have
brought him in any case,and the Earl OF iarrowDy,
! Lord priyv Seal who was asked by Lord Salisbury
20 attend. Two sons OF Lord Iddeslegh are married
10 two Americans; one Of them, rs you know, to
daughter of Mr.. Fish, aud lives in New-York
will not 20 over again the list Of those pre- sent
which have sent by telegraph. Not Il few oi theEi
eomo 70 London from the country, some from long
distances expressly in order to attend this service
Among these were Chief Justice Waite (who came
from Scotlandl, Lord Wolseey, Mr. Henry James
! and the Dean OF Westminster himself omit alst
many other particulars which have already been
sent but express the feeling of the committee that
| foo much cannot be said for the kindness OF tho
Dean of Westminster in everything that relates 10
! this memorial service. II rested wholly with the
Dean 20 offer the Abbey, or TO withhold it. HIS
offer and his c0Eamet Of the services, and MS ready
acqnescence in every wish oil committee entits
him TO the warmest gratitude of Americans iu "e';
countries.
4 black boricred programme headed "West-
| minister Abbey. Tuesday, August ., 1889, at 5 i.
m.r announced to the great congregation assent
| bled that the service was in memory OF General
Grant, late President of the United States and
formerly Commander-in-Ch Chief of the Army" Tho
order of service had been carefully chosen by tho
| DEAN but what was most remarkable of all was tho
| holding of the service itself. 1t was unique For
| once thing has been done in England for which
| there was no precedent Never before have the
gray arches and groined roof of Westminster Abbey
| resounded to funeral stratus IN honor OF great
man who was not an Englshman, and who died
| beyond tho seas Nobody asked nobody seemed 10
care whether this had been done before or not lie
was q great American, and that was enough. Crit
| ichm if criticism anybody were disposed TO offer,
was silenced by the sanction of royalty, OF two Gov
ernments speaking for the two great parties which
| decide between them the whole political authority
Of the kingdom ;--ot all that is most august most
revered in England, of nearly every voice thatv
| heard with respect.
Tho congregation was largely American, bat iai
more largely English. There never can have been
| Americans enough in London to crowd transepts