The record-union., 1896-05-24
Tuesday, May 26th, the Date Set for
the Ceremony.
Desperate Struggle Among the People
to Secure Copies of the Precious
Document, Which Were Thrown
Into the Crowd Assembled in the
Senate Square in the kremiin.

MOSCOW, May 23.-At 8 o'clock this
morning one of the most interesting
sights connected with the festivities
took place in the Senate Square in front
OF the arsenal inside the Kremlin. 1t
was the proclamation for the corona
ton by the picturesque Russian heralds-
With the exception of the emblems OF
mourning and the wording of the proc
lamation, the ceremony was in all re-
spects the same as the one witnessed in
St. Petersburg at the funeral of the late
Car.
Many people had gathered to listen to-
the proclamation and see the slght
though as it was repeated in other parts
OF the city, the crowds in the ancient
citadel of the Kremlin were not eX-
cessively large.
Drawn up on two sides of the square,
flanked by the arsenal and the ancient
Senate House, were four squadrons OF
Curasseurs, two of Life Guards and two
of Chevalier Guards. There were COM
manded by General supported by his
officers. On either flank of the lines OF
the Cuirasseurs were seats. At the side
near the General We're two Secretaries
of the Senate, two aides-de-camp and
four masters Of ceremonies in rich cos
tunes and mounted on magnificent
horses. In the very center of the square
facing the artillery barracks were six
mounted heralds, escorted by an equal
number of esquires. These were ar
rayed in costumes strikingly like those
IN which Charles l. is represented, with
large cavalier hats of crimson, sur
mounted with plumes of yellow, black
and white satin mantles trimmed with
a profusiOn of gold, slashed hose and
doeskin riding boots.
AS 9 o'clock rung from the Ivan
Tower the heralds sounded a flourish
upon their golden trumpets, and the
crowd reverently uncovered to hear the
proclamation, while the Cuirasseurs and
guards sat like rigid statues in serried
lines One of the Secretaries of the
Senate rode a few PAGES forward and
read in a loud tone the following proc
lamatiC':
"Our most august, most high and most
mighty Sovereign, Emperor Nicholas
AIexandrOvitch, having ascended the
hereditary throne of the Empire of all
the Russias, and of the Kingdom of
Poland and of the Duchy of Finland,
which are inseparable from it, has been
pleased to ordain in imitation of his pre-
the sacred solemnity of the coronation
and conservation of his imperial ma
jesty, which his majesty wills that his
august cOrsort, the Empress Alexandra
FeodOrovna, shall share. do with the
aid of the Almighty, take place on the
18th (26th) of May. By the present
proclamation, therefore, this solemn act
is announced to all the faithful subjects
of his majesty, to the end that on this
auspicious day they may send up to the
King of Kings their most fervent
prayers and implore the Almighty One
to extend the favor of His blessing to
the reign of his majesty, to the mace of
peace and tranquility, to the very great
glory of His holy name and to the un-
changing veal of the Empire.
Having read the proclamation, which
was received with cheers by the people,
the Secretary retired to his former
place, and the esquires threw into the
midst of the crowd beautifully illumi-
mated copies of the proclamation, on
which were engraved the arms and in
sigma of Nicholas II.
4 desperate struggle then took place
in the crowd in order to secure copies;
of the precious document, and as the
struggle ensued the bands struck UP
the strains of Russian military march,
the officers ranked up, the Cuirasseurs
fell in line behind the heralds, and the
whole party rode away past the Ivan
Tower, through the great bell square,
and out through the Spasky Gate to re-
peat In different quarters of the town
the ceremony just witnessed.
The same solemnity will be enacted in
6, similar manner tomorrow and the
day after. Thus on the three days
preceding the coronation is the great
event announced publicly to the people,
who showed great curiosity and eager
ness to hear the proclamation
In addition to this formality, two
masters of ceremonies in gala robes
formally announced to the foreign
diplomats, plenipotentiaries and special
envoys the day fixed for the coronation.