Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-11-15
sPLeNooR UNRIvALEo.
The Gold Dining Hall I'm the Imperial
RAIaca ut NnNcOw.


Palace at Moscow.
Here. alter his coronation. the EN-
peror wears for the first time all the
imperial insignia, dimes amidst his
mobiles, and receives the congratula-
tions OF his foreign ambassadors.
This hall, built by Italian architects
In 1891, has been restored during the
present reign In a simple and arch AGO.
logically exact manner. and primitive
mural paintings having been repro
duced with the aid of ancient descrip-
tions thereof in archaic style by peas.
ant image-painters. Around the pill
lar in the center Of this hall is seriea
OF shelves forming buffet, on which
the imperial plate is displayed on
grand days during the visits of the
Tsar. We are sorry to add that the
inestimable precious treasures of
ancient gold aud silver plate which
we marvel at in the glass cases
OF the treasury figure on the buffet,
and are polished up for the occasion
by the careless hands or lackeys. In
vain the curators have been warned
that this repeated rubbing diminishes
the value OF the objects, and will in the
end materially damage them; the only
answer that they give is: ''Our father
the Tsar is coming; the plate must
shine brightly on the buffet"
The display of this collection of
plate has always struck travellers who
have witnessed the magnificence of the
court Of the Tsars. Margaret, Bur-
gundian Captain of the time of Boris
Godunov. in his EStat de rEmpire de
Russte (1649), gives a glowing picture
Of the rich collection OF plate which
was used in the daily service of the
Tsar. The treasury, he says, is full of
all kinds OF jewels in great number,
particularly of pearls; for in Russia
more pearls are worn than in all the
rest of Europe. There are
great numbers OF gold plates, large
and small, and Advantageous; be-
sides this an infinite quantity
OF silver plate, gilt and not gilt,
as may be judged from the fact
that after the election of Boris Feder-
Wits, when he gathered his army at
Serpo. during six weeks he Toasted al
most daily ten thousand men each
time, and all were served in silver
plate" Margaret mentions six silver
barrels, number of big bowls and
basins OF silver which required four
men to carry them, each provided
with Advantageous, the whole of Rus
Sian work. ALSO a great number of
silver pieces from Germany. England.
Poland, which are either presents Of
princes sent by their ambassadors, or
which have been bought for the rarity
Of the workmanship"
Olearius, who visited Russia in 1888,
the narrator of Lord Carlyle's embassy
in 1868. Richard Chancellor, Sir
Jerome Horsey. Dr. Giles Fletcher,
Sir Henry Willoughby, and other
early travellers, all testify to the mar
velous wealth OF the Tsar, and to the
quantity Of plate displayed on
the great cupboard" as they
called the buffet around the central
pillar of the banqueting- Rich
ard Chancellor says: I'm the midst OF
the chamber stood table or cupboard
to set plate upon which stood full OF
cups Of gold, and amongst all the rest
there stood four marvellous great
potte5, or crudences, as they call them,
of gold and silver. / think they were
good yard and a half high. The
number that dined there that day
was two hundred persons, and all were
served in golden vessels"
Sir Henry Willoughby, speaking OF
dinner given by the Tsar, says: "In
the middle OF the dining-room was a
table covered with cups of gold. The
number OF persons that dined was
about two hundred. all served in YES
sells OF gold, and the gentlemen tina
waited were all in cloth of gold. -
Theodor. Child, in Harper's Magazine