New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-19
THE JUBILEE TOWN.
A ROYAL PROGRESS THROUGH A TAN0LE
OF RAMBLING STREETS
OF A FORTNIGHT's REJoIc
INCA VAST CROWD

res1ue brick corners and paved alleys in Old
London that the lack Of statelnes5 In the archi-
lecture and the alignment OF the streets IN not
noticed ordinarily. II the National Gallery be
q Shabby substitute for the Louvre or Covent
Garden Theatre for the Paris Opera House. Or
trafalgar Square. with its one fine church
portico and its Nelson column, for the sp,ciou.
ard harmonious Place de Ia Corcorde or Tho
Marble Arch for the Arc de Triomphe de pEfoi,e
still the Houses of Parliament the Tower the
Renaissance Cathedral. the Abbey and the New
Law Courts are enough - redeem the English
capital from the reproach Of being mean and
commonplace In architecture. II IA when an
imperial pageant, with millions OF onlookers IA
planned that the shortcomings Of London are
revealed as capital without broad thorough
fares, splendid effects and an air OF imperial
distinction.
The Central Mall leads from sombre and I'M
Impressive palace TO the unpretentious Horse
'uaros' ana while 1t Is broad roadway, with
trees ana BORDERS upon beautiful park, It can
not DE regarded as palatial avenue. Plea
oi''y mas rev me residences at the upper end
ou' III ARCHITECTURAL effects II is dull. prosa!c
street, unworthy Of its reputation. Whitehall
with It's massive public buildings Inieo Jones.s
banquetirg-hall and the clumps Of trees in from,
better; but how gnobly IT ends in two narrow
alleys opening upon Parliament Square, Tbese
are three out OF the eighteen streets uh,ch
the queens procession will pass The renoir.
ing hfteen are narrow. unimpressiye straete
without stateness Of effect. St. James's-st and
ran Mall lead through clubland and the old
Paiace or st. James Is at the angle where they
meet; out they are not spacious avenues The
strand and Fleet-st. are narrow stuffy streets
with only one fine architectural feature, the
New Law Courts. and one beautiful object St
Mary's Church. Ludgate Hill with It's railway
priage' IS the meanest possible approach 10 a
magnificent cathedral which ought to stand by
Itself with acres of open space around IT, In
Cheapside there is beautiful Wren spire
In King William-st. there Is nothing until
London Bridge is reached, with the monument
on one side and on the other St. Savours low
down in hollow. Through the Borough and
Westminster Bridge Road there is nothing until
the grand Houses Of Parliament are seen be-
yond the river.
what Is left OF old London Is either splendid
In form or rich in precious associations and
there are stored spots in the busiest quarters
haunted by benignant ghosts for those with
eyes to see them. To men of sensbty OF the
English speaking race, II is incomparabIy the
Is not wanting in picturesque elements But IL
does lack an air Of distinction and stately
pride. Ii Is a confused maze OF crooked RAM
bling streets and lanes There are no imposing
well-built avenues With the exception OF the
Thames Embankment and the Holborn Viaduct
the course OF modern improvement has been es-
sentially inartistic. Congested areas have been
cleared FOR sanitary reasons, and new streets
opened for the relief Of swollen traffic but no
comprehensive scheme of Improvement has been
adopted for the transformation of London into
capital Of imperial dignity and grandeur So
magnificent temple as ST. Pauls is hedged In
and barricaded by unsightly business blocks Of
the commonest order, and the venerable Abbey,
sacred to the memory Of English genius, Is
audaciously confronted and stared out of coun-
tenance by the vulgar Westminster Aquarium:
and day of imperial festivty is ordered, there
is no Champs Elysees for stately pageant
but only tange of rambling streets through
which the Queen may make her triumphal proe.
ress.
SETTING FOR GALA SCENES.
The setting for this imperial scene will not
have any element Of statelness. but 1t will be
appropriate for National fete Of Thanksgiving
and rejoicing. The blackened walls Of sombre
London Will be curtained with bunting and
abaze with color, and the seven-mile route will
be continuous Derby scene without the open
ground in the centre. The first stand is inside
the ratings Of Buckingham Palace and will be
occupied by State officials. Beyond 1t is a plat
form stretching up Constitution Hill to Bur,on's
Arch. From St. Georges Hospital and Hyde
Park Corner to st. Jamess-st. private resi-
dences. clubs and shops will be hidden with
wooden frames for the accommodation OF sight
seers. st. James's-st and Pail Mall will be lined
all the way with balconies and stands. AT the
Haymarket corner there will be an immense
stand, and the National Gallery will have a
timber front densey crowded with titled and
fashionable sightseers Opposite the Gallery are
two great stands and further st. Martins
Church Is surrounded with staging while only
the tip OF the famous cross can be seen in front
Of the Charing Cross Station, tier upon tier OF
seats having been built around It, So will IL be
all the way through the Strand, Fleet-st, Lud-
gate Hill. Cheapside and King William-st 10 the
Borough. and thence TO Westminster Bridge
Whitehall and the Mall. Every church will have
its platform. every open space will be framed
in every street line will be broken with the
ragged edges of balconies. every window will
be filed with eager faces. and many hundreds OF
house roofs will he crowded with spectators.
AS the decorators work has barely begun, the
carpenters being still in possession Of the line
Of march. II would be premature 10 forecast In
detail the extent and character OF the street
decorations There will be many triumphal
arches, but these will not be as substantial as
those erected not long ago at Sheffield. Masts
OF various patterns carrying banners and gar
lands will be seen at every turn. The celluloid
balloon arches. which were so effective In the
Champ Elysees when the Car visited Paris. will
no llx. yptrO rcoI
alone having ordered eighteen OF them st.
James's-st. will be artisticay decorated by
single contractor. The Strand will be resplen-
dent with Venetian masts and gold bannerets.
In Fleet-st. the prevailing color scheme Will be
white and gold. and around the gray Cathedral
there will be a blaze of scarlet. 1t now seems
prohahlo .hat while the wishes OF high priced