The San Francisco call., 1896-05-24
Scenes Witnessed at the Funeral
of the Late Gar Are
Repeated.
FESTIVITIES PRECEDING THE
COMING CORONATION.
Regimental Bands and Glistening Coats
of Mail Lend Charm to the
Ceremonies.

MOSCOW, RUSSIA, May 23.-At o'clock
this morning one of the most interesting
events connected with the festivities took
place in the Senate square in front of the
arsenal inside the Kremlin. 1t was the
proclamation of the coronation by the pic
turesque Russian heraIds.
With the exception of the emblems of
mourning and the wording of the procla-
nation the ceremony was in all re-
spects the same as the one witnessed
in st. Petersburg at the funeral of
the late Gar. Many people had
gathered to listen to the proclamation,
though the crowds in the ancient citadel
OF the Kr'mlin were not excessively large.
Drawn up on two sides of the square,
fanked by the arsenal and the ancient
Senate-house, were four squadrons of CUR
assiers, two of life-guards and two of
chevalier-guards.
These were commanded by general,
supported by his officers. On either flank
of the lines of cuirassiers. whose coats of
mail glistened in the morning light. were
regimental bands.
At the side near the general were two
secretaries OF the Senate, two aides-de-
camp and four masters of ceremonies in
rich costumes and mounted on magniti-
cent horces.
In the very center of the square, facing
tha artillery barracks, were six mounted
heralds, escorted by an equal number OF
esquires.
These were arraged in costumes strik-
ingly like those in which Charles 1
IS represented, with large cavai-
Ter hats of crimson, surmounted with
plumes of yellow, black and white; satin
mantles, trimmed with a profusion of
gold, slashed hose and doeskin racing
pants.
as 9 O'Clock rang out from the Ivan
Tower the heralds sounded a flourish
upon their golden trumpets and the crowd
reverently uncovered to hear the proclama.
ton while the cuirassiers and guards sat
ike rigid statues in serried lines. One of
the secretaries of the Senate rode few
PAGES forward and read in loud voice the
following proclamation:
"Our most august, most high and most
mighty Sovereign, Emperor Nicholas Alex
androvitch, having assembled the heredi-
tary throne OF the empire of all
the Russias and of the kingdom of
Poland and of the Grand Duchy of Fin
land, which are insepsrabIe from it,
has been pleased to ordain in imi-
ancestors, that the sacred solemnity of
the coronation and conservation of his
Imperial Majesty, which his Majesty wills
that his august consort, the Empress
Alexandra Feodorovna shall share. do
with the aid of the Almighty, take
place on the 14th (2eth) of May. By
the present proclamation, therefore.
this solemn act is announced to
all the faithful subjects of his
Majesty to the end that OH this auspicious
day they may send up to King of
Kings their most fervent prayers and
implore the Almighty One to ex-
tend the favor of his blessings to
the reign of his Majesty. to the
maintenance of peace and TRANQUIL
lity, to the very great glory of his holy
name and to the unchanging 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 Illuminated copies
of the proclamation on which were en-
graved the arms and insignia of Nicho.
las II.
a 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 a Russian military
march. the officers ranked up, the cuiras-
siers fell in line behind the heralds and
the whole party rode away past the ivan
Tower, through the great bell square and
out the Spasky gate, TO repeat in different
quarters of the town the ceremony lust
witnessed.
The same solemnity will be enacted in
similar manner tomorrow and the day
after; thus on the three days preceding
the coronation is the great event an
nounced publicly TO the people, who
nation.
In addition to this formality, ten mas
ters of ceremonies in gala chariots for
malIy announced to the foreign diplomats,