The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-18
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES H
QUEEN VICTORIA
NOT LOSING SIGHT
Sensational RumOrS Un-
founded.
Special Cable to The Call and the New York
Herald. Copyrighted, 1885, by James Cor
don Bennett

LONDON, May 17-If further denial of
the unfounded story to the effect that
Queen Victoria had lost the sight of her
left eye and that her right eye was nearly
obscured by a cataract were necessary it
was to be found in her Majesty's cheerful
appearance and keen enjoyment at the
sight of the great crowd which lined the
way between Buckingham Palace and
the Victoria and Albert Museum to-day.
The Queen rode in an open carriage and
was not protected from the sun by a
parasol, and did not wear any glasses,
colored or otherwise, until the ceremonies
of laying of the cornerstone began.
l have been informed on the best au-
thority that the Queens eyesight is as
good as could be expected in woman
of her age, and it has not been impaired
during her visit to Cimiez.
A correspondent of a London evening pa
per who made inquiries at Windsor of one
of her physicians in residence there was
distinctly told that there was no truth in
the report that the Queens eyes were Sc
riously affected.
Queen Victoria laid the foundation
stone of the Victoria and Albert Mu-
scum. She drove through the streets,
ace, the royal carriage being escorted by
a detachment of the Life Guards. Her
Majesty was accompanied by several
Princes and Princesses, and other royal
personages met her at the museum,
where a raised dais was reserved for
them. The ambassadors, members of the
Cabinet and leading state officials were al
the pavilion. An enormous number of
people had gathered along the route when
the Queen started from the palace at Ais
p. m. The houses were decorated and
there We're strings of flags across the
roads. The sun shone brilliantly.
A gayly dressed assemblage witnessed
the ceremony, which the Queen per-
formed without leaving her carriage and
amid much enthusiasm.
The ceremonies reSembled a miniature
Jubilee American flags were conspicu-
Gus among the decorations Inside the
museum the scene recalled the spectacle
at st. PauFs Cathedral upon the occasion
of the Jubilee.
The Marquis of Salisbury Lord Rose
berry, all the Cabinet Ministers and the
diplomatic corps were present, nearly all
of them wearing brilliant uniforms. The
arrival of the Ministers in splendid equip
pages, with footmen, was very pictur-
H. Choate and Mrs. Choate drove up in
q plain carriage, Mr.. Choate wearing a
dress suit, in remarkable contrast to the
uniforms of the other diplomats. Mr..
and Mrs. Choate were given a prominent
place on the platform, and while await
Ing the arrival of the Queen, the Premier
the First Lord of the Admiralty, George
J; Goschen, and others chatted with
them.
Her Majesty looked remarkably well.
She was dressed in black except for a
white plume in her bonnet. She took the
greatest interest in the mechanical part
of the stone laying, talking at length with
the Prince of Wales on the subject. The
Queen was seated in a four-horse open
carriage with Scotchmen on the rumble,
and escorted by outriders.
The national anthem was sung by
pupils of the Royal College of Music and
afterward a madrigal, specially COM
posed by the poet laureate, Alfred Austin,
was sung to music written by Sir Alex
ander Mackenzie, principal of the Royal
Academy: The Archbishop of Canter
bury, Primate of all England, read the
prayers.
Her Majesty afterward took the train
to Windsor