The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-18
Unparalleled Pomp and Splendor
Attended the Great Event
at Moscow.
Els Subjects Impressed in Vivid
Manner With Ills Heaven APP
pointed Functions.
One Newspnper Man From America Pres
0nt at the Ceremony-Moscow
In q Blaze.
written for THE HrnrsA 1sDrrEsprsr.l

lAT - ~ N~NstF 49,
III. of Russia, succeeded TO the throne in
March, 1881; but ii was not till moro than
two years later that his majesty was
crowned with unparalleled pomp.
In no circumstances could the "autocrat
cf all the Russias." as he il officially styled,
afford to dispense with a ceremony IN
tended to bring home to the minds OF ms
subjects in the most vivid manner the
he-aven-appointed nature OF his high rune
lions and inheritance, and the unusual
length Of the interval that was allowed to
elapse between his accession and his cor
onation was only due to grief at the loss OF
his father, as we'll as to nerv ousness about
the possibility Of a similar fate for himself
should he expose his person too much. But
in time the days of his mourning and mopinR
passed away, and the 18th OF May, 1883,
was fixed for his solemn coronation IN the
cathedral Church of the Assumption, within
the walls of the Kremlin, or Palatine Hill,
30 to speak, of Moscow.
Every country has its coronation city
which does not invariably correspond with
its present capital, as witness, for example,
Drontheim, in Norway; Rheims, in Frances;
Econe, in Scotland, and Konigsberg, in
Prussia, and in the case of Russia this city
is Moscow, the ancient cradle and seat OF
the czars.
But where is Moscow? In Europe or In
Asia? All the maps certainly assign it to
Europe, but q walk through she streets OF
this ancient and enchanting city, this head
center and stronghold of Panslavism,
makes the visitor doubt whether he has not
already crossed the Asiasio line. For Mos
COW carries the imagination far to the east
with It's ~orientally CARRIED inhabitants; its
green and goldAn minarets and domes; its
whitewashed zones; it's emerald roofs. ltS
myriad temples and its thousand towers.
This was the city into which the present
csar, coming from S.. Petersburg, MADE
his %triumphal entry a few days before the
date of his coronation, and rarely, or never,
perhaps, in all history, had a more Gor-
reous open-air pageant been seen. The
Field OF the Cloth of Gold was nothing to
1T; and 1t was only rivalled. though not,
perhaps, outshone, by Queen Victoria's
Jubilee procession to Westminster abbey
with a crowd of monarchs, princes and
other magnates in her tram.
The great white czar's retinue. too, was
made up of all tho rulers and governments
of the civilized world, in the persons of
their special ambassadors b were sent at
very great expense to honor the coronation,
the English mission alone, with all its
housing and entertainments, costing as
much as $4,000, The fetes themselvH and
all the incidents of imperial hospYality,
must have occasioned the czar himsSlf an
outlay of several million roubles. Tor as
much az would have sufficed to clothe his
army, or save his people from famine.
But even more sumptuous and magnif-
cent shan the embassies of the old and the
new worlds, which figured in the triumphal
entry of the great white czar, were the
deputies from the Asiatio tribes and peo-
Piles subject to his sway-Calmucks, khit-
phiz, Khivans, and the denizens of the KILL
Kun and the Kara Kun, jewellers on the
banks of the Jaxartes and the Oxus, roam
ing warriors from the far Siberian steppes
and the great Monaghan inversion they
rode, in all the gorgeous variety OF their
picturesque costumes, before the mighty
monarch whose sway extends from the am
Der yielding shores of the Baltic to the ice
bound straits of Boring.
On passed the procession and q never
oeasing roar of cheers from the immense
multitudes which lined the route, the boom
ing of guns and the deafening clamor OF
nil the city bells, a most dazzling and
Kaleidoscope oavalcade, relieved at inter
walls by the gorgeous state coaches of the
empress and the other ladies of the imper-
ial family and court, each drawn by beau.
tiful and richly caparisoned cream co!ored
steeds; and in the center of all the mighty
czar himself, tall, yet NOT terrible, in shin
ing panoply of war. on a prancing battle
charger, but meek and lowly looking in his
simple dark green uniform and sheepskin
cap, ON a snow white palfry. the picture of
Spencer's very perfect, gentle knight"
which a pleased and gracious smile on this,
the %proudest and most memorable day of
his life.
Tho next day was devoted to the conse-
Grafton of the imperial standard, prior to
the ozar swearing military allegiance to it,
in the trophy room of the kremlin palace.
The which was attended by a
brilliant throng of his majesty's relations
and guests. was performed by the metro
politan of Moscow. assisted by half a dozen
of the higher clergy arrayed in all the
sumptuous robes of office. which made
them look more like men of gold than men
of clay. A gorgeous piece of variegated
embroidery, the imperial standard, stood
behind n reading desk in front of which
was a table supporting a golden vessel
filled with consecrated water. a cross of
gold. a Outbound folio Bible fanked by
burning tapers. Terribly in earnest, the
bishops voice rang through the vault.
pet, and when it fingered with
deeply generating emphasis on the name
alexander Alexsndroyitch," it could only
be compared to the moduiated roar of a
lion. After the conservation the imperial
family fled before the altar, kissing the
RI aoe SAG AiA MI AN RIiSbBW III
bore it.
This was q private but on the
following morning the outer court of the
kremlin drew MI the populace of Moscow to
witness the solemn proclamation by CUR
asaier-eseorted heFalds and pursuviauta,
g~orgeously arrayed in cavalier hats of Grim.
son with variegated plumes, satin mantle
of gold. slashed hose. doeskin riding boots
and oilded spurs, living pictures of Eng
liHh Charles !. and Rupert of the Rhine,
the solemn proclamation, urbie-et orbi, oil
the forthcoming cornatlon, ito the end
that on this auspicious day all the faithful
subjects of his majesty may send up &c
prayers and lmplore the almighty
one to extend the favor Of his blessing tc
the reign of his majesty, to the maintenance
glory of his holy name, and to the unchanginl
veal of the empire" And what scramblins
there was among the struggling throng tt
copies of this proclamation which tn
golden-mantled pursuivants flung hutter
ing among the crowd.
Outside the embattled walls of tic Krem
lin. richly hung with the colored egcutch
cons of all the provinces of Russia, tn
proclamation ceremony was again gon,
81 repeating the dazzling pageant at som,
OF the chiefs barriers. gates ant
public places, away moved tn
assiets with their eagle creste
for all the world like q departing train O
.gaF;N 1nfahRu 11rk nr.-n -.4 m Oh,