Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-02-07
VICTORIA'S FUNERAL.
The Naval Pageant an Awe-Inspir.
ing and Majestic Spectacle.
The COFFIN ON The ALBERTA'S DECK


London, Feb. 2.-Half a million OF
the late Queen Victoria's devoted sub
jects lining the shores of the Solent
yesterday witnessed a majestic and
awe-inspiring pageant and babe last
farewell to their beloved ruler, happy
in the circumstances of her death, SOW
ereign of the greatest naval power in
the world, and fortunate in the man
ner of her obsequies. Yesterdays
ceremonies were a fitting tribute from
q nation owning Nelson for its hero
to its dead monarch. All who were
witnesses of the function testify to
the profound emotion it inspired and
agree that the spectacle could not
have been surpassed for splendor and
solemn effect.
The half-hnndred red fighting ships
fired their broadsides and minute
guns, and over the still waters. be-
tween the roll of the six-pounders,
came strains of Chopin's and Beetho-
ven's funeral marches. The crews,
accustomed to cheer with the hearth
ness which belongs only to "jackies,"
stood silently along the decks, and
the flags which usually floated def
antly in the breeze dropped half way
down the halyards. The most power
full fleet England could gather on
short notice lay inert and silent, save
for the mournful strains of the bands
and the woeful sound of guns that
betoken neither peace nor war, but
death.
The royal yacht Alberta steamed
leisurely along, and half screened by
the awning on the poop, was the
royal coffin, placed on a crimson dais,
the curtains of which were drawn
and tied to four poles, leaving free to
view the magnificent casket and robes.
In the wake of the coffin came the
royal yacht Victoria and Albert with
King Edward and Queen Alexandria
and the English royal family, the
royal yacht Osborne with other royal
personages and the imperial yacht
Hohenzollern with Emperor William.
The main squadron of battleships and
cruisers were moored 2K cables apart,
in one line, extending from Cowes to
Spithead.
The dominant note in the whole
scene was its grand simplicity and,
so far as human utterance was con-
cerned, its silence. The sad procession
glided along in beautiful order and
precision, as though moved by some
hidden power, No incident of any
kind occurred to mar its stately
beauty. There was no accident of any
sort ashore or ahoat.
The weather was traditional queen
weather" The queen of the seas"
was carried across the waters to the
accompaniment of minute guns and
music-a picture which will
live in history. If the elements should
prove equally favorable to-day mil
lions OF the metropolis will render
their even grander military tribute to
the queen, who desired to be buried
as Il soldiers daughter. Thousands
of troops are now marching into Lon
don to breakfast hurriedly, prepare
tory to taking their places on the
line of march. With this peaceful
invasion is an equally large
civilian invasion from the provinces
and abroad. II was next to impossi-
Bile last evening to obtain bedroom
in any West end hotel; and, until
quite late hour. visitors were eager
" searching all along the route for
windows and seats, held at exorbtant
prices, to view the procession.