The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-25
PRINCE OF WALES TAKES OATH OF
OFFICE AS EDWARD VII.
CEREMONY OF INSTALLATION
Sc. James Palace-The Oath Taken.
The Kings Speech-Prfvy Council
lors Swear Allegiance Parliament
Assemblies and the Members Take
the Oath-Solmn Church Seryfces-At
Osborne House Incidents of the
Queens Last Hours

donned garb OF morning from end to
end. thick fog enveloped the city
like pail. Throughout the west end
blinds were drawn, while on all the
embassies, government offices and pub
lie buildings, the flags were half-mast-
ed
The law courts, the stock exchange
and all the produce and metal exchang-
es throughout the country only assem-
bled to close Immediately after the
presiding officers had addressed to the
members a few words of tribute to the
dead monarch.
SOLEMN SERVICES IN THE
CHURCHES.
There was exceptionally large con-
gregations in the churches in all parts
of the country. At ST. PauTs cathedral
the prayers for the royal family were
altered to read: For our sovereign
lord the king and the queen consort."
All the services were ended by the play
ing a dead march.
The various naval and military sta
tions fired a salute of eighty-one guns
at midday, to signaliZe the death of the
queen, one gun for each completed
year or the queens s age.
THE KING ENTERS LONDON.
Dense crowds, beginning at ST.
James street, lined the entire route to
Victoria station, from an early hour.
Ehe police, on foot and mounted,
guarded almost every yard of the way.
Finally, preceded by half a dozen
mounted policemen the new sovereign
arrived in plain brougham which
was driven very rapidly, with the
coachman and footman in their usual
gray liveries with mourning bands on
their arms. An equerry was seated
beside him. The king was, of course
dressed in the deepest and most SIM
pie mourning, and carefully raised his
hat in acknowledgement of the silent
uncoVering of heads. The king looked
tired and very sad, but well. Follow
ing him came the duke of York, the
duke of Connaught and others. Both
the king and duke of York looked pa
thetically up at Buckingham palace as
they passed and acknowledged the sa-
lutte of the guard of honor drawn up
inside the palace grounds.
AT THE PRIVY COUNCIL.
The king drove to st. James palace,
from Marlborough house, to preside at
the first privy council. He wa3 attend
ed by Lord Suffield, (who has been
lord of the bedcha amber to the prince of
Wales since 1922 and was escorted by
a captains escort of the Horse Guards.
The procedure was exactly as on leyee
days. In the throne room the privy
councillors had gathered in great num-
bers, in levee dress with Grape on their
left arms. Cabinet ministers. peers,
commoners, bishops, judges, the lord
mayor, ETC., including the duke of York,
the duke of Connaught and lesser
members of the royal family. Lord
Salisbury, Lord Rosebery, A. J. Bal
four, the duke of Dovenshire, Lord
Strathcone and Mount Royal, and a
host of the most prominent personages
| in the land were there to receive the
kings formal oath, binding him to gov
ern the kingdom according to it's laws
and customs, and hear him assume the
| title of King Edward VII, of Great
| Britain and Ireland and emperor of In
| dia.
THE KING TAKES THE OATH OF
OFFICE.
| The ceremony was interesting and
| according to precedent. The king
was in a separate apartment from the
| privy councillors. To the latter the
duke of Devonshire, lord president OF
| the council, formally communicated
the death of Queen Victoria and the
| succession to the throne of her son the
| prince of Wales.
of the council were then directed to re-
pair to the kings presence to acquain'
him with the terms of the lord presi
| dents statement. Shortly afterwarc
his majesty entered the room in wEicf
the councillors were assembled and ad
dressed them in a brief speech.
Mingling with the royal dukes anC
great personages Of the kingdom were
| a few men in plain clothes. to represen
the fact that the general public hav,
| a nominal right to be present. Ths
king wore a field marshals uniform
and the ribbon of the Order Of the Gar
ter. His voice at first was painful,
broken with emotion.
King Edward in his speech said h,
had decided to assume the title of Kint
Edward VII, in accordance with tn
wish Of his beloved mother, who, hi
majesty added, united the virtues o
a supreme domestic guide with the af
fection and patriotism Of a wide. peace
loving monarch. He had a respectful
desire to leave the memory OF his faith
4 er's name, Albert, the exclusive treas
ure Of his beloved mother. Notwith
standing his personal desire. he coul
not hope to do justice to the renowl
and virtues associated with Primo
Albert's name, but he would do his Ut
most to be worty of his great position
The Lord Chancellor Oord Halls
. bury) then administered the oath of tn
king.
Il Afterwards, the various members Q
the council, commencing with lords
council took the oath Of allegiance an
| then passed in turn before his ma5es
ty, as at a levee, except that eac
paused and kissed the kings hand be
. fore passing out Of the chamber.
This brought the ceremony to a clos
At the last moment the king decide