The Oskaloosa herald., 1901-02-07
Mark the Funeral of Queen Vic
toria in London.


Queen Victoria was borne through
the streets of the capital and taken
to the ancient fortress-palace of
the sovereigns of England. The solemn
magnificence of Fridays opening phase
of these last rites was duly maintained.
Perhaps the stately grandeur of Sat
urday's sorrowful pageant through
the swarming streets of Londen, with
hundreds Of thousands of mourners
forming black border to the route,
will never be surpassed.
Black semberness Relieved.
There was in victoria's funeral pro-
eession an absence OF that black cere-
monial generally connected with the
final progress to the grave.
Saturday the coffin was drawn by
cream-colored horses. The pail was
white and the uniforms of the troops
and the gold trappings of the foreign
sovereigns, princes and representatives,
forming glittering medley, gave brill
liant coloring to the scene. The chief
mourner himself, with his field mar
shals uniform, even though this was
partially hidden by his overcoat, sur
rounded by his corps. helped to leaven
the symbols Of mourning marking the
route.
Distinguished Mourners.
Never in English history has SOW
l,ereign been borne to the grave attend
ed by so many distinguished mourners.
The gathering of crowned heads sur
passed 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 IS, 600
men.
Minute Guns Fired.
The firing of minute guns and the
| tolling of bells at a quarter past II an
Dounced to the countless multitudes
who had been crowding London's mud
dy streets since daylight that the
funeral procession with the body of
Queen Victoria had begun its passage
through the capital.
People Seek to See Conn.
The people fought for hours for a
| glimpse of the coffin and the kings and
others following it. They saw a long
procession Of soldiers, passing show
of dazzling regalia, with a hundred
royalties crowdipg after, and then dis
persed, while all the church chimes of
the city were ringing and muffied
dirges were played.
Funeral Train Arrives.
| 1t was nearly II o'clock, when
amid cries of "The king of Portugal's
horse" the -grand duke of Hesse's
horse" as the princes mounted, the
train steamed into Victoria station
o 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
A exandra, Emperor William and
others alighted.
Coffin Removed from Train.
Then the bearer party advanced to
the saloon carriage, and with his
hand at the salute and standinga little
in advance of the others, King Ed
ward watched the painfully slow re-
moval of the coffin to the gun car
riage. 1t was finally accomplished
and the pail and regalia of the Brit
ish crown were placed on the coffin.
Procession Starts.
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. Par
lament, the Judiciary and the com
mercial bodies were not represented.
Royalty, the army and navy monopo-
lized the pageant. Three thousand
soldiers and sailors, picked companies
representing all branches of the serv-
ice, cavalry, artillery, infantry, yeo-
many, militia volunteers and colo
malls, formed the advance escort.
| Mnrch without Music.
They marched slowly and without
music. Most of the uniforms were COW
| cred with dark overcoats and the stand
ards were draped with black, the of.
ficers wearing bands of crepe on their
sleeves. The infantry marched in col
umns of four, with rifles reversed.
IThey were half an hour in passing.
Then came Field Marshal Earl Roberts
and his staff, and, after them, four
massed bands playing funera. marches.
| Three hundred musicians announced
the coming of the body of the queen.
There was long array of court Off
cials. under the leadership of the duke
OF Norfolk (the earl marshaD all at
tired quantity and brilliantly, bearing
maces or wands, most of them elderly
men who for years had served the roy
al lady for whom they were performing
the last offices.
Appearance of Comn.
Most OF the spectators expected an
imposing catafalque, and the coffin was
almost past before they recognized its
presence by removing their hats. 1t
was pathetica.ly small oblong block
concealed beneath a rich pail of white
satin on the corners of which CLEANED
the royal arms. Across the pail the
royal STANDARD was draped and large
! crown OF gold, encrusted with jewels,
rested at the head { the coffin. which
was at the end of the gun carriage,
| just over the gun.
On the foot of the coffin were two
smaller crowns with a gold-jeweled
scepter lying between them. The
eight horses which drew the gun car
riage were almost concealed beneath
| their rich harnesses. large bow OF
purple was attached 10 the coffin. This