The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-22
Odds Are 1OO to 5 That He
 Will be Crowned
BROKERS DO BIG BUSINESS
In Meantime Preparations for Great Event Are Being Hurried-A Pro- fusion of Decorations in Which
 Americans Take Part.

London, June 21--A brisk business was done this week at Lloyds in the corona tion gamble The odds given were 100 to on the event occurring. or to use the technical expression, the rates on the risk Of the King living until June 26 ruled at per cent premium. Many thou sands Of pounds sterling were underwrit- ten on this basis. This shows to what ex- tent putlic nervousness has grown in certain circles. Car efu investigation re- veels that there Is no ground for believ- ing that the Kings health Is any worse than the official 'eports indicated. His nerves were rather upset by the unfor- tunate illness at Aldershot and every precaution is being taken to prevent re- currence of such a sudden indisposition.
 In the meantime preparations for the orowning hurry on just the same. It Is very difficult for pedestrians to traverse the main thoroughfares, such as the Strand, Ticcadilly and Whitehall, during the greater part of the day, and they are almost impossible at night owing to the crowds of visitors, store clerks and Lon dcn's marvellous floating population,
 
 streets gazing at the decorations which are now taking on finished aspect.
 Profusive Decorations.
 Such illuminations. festooning and be- Tagging as will mark Coronation Day, Thursday next, have never before been seen in London. Scarcely a house along the principal route Of the procession but has erected an electric or gas device, while profusion of gay cloths and flags. intersper sed with notices and represen- tations Of the royal arnls, already hidc mo st of the outer walls Some of the str reets are all eody roped with dazzling festoons of fairy lamps. Even ttfe Abured stands hich for weeks have made Lon don so hideous with their bare boards are now rapidly Icing draped in rich purple CT other suitable colors. The United States embassy has 5oincd in the general juoilation and Is erecting an illumination, surrounded by a crown. Throughout London American firms and individuals gre not whit tehind the British in deco. rating their premises. Countless. stars and stripes will fly out of windows on Thursday and Friday as welcome to the newly-croInel Ting. In fact, some of the most elaborate displays of. the metropolis will be made by American firms do.rg business here.
 Among the rost9 of coronation repre- sentatiyes Mr. and Mrs. hitelaw Reid are having perhaps the most Interesting round of entert tailrent. They spent As- cot week at C!iveden with William Wal dorf Astor. whence a large and distin- puishe1 party daily drove over to the 1eces. On Friday Mir and Mrs. Hell lunched with the Rev. Albert Wilber- force. D. D., archdeaoon of Westminster who took them over the abbey.
 MT. and Mrs. Reid Very Busy.
 The engagements of MT. and Mrs. Reid gre booked far into July. June 2o they dine with the Prince and Princess or Wales, June 26 with Lord Lansdowne' the foreign secretary. to meet King Ed ward and Queen Alexandra. The special arnbassador of the United States bought n large number of seats for friends, in n stall at the Richmond Terrace. The colonial executives, all of whom have ar rived here except Sir Wilfried Laurier, the nremier of Canada, are also features of attraction.
 From the colonial contingent of troops comes a strenuous protest.
 It appears that the war office arranged that ali the troops, specially sent to the coronation shall with the exception or inc cavalry. be utilized to line the route of fine procession, instead of actually par tic,pating in 1t. As the major parts or inc visiting contingents consist or in- fantry, the arrangement has created Dit ter disappointment
 Alexandria Park where the cclonlals orr. enoamped is now q perfect morass, owing to the recent heavy rains. The ac- cornmodations for the troops are utterly .nadeouate, and many of tho officers re- fusjng to stay in the tents, have taken rooms nearby.
 Resides the complaints of the colontals several lending dulles are vehenentiy protesting against the special war core elton contingent hurriedly sent by Lord Kitchener from South Africa. at the gov ernment's request. being detailed to guard the route instead of marching through the streets.