The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-13
COST Of K|NGLY CROWNS
MOST EXPENSIVE CORONATION
THAT EVER TOOK PLACE
WAS THE CZAR'S
THAT OF GEORGE w. A RECORD
Compared With the Money Spent on
Such Occasions in Russia, the
Figure, However, Was
Small.

PROBABLY the most expensive coronation
that ever took place was that Of the
present Car of Russia, which was cele-
brated at Moscow with great splendor in
1885, says London Tit Bits. Upward of
&3,O000OO was expended by the govern
ment alone, and fully another million by
the public authorities of various Russian
towns. The representatives of other
powers wed with each other in lavish
OUTLAWS, and, counting the sums spent by
private persons, the coronation of Mich
olas II. cannot have cost much less than
95,000000
Forty thousand pounds were expended
on the CZarina's coronation robe and the
harness for the carriage horses taking
part in the procession involved an outlay
of 100000. Lady singers of the rank of
prima donna were engaged by the score
no fewer than fifty taking part in the
ceremony. What they cost may be
gathered from the fee of 5000 guineas
paid to Nine. Sigrid Arnoldson.
The coronation of Car Nicolas I. was
also very expensive affair. The then
Duke of Devonshire was the British rep
resentative at the imposing function, ami
spent fully &50.000 Of his own money in
connection with it. The czar's crown is
said to be the finest ever worn by a SOW
ereign 1t is i'll the form of a bishops
inter. On its crest is a cross composed
of five of the most beautiful diamonds
ever cut, supporting the largest ruby In
the world. Ii is also adorned with many
other precious gems including a large
number of the handsomest pearls ever
seen.
Compared with the sums lavished on a
Russian coronation, the cost of the cere-
mony in this country is exceedingly
small. The coronation of George ".
was the most expensive of any English
monarch, and this only cost 2240 900. OF
n o. nm
nation robes and 954,000 on the crown
The amount was considered enormous,
and as the public were excluded from
Westminster Abbey during the ceremony
there was a great deal of criticism and
dissatisfaction with the whole affair. A
large number of paVilions were erected
along the line of route of the procession,
the price Of single seat ranging from
ga As to eS SIS.
III. did not amount to half that Of the
coronation of George ". But 1t was a
very impressive ceremony which the
public We're not debarred from witnessing
or at least such Of them as could afford
to pay for seats in the galleries of West
minister Abbey The front seats were let
at ten guineas each. Small houses along
the route of the procession were let at
from eco to G300. Larger houses clear
ed e700, and some even as much as
81 200
William ". had a pronounced dislike
to pomp and pageantry, and on his ac-
cession expressed a desire that the coro-
nation ceremony should be made as SIM
pie and inexpensive as It could be with
propriety. His wishes were carried out,
with the result that the whole cost Of
coronation amounted to only 10000.
This, of course. involved the sacrifice
of some Of the functions attractions as
a spectacular affair; but the fees charged
for viewing the procession were, If any
thing, higher than any paid before, small
fortunes being made by house owners
along the line Of route.
The coronation of our late beloved
sovereign, Queen Victoria, was a
splendid piece of pageantry. Its cost
was $4,000. The coronation ring had
been made for the little finger instead
of the fourth, as prescribed by the
rubric The archbishop Of Canterbury
insisted that the directions Of the
prayer book should be precisely carried
out, and the forcing of the ring on the
Queens finger caused her intense pain.
Then the orb which was placed in her
majesty's hand was so heavy. that she
could scarcely carry 1t. What would
have happened if she had dropped this
symbol no one dared to guess, The
nishap would doubtless have been re-
garded as an nl-omen for her reign.
When Lord Role, an aged peer, be-
tween eighty and ninety, esSayed to
mount the steps to do homage. he fell
down It was painful moment, for the
spectators as well as for the nobleman,
who again attempted to mount thu
steps But, with gracious courtesy
which made a deep impression on all
who witnessed it, the queen came for
ward, and descended one Or two of the
steps to meet him. thus averting further
mishap.
The crown made for Queen Victoria's
coronation is the most valuable in the
world. 1t is worth 100000, weighs almost
two pounds, and has set in it upwards
OF 1900 precious stones, OF which num-
Der $500 are Diamonds. 1t also contains