The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-10-02
NO. 16O.
OPENING THE REICHSTAG.
A Pen Picture Of the Impressive Ger
man Ceremony.

hour to don full evening dress, with
white cravat and kid gloves, but il was
"AUf Allerhochstein Befehl," and in
matters Of etiquette there is no resist
ing royal command. Not being
entitled to wear a German uniform,
and having no connection with any
foreign embassy, this somewhat opprts-
sve costume was an indispensable
condition of my admittance to the
"white saloon" e the imperial schloss
on the 4th of July to witness the bril-
lian, and imposing ceremony of the
festive opening Of the new reichstsg by
the Kaiser in person. The hour
appointed was noon, but l was careful
to present myself at the designated
entrance soon after II O'Clock, and, on
exhibiting my card Of invitation, was at
once shown the way to one Of the two
tribunes, or galleries, which overlook
the splendid chamber, and Of which
one is reserved FIR members Of the
diplomatic rps and high government
officills, while the other is devoted to
the use of the few favored members OF
the body polite who are fortunate
enough TO obtain cards Of admission.
IL thr r, cent transformation Of the
VIII te salon many advantageous changes
have been made, one of the most
notice bic Of which is that the numer-
ous chandeliers which formerly inter
fered with the view from the balconies
have given place to three ponderous
pendants, adorned with the same pro-
fusion Of rock crystal prisms which
decorated the older ones, but so ar
ranged as not to obstruct the view,
while incandescent electric lights have
been substituted for candles. In old
times the device adopted for the light
ing of these candes-hundreds of
them-was a vertable work of art A
continuous strand of cotton fibre,
stepped in some inhammable material
which gave it the quality OF tnder, was
wound around the wick of each candle
in succession, and the end Of it hung
within arms reach in one corner of the
saloor. The application of match
ignited the train, and as the fire leaped
rapidly from tip to tip the room was, in
a few moments, in blaze of light. All
this preliminary trouble now gives way
to the simple turning of key.
Another great improvement is the
change in the position of the throne
from the end to one of the long sides
Of the saloon, which gives opportunity
on ceremonial occasions for much
more picturesque and effective group
ing than was formerly possible. This
was particularly observable last Tues
day, when the Kaiser was emphaticaly
the central figure, while the members
of the bundesrath and reichstag, of
whom nearly one.half were in uniform,
and the minister of state and court
officials were grouped upon the right
and left of the throne.
The throne is capacious and heavily
lgilded chair, upholstered in Grin son
velvet, raised upon platform or dais
three steps above the level of the floor
and overhung by canopy, the velvet
draperies Of which are embroidered
with the arms Of the various German
states, and are gathered into an i'm
Iperla crown at the apex # the bs ldsc-
lCrtpn al htla th., ,,Na,.tl.r, f. Il.
Supports and confines their folds is
ldecked at each rner with a plume Of
three large ostrich fe thers-black,
white and red respective, the imperial
colors. When the cerem ny to be
lperformed concerns the kingdom of
Prussia only, as was the case on Wednes-
day when the two houses of the land
TAG, wing completed their prescribed
'egiSl tvr rm of five years, assembled
to hear the m narch's parting words, a
silver throne is substituted for the
IL ld'n ore, the hangines display the
H"herz Fern arms, and the pumes
txHib OILY the Prussan coors-black
and white
At 1880 'cl ck religious services
were held for the c C.thcllc members of
the reic st in the neighboring church
OF ST. Hedwg, on the Opern. Pla,z-
the ST und church" so familiar to the
recollection Of every visitor TO Berlin
and for the Protestants in the beautiful
chapel of the palace itself. The latter
; was attended by the Kaiser and the
princes of the royal house, and it was
nearly quarter past twelve when the
subdued and distant strains Of the
choral, "Nun danket ALE Gott" an,
, nounced its conclusion. Then the
Kaiser appeared in his favorite white
d inf rm of the Cairassiers of the Guard
with the broad orange ribbon of the
Order of the Black Eagle across hi,
breast, advancing from the grand stair
case, which was converted by palm.
and other exotics into bower of green
cry, preceded by some thirty pages ir
their uniforms of velvet and lace, anc
attended by brilliant suite. He
cordlally greeted the assembled repre-
sentatlves, and withdrew for a time &c
an adjoining room, while the cour,
trumpeters played the famous ole
hymn, "Held Wilhelm Won Nassaue,
a with admirable effect, temperinp thei,