The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-08-13
CORONATION OF
KING EDWARD VII.
Grand Pageant ii Westminster Abbey.
The Solemn Ssrviess in The
lhhsy.

Is1e PuTglsls os Isl6 GFOvh OH tsae
King BY the archbishop Of Can
tsrbury, The cr0Wning of
the Queen.
The Return Procession 70 Buckingham
PaIaee by Longer Route.
London, August Edward VII,
BY the grace Of God, Of the
United kingdom Of Great Britain and
Ireland and OF the British Dominions
beyord the Seas, King, Defender OF
the Faith, Emperor OF India was to-
dav crowned Without hitch or harm,
and tanight London is noisily cele-
brating the event, for which the world
5 has waited as, perhaps, lJ never sWaiG-
ed any other coronation.
In al respects the celebration was
impressive and it was carried ont with
reflection OF detail and lack OF acci-
dents that has rarely characterized
similar displays.
Thas pride OF empire which marked
Qneen Victoria IS jubilee vas lacking,
and in its stead there peryaded ali
classes keen recollection that only
SIX weeks ago their. King lay in dan
ger Of death, and this today produced
Ihsnkfuiness and genuine sympathy
for the man rather than adulation of
the Eing. This feeling was voiced
by the Archbishop OF Canterbury,
when he inserted in ssone of the corona
ton prayers the words, : For whose
recovery we now give. Thee heartfelt
thanks. q
Yet this did not prevent the pubic
from voicing appreciation OF such mill
Sary display as the short procession
gave them a chance to see.
Earl Roberts, commsnder-ln-chaef
Of the. forces, was ence more the hero
OF the hour, and next TO the King
himself, received the heartiest vel
come of Che assembled crowds. Here
comes good old Bobs !" vas Invariably
the signal for ali the reserve power OF
British lungs to be brought into play.
Lord Roberts rode alone and constant
~ bowed and smiled Acknowledgements
S of his greeting. Lord Kitchener was
not So early recognized, buJ he was
seen as he rode with Gen. Sir Alfred
GassIee and Admiral Sir Edward
Hobart Seymour, and was the crowd S
next faEorite. AZ various points along
the route of the procession Lord
Kitchener received thunderous ova-
lions, which he acknowledged neither
by look nor bow, but as English
crowds are used to this treatment from
Lord Kitchener it cutie failed to sup
press the enthusiasm.
Rn5 It was for the King and Queen
themselves that the people really let
themselves loose. Throughout the day,
wherever and whenever their Males
lies were seen, the cheers were long
and loud, and especially was this SO on
the return journey of the King and
Queen to buckingham Palace.
Until the booming of guns announc-
ed that The eroWning of King Edward
and Queen Alexandra had been accom-
splished there fingered in thousands Of
minds nervous apprehension that
even at the last moment some uEtoWard
eyent might once Eore plunge the ma
ton into CONSERVATION. When this
was passed the unrestrained Jubliation
Eas as much a tribute to the Kings
personal popularity as it was an evi-
dence Of relief from the tension OF the
last few weeks. So, while the scenes
On the streets were robbed OF many OF
those elements that usually accom-
Eany great pageant they will long be
remembered, perhaps somewhat ten
derIy, by those who stood OF the
stands, at windows and on sidewalks
TO see King Edward after he had won
his crown almost from the jaws Of
death.
In Westminster Abbey the scene was
nothing less than marvellous. Nearly
seven Thousand members Of the nobil-
5Ey, the clergy and the gentry had
gathered, with foreign princes, ambas-
sadors. colonial rulers, Indian poten-
tates and leaders from the furthest
quarter Of the globe where the Unlon
Jack flies, to do honor TO the King.
Two incidents In the service IN the
Abbey viii live in the memory OF all
who witnessed them. The first OF
these, which almost developed into q
dramatic contretemps, centred around
The aged Archbishop of Canterbury.
From the commencement of the service
the Archbishop had the greatest Diff
cult IN reading or remembering the
Drayers. The book from which his
almost blind eyes endeavored to read
shook in his hands and when he came
TO place the crown upon King Ed
wards head his huge frame, towering
above the seated King, swayed so vio-
lently that the Bishop of Winchester
had to support him, while the Dean
or Westminster puta guarding hand
under the crown. twas evident that
the Archbishop of Canterbury could
not see his Kings head and, after
cropping around, he was just ABOUT to
complete the most important part of
the ceremony when it was discovered
that he hsd the crown with the back
tothe front. Slowly he raised it, but
teo late to prevent the choir from pre-
maturely bursting out with loud
seGod Save the King" Amid a ten
sion that had grown to pitch OF pain
mi nervousness the Archbishop finally
managed to place the crown correctly
uDor the Kings head. A few minutes
Later came the climax of his feebleness.