The times., 1897-06-23
A woSDEnFuL BLAZE OF LIGHT
sIillious of Electric Lights Turn
Night Into Day.

Night into DAY.
London, June 22.-Eyery detail of the
royal procession, including the place as
signed TO each dienitary from abroad, was
ANNOUNCED in advance, save one Ine of-
ficial program carefully omitted all men
ton of Munir Pasna, the envoy eNtraurdin-
airy cf the Sultan OF Turkey. This was a
wise precaution, taken by the authorities
In order To prevent, if possible, hostile
deTnonst ration, which il did not need Mr
Gladstone's suggestion to eau forth The
comments of the crowd ut many points
along the route when the carriages OF the
diplomatic corps We're passing indicated
disappointment that they were unable to
recognize the Sultan's represe ntatise, for
there were Seye raj 0rien tails who might
have been him.
Tonight The people made merry. The
day was given up in homage TO the soyer-
eign and welcome TO guests from distant
parts OF the empire. When night fell
the festival became the peoples own, and
it was celebrated as was never done before
In these islands. oddly enough IL took on
8 distinctly Partisan phase. Confetd VAS
used sor the first time in London, and at
midnight the streets We're covered. The
Strand. from Wellington street To Pail
Mall, was literally transformed into
Paris boulevard. Masts supporting an arch
OF aolored electric lights, which was the
chief feature of the illumination of the
boulevard Cappcines at the Cars fete
last October. were erected OF the Strand,
changing that sordid thoroughfare into a
dazzling arcade.
The illumination as q whole was not
credltalle from. an art site point Of view.
though there we've a few splendid exceD-
tions. Tie general Cea in lie private ois,
plays seeraed TO he loyalty, measured by
the cubic feet of gas consumed, n o matter
how. What was expected TO lie the ( nest
display Of all was "a 'lul beea use OF some
defect IN Tie electric apparatus. This was
the illumination OF st. James street. Heavy
gaIlands, which made the stIeet a Won
derf,l arcade 10y day, were filled with
thiity thousand eleotrc lights, which wele
expected TO produce a matches fairy
bower at night. The Princess OF Wales was
TO come fiom Marlborough House TO turn
on the light at dusk, but alasi the lamps
remained dark. Tie clubs n tie vicinity
largely made up for the disappointment,
the whole section being rs bright as day.
The irregular square or triangle par
italy Enclosed By the Mansion Horse, the
Eank of England and the royal exchange
was a magnificent spectacle. The lord
mayors Official residence, with its spa
ciuls front, stood cut erandly witb its pil
lars ,.ntwined with ropes of jets of fire,
and tie Outline of its front was beautifully
bright Its principal attraction was a
mighty crown encircled by an even larger
laurel wreath. The latter was green, while
the flicGering cf lie gas gave the crown
the appearance of Icing made of flashing
gems. On either side We're the letters ".
R." huge and dazzling. Directly above,
crossing the capitals of tie pillars. were
Tie words:
God Bless Our Queen
while on a level with this device were the
two dates of her reign
.1S37-1897'
Stin higher shone great gas sun ON
Che summit OF the building. with dozen
or 50 blazing beacons. The Bank of Lon
cen We'd with the Mansion House, so far
as its less pretendous architecture would
permit, blazing from basement to parapet.
The London, Liverpool and Globe Insur-
ancc building was crowned all along its
top facade with golden stars Beneath
them Were crown and the royal letters,
CVitOSiSC II 10 li-G bdiIh % 1-bE
land, along The whole front of which was a
succession OF brilliant lines, with the royal
emblazonings in the center The bank is
lowly structure. but it makes Hp in length
what it lacks in height, and its long TN
dulating lines We're spiehdidly emphasized
in fire
The Royal Exchange was lit up SO
that every line and crevice stood out
ing the square.
But the grandest triumph Of the IL
luminator's art was St Paul's Cathedral.
It's grand dome, towering above all else,
giowed and siione as with "a strange, Won
derruI incandescence. 1t gave forth no
Hight OF It's own, but there were con.
centrated upon il the rays OF no less
than forty powerful searchlishts, each at
a different angle. The effect was inde-
scribably beautiful.
1t was vivid, yet ethereal, dazzling, vet
almost ghostlike. 1t was as though the
rays OF the monday sun poured upon the
great dome at midnight while the rest
of the city was in darkness. 1t was far
more effective than If the church had
been covered with a blaze of gas or
electricity.
put ~ uiEul, do IN tue utty tlllle, LIE spec
tators were the real spectacle. Not a
vehicle OF any description was allowed ON
the ST reets of London tonight They were
given over to the strolling millions. An
occasional policeman in the middle of the
thoroughfares Kept the great throng nov
ing In two streams in opposite directions.
The popular procession went on and on
for hours. Every one was In the gayest
mood, happy and good-natured. Before
midnight ali were singing God Save the
Queen" Rltersted with one after the
other of the latest musical airs.
After midnight there wds no apparent
dirnsnutlon in the thTongs, and the sing
ing and cheering made perpetual jubilee
chorus The multitude never tired it
seems as If London has not slept for
days, hut the jubilee spirit is still unex-
hausted
THE ROYAL PROCESSION.