The times., 1899-01-16
PRUssIAN CARNIVAL WEEK.
Annual Celebration of the Order of
the Dlnck Earle.

Berlin, Jan. 15.-The carnival week OF
OF the Prussian Court began today. this
being the coronation and decoration day.
at which the knight commanders of the
military and civil orders upon whom dec
orations have been conferred during the
last year appeared at court.
Tomorrow the Grand Chapter of the Or
der of the Black Eagle will meet. when
all the new knights of that highest Prus-
sion decoration. including the ostogena-
rian artist Meuzel, will be initiated. The
order of the Black Eagle, the greatest
of all Prussan orders, which takes cos
mopolitan rank as one of the eight great
orders of the world, was instituted by
Frederick elector Of Brandenburg. on
January II. 1901, the eve of his coronation
as the first King Of Prussia. origina iy
the number of knights was limited TO
thirty Prussians, not including soyereigns
and princes of the royal house. In 1S4T
King Frederick William decreed that fo.-
eign princes OF the blood and distinguish
ed men of all nations might be knighted.
Today almost all princes OF great reign
ing houses in Europe are members of the
order.
At the annual festival the Chapter Of
the Black Eagle Is solemnly assembled,
and those knights who have been admit
ted during the preceding year are OH
cially received.
Full dress is required of all knights, the
military wearing white trousers and
stripes, the civilians white knee breeehes,
white stockings and white shoes. Both
military and civil knights will wear the
red velvet mantle of the order over the
y,,l nd ha tha cnf
of the order. The new knights Will wear
only the ribbon of the order.
The emperor himself, attired in the man
tie of the order. receives the guests in the
wainscoted room next to the royal apart
ment. Then all file out in solemn process
sion to the hall of the knights. Here on a
platform covered with red velvet stand
eight trumpeters of the Horse Guards. They
are dressed in uniforms of the time OF
Frederick /. Eight more trumpeters, Sim
ilarly attired, known as the Silver Choir,
stand on another platform
The emperor mounts the steps of the
throne and stands there with uncovered
head, while the trumpeters on the red
platform execute fanfare. which is caught
up and echoed by the trumpeters of the
Silver Choir.
Then the knights who are to be invested
are brought up in succession to the throne,
each accompanied by two old knights. who
act as sponsors. The newly made knight
is clothed in the mantle OF the order The
emperor himself invests him with the col
lar, then consecrates and embraces him,
and dismisses him to receive the saluta-
tions and handshalling of all the older
knights. 4 formal banquet winds up the
occasion.
Three days later will follow the official
reception of minor orders OF the German
Empire This is known as the Ordensfest,
or Feast of Orders. On this day all who
during the preceding year have received
any sort OF decoration from the German
Emperor. the only source Of such hOnors.
are invited to the Imperial Palace. From
one to two thousand persons are thus
brought together, ranging from the select
few who have been decorated with the
Order of the Black Eagle to the hundreds
who have received but the simplest Hohen-
zcllern house order. The guests assemble
in the anterooms OF the palace. Here the
president of the general commission OF
the order reads out the lists Of the newly
decorated and distributes the respective
insignia. The ladies in the meanwhile
assemble in room set apart for them and
receive from the Empress first lady in
waiting the Order of Louise.
Then all the guests. male and female,
file into the chapel, where they are joined
By the emperor and empress and the great
court officials.
The length Of the sermon in the chapel
is fully compensated for by the excellence
OF the subsequent dinner in the great
White Hall. The guests are seated at a
series of tables each of which is set apart
for one particular grade, according TO
the decoration conferred. Hence for the
norce all differences of social rank are for
gotten. The staff officer of the government
or the priyy councillor may be seated next
to the policeman Or the Iachcy. the general
beside the simple artisan.
The emperor presides at the banquet
and at its close proposes the health OF the
newly decorated. Then the guests receive
cornucopias, which they may I'll with
fruits or sugar plums to take home to their
relations or children.