The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-02-03
THE FUNERAL Or
QUEEN VICTORIA
Last Solemn Honors Paid
to the Dead.
MANY Royal MOURNERS
Coffin Borne on Gun Carriage in the
Procession.
MANY Royal MOURNERS
SCENES OF SORROW AND SPLENOOR
The Emperor of Germany and the Duke of Con-
naught Ride With Edward in the Process
sion. the Impressive Ceremonies
at St. Georges ChspsI.
(By the Associated Press

al OIL 1eOfge IllaptI.
(By the Associated Press.)
London Feb. with every circum-
stance of splendid pomp BETTING the OBJ
sequies of so mighty and we'll beloved
monarch, al that IS mortal of Queen
streets of the capital and started towards
the ancient fortress palace of the SOW
ereiens of England. The solemn magnifi
cence of Yesterdays opening phase of
these last rites was fully maintained.
Perhaps the stately grandeur of today's
sorrowful pageant through the swarming
streets of London with hundreds of thou
sands of mourners forming blank bor
der to the route, will never be surpassed.
Never in English history has a sover
egn been borne TO the grave attended by
so many distinguished mourners. The
gathering of crowned heads surpassed
those who rode in the Jubilee procession.
All the great officers of State participated.
The display of the naval and military
forces reached the great total of 50 600
The day was sonbre. wet and chilly,
as are most OF I.ondon's winter days. The
sky added to the gloom 81 the whole city.
AT YICTOPIA}STATIoN.
The scene at Victoria Station. from
early morning. was most brilliant ana inn
pressive At 10 o'clock an army of
grooms, with the horses. arrived and
thenceforward distinguished British naval
and military officers and foreign royalties
in dazzling uniforms, came in quick sue
cession The Lord Chamberlain and his
officials bareheaded, with their white
wands of office received the most distin-
guished personages and conducted them
to a little pavilion. erected on the plat
fcrm.
The commander in chief of the forces.
Field Marshal Earl Roberts, on a beauti-
full, spirited brown mare. carrying his
field marshal'se baton. at this junctur
trotted into the station and became the
centre OF inerest. He was soon followed
by the earl marshal, the Duke of Norfolk
and MANY of the most distinguished
British officers. Then came the carriages
for the Queen and the princesses.
Following the carriages and preceded by
an officer came an object at which every
officer in the animated throng instructive
Is came to the salute and every head was
barred. r. was the little khaki colored
gun-carriage which was TO carry Queen
Victorias remains from Victoria TO Pad
dington Station The eight Hanoverian
ream colored horses which also drew the
/ late Queen on the occasion of the jubilee
were used today. The gold harnesses,
scarlet coated postillions and scarlet and
| gold covered grooms who held each Of
the horses BY the bride were all the
same. Only, the little gun carriage, in
stead of the glttering glass-and- gold
coach marked the change With the eX-
ception that rubber tires were on the
wheels the gun carriage was as if in ac-
tual use. The place for the coffin to rest
was over the gun.
1t was then enarly II o'clock, when amid
cries of THE King of Portugal's horse,
1.-The Grand Duke of Hesse's horse" as
the princes mounted, the train steamed
into the station, a minute ahead of time.
All heads were uncovered as the saloon
carriage bearing the Queens remains
stopped exactly opposite the gun carriage
and King Edward, Queen Alexandra, En-
peror William and others alighted. Then
the bearer party advanced to the saloon
carriage and with his hand at the salute
and standing a little in advance of the
others, King Edward watched the pain
fully slow removal of the coffin to the
gun carriage 1t was finally accomplished
and the pail and the regalia of the
British crown were placed on the coffin.
THE PROCESSION MOVES.
The King and the others with him then
mounted and the procession started.
The procession. apart from the gun
carriage bearing the coffin, and the royal
family and official mourners about it, was
not noteworthy. Parliament the judiciary
and the commercial bodies were not rep
| resented. Royalty, the army and navy
monepoized the pageant Three thousand
soldiers and sailors, picked companies,
| representing all branches OF the service.
cavalry, artillery infantry, yeoEanry,
militia. volunteers and colonials formed
the advance escort. They marched slowly
and without music Most of the uni
| forms were covered with dark cvercoats
and the standards were draDed with
] black. the officers wearing bands of
Grape on their sleeves, The infantry
marched in columns OF four with rifles re-
versed. They were half an hour in pass
ing. Then came Field Marshal Earl
Roberts and his staff and after them. four
massed bands playing funeral marches
Three hundred musicians announced the
coming of the body OF the Queen There
was long array of court officials. under
| the leadership of the Duke of Norfolk. all
lattired quantity and brilliantly. bearing