New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-03
BALL IN DEvoNsHIRE HOUSE
MOST GORGEOUS SPECTACLE EVER SEEN
IN LONDON.
MASSES OF COLOR AND GEMS PRESENTED By
SEVEN HUNDRED GUESTS IN FANCY
DREss-RoyALTy TAKES PART

SEVEN HUNDRED GUESTS IN FANCY
DREss-RoYALTY TAKES PART
IN THE FEsTIvITY
London. July 1.-The Duke and Duchess OF Devon
shire fancy dress ball tonight at Devonshre
House. Piccadily. 1t exceptionally brilliant
aHar even for this season OF brilliant social func
tons. The state apartments OF Devonshire House
are decorated in the style of Louis XIII and
well adapted for entertainment of this kind that
they needed little alteration and formed a
superb setting for the masses OF color and gems
presented by the costumes OF the seven hundred
guests. Among the latter nearly every royal family
In Europe was represented. The costumes were
mainly those OF the sixteenth century being for the
most part copied from portraits of the Kings
Queens and courtiers who flourished in Europe
during the reign OF Elizabeth. Along with these
were presentations OF other historical or classical
celebrities such the Queen OF Sheba. Cleopatra
Agrippna. Zenobia, Messana, Juno. Minerva. Hebe
and the Graces.
The Duke of Devonshire received his guests at
tired In the garb of the Emperor Charles of Ger
many. Among the latter were the Prince and
Princess of Wales the Duke and Duchess Of York.
the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, Prince Charles
OF Denmark Prince Christian, Princess Victoria OF
Schleswig- Holstein. Colonel Hay the American
Ambassador. and Mrs. Hay Lord Rosebery, Arthur
Balfour. Mr.. Asquith, Sir Horace Farquhar. the
Countess Of Warwick. In costume Of the Marie
Antoinette period; Lady Tweedmouth, in an Eliza
bethan costume; the Duke and Duchess Of MARI
borough. both in Louis XIV style, the latter ele-
ganty gowned in white satin and wearing en-
erads and diamonds; the Duchess of Portland.
IN a dress of the time Of Louis XIII; Lady William
Beresford and Mr.. and Mrs. George N. Curzon;
Mrs Ogden Goelet In white dress covered
with diamond c-escents and diamond stars; Lord
Charles Montague. Lord Crewe, Lord Stanley, Lady
Mar Lady St. Osborne. Lady De Grey the Marquis
San Vito, Lord Lathom Marquise Hautpou, Lady
Goat 10 ~ NTrc Entb dc
dorf and the Earl of Durham personating King
Philip of Spail.
NEVER SAW ITS LIKE BEFORE.
1t may be safely said tina, London never before
scene so gorgeous The rooms were trans
formed into paradise Of flowers. Everywhere
were cumps and banks of beautiful roses and fes-
toons of electric lights.
After IL o'clock the Prince and Princess of Wales
arrived, ard were led by the Duchess of Devon
shire a dais AT the end of the principal room
where they formed the centre of brilliant group
The chief feature of the ball. aside from the dane
Ing, which was desultory, was a procession OF the
varied characters led by the Duchess Supper was
served in the garden in huge tent, each table be-
ing arranged around a palm tree, whose branches
were hung with electric lights. AT the table of
the Duchess twelve guests. among them the
Prince of Wales. the Duke Of Fife. Mr.. Balfour
and Lady Randolph Churchill. At the Dukes table
were the Princess of Wales Lord Rosebery and
the Duke or Marlborough. AT the duchess OF
York's table were Prince Charles of Denmark
Lord Halshury. the Lord Chancellor and Mr.
Chamberlain. The procession to supper was led
by the Prince Of Wales and the Duchess of Devon
shire.
The principal dancing features were the quad
rifles. in which each set was danced by and
women attired to represent particular historical
epoch. One quadrille was danced in costumes
producing those of the Court of Queen Elizabeth;
another reproducing those Of the Court of Louis
XIV, the men being dressed as officers Of the
Royal French Guards and OF the Musketeers
Other dancers represented Doge of Venice,
Charles TX. Henri ", Nine. de Pompadour. Marie
de Medcis Maria Teresa Of Austria, Gaspard de
Coigny. the Due de Guise and Catherine II Of
Russia The dances the slow, stately mnuets
and gavos Of the times to which the originals be-
longed. and the music for them was composed
specially.
THE PRINCE AS A KNIGHT HOSPITALLER.
The Prince of Wales dressed a Knight
Hospitaller Of Malta, N black velvet. with Maltese
crosses in white satin worked on his cloak, and
satin brocade doublet, velvet trunks slashed with
black satin, a high-crowned hat with large NAL
tese cross in diamonds in front and white ostrich
pumes at the back. Around the hat was a silver
chain. His Royal Highness wore the high boots
which matched the sei rneared &c IA Refine
Margot with brilliant array of train bearers six
ord pe @ r fne nrd OF oord aHa hod
She was easily recognizable because she had not
She wore Paris-made gown Of white and gold
with Eizabethan ruff and heavy white train
OF ed jewels. Her other ornaments were diamonds
and pearls. The immediate attendants upon her
were her three daughters and the Duchess OF
York, the latter looking pretty In pale blue dress
embroidered in silver. with high collar gemmed
The Duke of York appeared as George Clifford;
BALE af gray brocaded velvet and satin bordered with
terra Gotta bands: on which were pearls and dia-
The Grand duke Michael of Russia represented
Henry " in black and gold and pulled white
The Duchess of Connaught was robed as lady
Of the Court of Charles ii, in Powered brocade and
Princess Victoria of Wales represented lady Of
the Elizabethan Court. wearing a costume OF blue
and silver.
RECEIVED HER GUESTS AS ZENOBIA.
The Duchess of Teck was costumed as the Elec-
tress OF Hanover. Countess Helena Gleichen
portrayed Joan Of Arc in armor. and the Duchess
of Devonshire received her guests Zenobia,
dressed in a magnificent skirt of gold tissue en-
broidered with a starlike design of emeralds,
sapphires diamonds and other gems outlined in
gold At the corners and where 1t opened in front
were deliberately wrought jewels TO represent the
outspread tails of peacocks. Her underdress
of cream crepe de chine. delicately embroidered
with diamonds. The green velvet turquoise-lined
train at the shoulder fastened TO two deli
| cate points: II was fastened at the waist with
! large diamond and was superbly embroidered with
| Oriental designs in rubies sapphires, amethysts.
emeralds and diamonds. The bodice Of the Ouch
ess was OF gold tissue. with stomacher Of dia-
monds rubies and emeralds. She also wore jew
| elled belt and gold crown incrusted with gems;
| having centre of white ostrich plumes. and
around it's front festoons of pearls. with large
| pearl falling her forehead.
The Earl of Essex appeared In the costume OF
| his ancestor Of the ElZabethan period.
Mrs Arthur Paget wore an Egyptian costume OF
| black crepe de chine. embroidered with sold scar
| abel and lined with cloth Of gold, The bodice vas
| plitteNng with gold and diamonds. and was held
| up by shoulder Straps Of erneralds and diamonds
| Her headdress OF Egyptian cloth Of gold. in
| crusted with emeralds and diamonds. and In the
| middle of her forehead was large pearl pendant
| from large ruby above an ibis with outstrctched
| wings Of sapphires and diamonds. The back OF
| her dress was looped with pearls and amber. and
| round her neck were rows Of necklaces of jewels
i L..