The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-19
With Glittering Escort the
Gar and Czarina
Appear.
ELABORATE PREPARATIONS FOR THE
CORONATION,
RussIa's Real Capital Thronged by Digni-
taries of the World to Witness the
Dazzling Festivities

most universally renewed and freshened
for the occasion, lending to the city Pc
culiarly brilliant aspect.
Tyerskaja street, the route of the Cars 8
progress from the Petrovsky Palace to the
Kremlin, has concentrated within its
length much of the preparation.
This preparation has necessarily been
very elaborate to insure point of van
tage for the vast number who are under
official care.
The competition for position among
those not officially provided for has been
unprecedented. Many houses along the
street have been rented at high rates for
the whole year, merely to secure the lessee
a window for the procession on Thursday.
For single windows fabulous prices have
been offered and many bitter disputes over
points for seeing the spectacle have
already found their way into the courts.
The Gar on the occasion OF his corona
ton, 1t is said, will abolish every form of
corporal punishment in the empire. 1t is
expected he will pardon thousands of con-
victs in Siberia.
The coronation of the Car of all the
Russias is an exceedingly elaborate and
Impressive ceremony. While it may Jolt
the plain republican ideas of an American
there is no aspect OF it that appeals to his
sense of the ridiculous. Although the
central event of the ceremony does not
take place until May %, the professional
pomp OF the affair has already begun.
Some time ago the imperial regalia were
taken with every conceivable splendid
state ceremony from st. Petersburg TO
Moscow. This collection is made up of
the thrones scepters. diadems, crowns
precious stones, the gold and many quaint
and costly uniforms of former monarhs.
Unlike the regaIia OF other European
monarchies = now merely matters of
curiosity-the regalia of Russia has
living value, for is not the Car the sole
master OF his dominions and of his sub
iects? The transfer of these treasures to
the place of coronation was, therefore
attended with much show and state and
constituted the first of the many IMPOSING
ceremonies that will follow. These will be
as theatrical, as glorious as a Roman
triumph, and will show the world that the
largest country in it is guiltless as vet of
modern notions concerning government.
The entrance of an Emperor and EN-
press into Moscow, the real capital, will be
attended by many picturesque scenes.
From the Petrovsky Palace to the ancient
Kremlin will march side by side in gala
uniform every description OF European
troops and soldiers of semi-oriental and
purely Asiatic appearance. Stout infan-
try of western type, ancient regiments at
tired In the costume of the time they were
raised; heavy artillery, bright cavalry in
tunics of green, blue and scarlet; Uhlans
with long lances, dragons with glittering
swords, Cossacks from the Don, the Volga
and the Black Sea; Circassians with high
caps OF lambs wool; Kirghis from the
steppes OF Central Asia-these and Others
unlike these will show the way to the coro-
nation chapel and guard the persons of
the master and mistress.
The Gar, knowing no higher parsonage
than himself, for he is at once absolute
political and ecclesiastical monarch. Will
place the crown upon his own head with
his OWN hands. He will receive il from
the Archbishop of Moscow. This central
Ceremony will take place in the Cathedral
OF the Assumption, in the heart of the
Kremlin. The church is so small that
few persons can actually see the corona
ton But the consummation of the fact
viii be announced by laundering cannon.