The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-07-01

II the Gar has spent upon the enter
tainment Of President Loubet even
small fraction OF the sum France spent
On the entertainment Of the Gar, the
French President viii have brilliant
welcome. says. the New York Sun
Royal visits are always expensive lux
uries, though less so now than ever be
fore.
The King Of Italy and Emperor VIII
liam are said 10 be the most economical
royal visitors a country can have. They
want due honor. but their tastes are
simple and extravagant ostentation
doesn't appeal to either Of them On
The other hand, Leopold Of Belgium
comes high. Nothing is too elaborate
and brilliant to suit him, and he is a
monarch easily bored
It has been said that private indi-
viduaI cannot satisfactorily entertain
King Leopold and his suite during
week for less than $40. 600. while 5000
viii make Emperor William content for
the same length OF time England's
most expensive royal visitor within re-
cent. years was the Shah OF Persia, for
whose entertainment 500. 600 was spent
/ III one week
But France outdid all ordinary modern
records when she opened her arms to
the Gar. II has been estimated that
the invitation alone. sent by special
messengers, cost So goo. that $50, Geo was
spent in making Dunkirk beautiful, S1o.-
coo went to military bands, S16o, Gee TO
expenses Of the picked troops, .S150. 600
I TO the naval review, SIS, geo to saiutes.
/ $50, geo 10 guarding the Gar, and SO, 600
/ TO housing and feeding the guest and his
suite These were oaly a part OF the
items; and. after everything was footed
up, modest s50.0eO was added for
.sundries.''
After all that it is up to Russia to
show something in the line Of Slavic
nagnifcence while entertaining Presi-
dent Loubet; and no court in Europe
/ IS better able to achieve dazzling splen-
dor. It IS, perlaps, the only enc whose
/ expenses have not been cut down ruth
Icssly within the last few years
Economy is the watchword among
modern sovereigrs. King Edward has
made the English court gay and brilliant
once more, but has Topped Of a lot OF
useless and traditional expenditures.
+ The young King of Italy has made
sweeping reforms il his menage and re-
duced expenses in every rational way.
I Austria has learned court economy. The
! Spanish royal family has been forced
to retrench. But in Russia the same
superb pomp Of old prevails and Rus
sian court functions are the most bril-
liant held in Europe.
! Tsarskoe Selo, where President Loubet
was feted last week. is the favorite
/ country palace Of the present Gar and
! Czarina. and although it is neither so
large nor Sc stately as Peterhof it is an
admirable stage-setting for royal en-
tertainment. It stands upon a hill with
IN driving distance of St Petersburg
and was built in 1874 though greatly
changed and improved later by Gather
/ inc Il The SOG-foot facade with all its
columns, carvings, vases, and balconies
vas at one time covered solidIy with
gold leaf. as was the roof; but in course
Of time the gold began to peel and Cath
crime ordered it removed. The contrac-
tors offered 5000, 900 roubles for the
gold, but the Empress scorned the sug-
gestion.
7 am not a secondhand merchant"
she said. haughtfly. What became Of
the gold depOnent saith not; but today,
! the palace Is, like other Russian pal
/ aces, stained white and green and yell
low, while only the dome and cupola of
The private chapel glitter with gold
No palace in Europe has more mag
uifcent stateTooms than this old Tsars-
koe palace, which gives the name TO the
/ estate. although the Alexander palace
/ is within the same grounds
/ The golden banqueting hall, in which
/ the gala dinner for the President was
held on Tuesday evening. is of huge size.
and its walls and ceiling are entirely
covered with gold leaf laid upon the
richest and most intricate carving and
/ ornament. The amber room is still more
/ famous It is one Of the most remarka-
/ bic rooms in the world. Every inch OF
its walls and ceilings is of finest amber.
| presented to Catherine II by Frederick
the Great. The walls are paneIed and
tfchIy carved with flowers. fruit. and
/ groups Of figures. On each panel appear
the arms of Frederick, the imperial CT
pher. and the Russian letter E. standing
/ for EkateTina-
/ The Lyons room commentaries the
/ hobby of Alexander I for rare tapes
tries. and is hung with the choicest
specimens Of his collection, which was
considered the finest in the world The
Lapis Lazuli room is another expression
Of Catherine rs love for splendor- It's