The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-18
GERMAN CELEBRATION
BICENTENARY OF THE KINGDOM OF
PRUSSIA OBSERVED.
Much Pomp and Display, Military and
Civic, i'm which Emperor Will
liam Was the Chief Actor.

BERLIN. JAN 1.-THE celebration of the
bicentenary of the Kingdom Of Prussia be-
gan to-day with all the pomp BETTING such
an occasion. The weather was cold and
clear and all the approaches to the palace
were gay with a profusion of flags and
bunting and were thronged at an early
hour with sightseers. who assembled to
witness the trooping of the guards colors
in the courtyard of the armory. Emperor
William. the Crown Prince and the Duke of
Connaught arrived from the palace on foot.
After an inspection of the color company,
they proceeded to the covered court, where
the princes. generals and officers populations
awaited them The Empress watched the
proceedings from the palace balcony. Gen.
Won Book POTASH, in behalf of the officers
corps, congratulated his Majesty on the
occasion of the celebration and called for
three cheers for the Emperor, which were
heartily given and accompanied by the
band playing Hell der i'm Siegers Kranz,"
the Prussian national hymn. After the
Emperor had replied to Gen. Won Book
POTASH, the march past was carried out
and the Emperor and his party returned to
the castle.
At about noon the knights of the Black
Eagle were summoned to attend chapter.
held in the hall of the Knights, under the
presidency OF Emperor William. for the in
vestiture OF the new knights, including
crown Prince Frederick William. Prince
George OF Saxony, Archduke Francis Fer
dinand, Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria, Count
Won Buelow and General Planitz. The func-
ton was the usual elaborate ceremonial.
the Emperor personally decorating the new
he hain of he
giving them the accolade. Luncheon sub
sequently was attended by all the members
OF the imperial family and the royal and
princely guests staying at the castle.
In the lower house of the Diet to-day the
president of the house read Emperor WILL
Jams reply to the congratulations or the
OF which his Majesty declared he was
we'll aware that the kings of Prussia
would never have been able to achieve such
prominence in the worlds history without
the support of the people which supplied
them with officers. soldiers and officials of
all classes, so superior that their equal
could scarcely be found in any other nation.
He was confident that the same spirit that
raised Prussia TO her present eminence
would continue forever to animate the peo-
pie. Three cheers were given for his
Majesty.
Thus far the celebration has been i'm
every way successful. When the sun rose
this morning ii revealed all Berlin in holi-
day attire. Many thousands of flags waved
immense crowds had gathered along Under
cen Linden, around the schloss and in the
vicinity of the armory, where the festiv-
ties were to take place. Thousands OF peo-
PIE from the provinces were hand to
witness the sights. Emperor William, the
Empress and the court had dropped for the
time the mourning donned in tribute to the
late Grand Duke of SaXe-W eimar.
Altogether fitfty-two knights of the
Black Eagle We're present at theinvestiture,
among them three foreign knights, the
Duke of Connaught, of England, Arch
duke Francis Ferdinand of Austria, AMI
Grand Duke Vladimir, of Russia. Tho
ceremony was in all respects unusually
gorgeous. The whole court, together with
the highest state, army and navy officials
stood in four rows on both sides of the
throne Emperor William wore a big crown.
whose diamonds alone aggregated $50
karats, besides pearls and one enormous
sapphire, the whole crown weighing three
POUNDS. The royal insignia were borne upon
cushions by pages on the right and left.
During the Crown Princes investiture
Princes Henry, frederick and Leopold
acted as sponsors 1t was especially re-
marked that the bearing of Count Won
Buelow during the magnificent ceremonies
rendered more impressive by trumpeters
attired I'm medieval costumes and placed in
the knights hall and above in the gal
leries where they blew fanfares from silver
tubes-waS modest, while the Kaiser
showed the imperial chancellor marked
favor
- At the armory, where the generals and
high naval officers were assembled, the
ceremony was made more impressive by the
waving of battle flags and standards. In
his speech at the armory. the Emperor. re-
ferring to the navy, said: 1.-The great
Elector first had an idea of a navy during
his stay in the Netherlands. The German
navy well as the house of Hohenzollern,
is deeply indebted to the house of Orange
for the ideas which were then foreshad-
owed. In the future / hope our navy will
develop and that our officers will press for
ward without ceaSfng.
Throughout the whole day his Majesty
in high spirits. During the afternoon,
accompanied by the Duke of CoEnaught. he
drove to Charlottenburg. going through the
Thiergarten, the people cheering him along
the route. No fewer than a hundred prin-
cipalities are represented In the celebra-
lions.
There were 120 guests at the banquet
in the royal castle this evening. Emperor
William and the Empress sat opposite each
other The Duke of Aosta and Grand Duke
Vladimir sat with the Emperor and the
Duke of Connaught and Archduke Francis
Ferdinand sat with the Empress.
This evening the streets were Illuminated
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