The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-26
REMAINS OF VICTORIA HAVE BEEN
SEALED UP FOR ALL
TIME
ROYAL FAMILY WAS PRESENT
FINAL SCENE AT THE CLOSING OF
THE COFFIN WAS DEEPLY
AFFECTING
MIGHTY FLEET OF WAR SHIPS
Is Assembled OF Spithead, Ready fo1
the Funeral DispIay-Intense
Martial Air Pervades the
Isle of Wight.

COWES, Isle of Wight, Jan &C. 1890 a.
m.-The royal family took their last long
look at the features OF the dead queen
About IL O'Clock yesterday morning the
she'll was brought into the bed room
where were waiting King Edward, EN-
peror William, the Duke of Connaught
Sir James Reid and the royal ladies'
The latter having retired, Sir James Reid,
with reverent hands, assisted by three
trusted household servants, and in the
presence of the king, the emperor and
duke, removed the body from the bed to
the coffin. In death it was lovelier than
IN the closing days of death Not a
trace of the ravages of disease was Visi-
bic. The servants having retired, Queen
Alexandra, the princesses and the chill
dren were recalled, and with lingering
steps and stifled sobs they passed slowly
before the white-robed and peaceful fig
ure. At the foot, never moving stood
the king, and when the mourning crowd
had passed there remained only the son
and grandson of the dead.
Emperor William wept even more Bit
terly than the royal ladies. Finally he
also retired, and the king was left alone
Sir James Reid, beckoning to the serv-
ants, who were holding the coffin lid
asked the kings instructions.
For a few seconds the king stood
speeches., stifled with emotion at the
last farewell Then he said quickly:
CLOSE it finally. 1t must not be opened
again.
COFFIN IS CLOSED.
Thus the remains of Englands former
monarch were closed forever from hu-
man sight.
The remains were borne into the din
Ing room. Officers and men of the royal
yachts took their stand around the coffin,
over which the king and kaiser respect
fully laid the robes of Knight of the
Garter, presenting at the head a diamond
crown Beneath lay the royal ensign
while hanging above was the Union Jack
At the altar was the rector of Whip
bingham, who read a portion of the fu-
neral service in the presence of the royal
family. Emperor William covered his
face with his hands, and the grief of
Princess Beatrice was pitiful. After the
benediction each placed a wreath upon
the coffin and then all retired.
WILL NOT OPENED YET.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press has been informed that the queen s
will has not been opened, and under the
present arrangements it will not be open
ed until after the funeral its details be-
ing unknown TO the royal family. There
is no truth in the statement that King
Edward and Emperor William knelt be-
side the dying queen and swore to IRE
serve peace.
A significant feature of all the death
bed scenes has been their absolute natu-
ralness and absence of false or dramatic
elements.
HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY.
According to an attache at Osborne
house, King Edward desires to be styled
his imperial majesty in order to empha-
size the fact that he is emperor as
well as king.
Today, Saturday, local volunteers and
the force in the vicinity will pass through
the chapel ardente. After them will pass
the correspondents of the leading papers
of the world.
A very remarkable feature of all the
proceedings is the intense martial air
which pervades everywhere.
Off Spithead is lying one of the greatest
fleets the world ever saw, and the mill
tary arrangements at Windsor will
eclipse anything of the kind ever at
tempted. Tonight Grenadier guards are
mounting silent guard with guns re-
versed, arms crossed and heads bent.
The silence is unbroken save by an oc-
casiolal shuttle from the soldiers in
changing their uneasy position.