The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-17
Brilliant Scene I'm the GiIded Chamber
of the Peers, Where the King and
Queen Occupied Thrones.
SPEECH READ BY EDWARD
WHOSE ALLUsIONs TO THE BOER
WAR WE'RE VERY INDEFINITE.
Speeches by Salisbury and Rosebery
Harcourt in the Commons.

LONDON, Jan. liking Edward opened
Parliament to-day with a ceremonial in all
essential respects similar to that of Febru
ary last The procession to the House of
Lords was OF the same character as that
witnessed on the occasion of the opening OF
the first Parliament of King Edward s
reign while within the upper house were
seen the same state pageantry the same
historic dresses and the same revival of
ancient forms.
The crowds which lined the route from
Buckingham Palace TO Westminster TO re-
view the procession were not nearly so
large as on the occasfo Of the last opening
OF Parliament. Guardsmen, assisted by
hundreds of police. kept the spectators
back, but they had Itle TO do. Only few
attempts at decoration were visible. For
once royalty was late, and when the King
and Queen drove out from the courtyard in
front Of Buckingham Palace they were
twenty minutes behind time and King Ed
ward was still struggling with an unruly
glove.
Their Majesties were greeted enthusiast
cally. AS they sat in the great stage coach,
whose gilded pinnacle brushed the boughs
OF the trees in the Green Park King Edward
and Queen Alexandra looked for all the
world like fiattering painting of Henry
VIII and one of his better-Iooking spouses.
They bowed somewhat wildly from their
huge gold and glass frame. which shook
and reeled on its ancient springs like ship
in a storm. The King and Queen both
looked extremely well. but her Majesty ap-
peared to be in especially good health.
What, with the two central figures so
easily seen and so gorgeously clad, and the
kept constantly playing. the public was
rewarded for its long. cold wait by a
spectacle of considerable interest, though
so far as unrestrained public enthusiasm
was concerned. IL nothing to what oc-
CURED earlier IN the day, when the Guards
reinforcements left their barracks en- route
TO South Africa. The guardsmen tramped
through the dark streets OF the metropolis
at o'clock In the morning, accompanied
by uproarious mob of civilian friends
singing songs TO the accompaniment of the
band The songs and music, however did
not drown the crying Of women. who clung
to the necks and arms OF almost every man
or the contingent.
OCCUPIED THEIR THRONES
On aiishting at the royal entrance OF the
House Of Parliament beneath the Victoria
Tower, King Edward and Queen Alexandra
were met by the high officers of state and
were conducted to the robing rooms. After
rob:ng. King Edward and Queen Alexandra
entered the House of Peers and occupied
their thrones, beneath canopy, with the
Prince and Princess of Wales on either side
OF them The other members of the royal
family were seated on chairs at the foot of
the steps leading to the throne The pro-
cessien from the robing room was preceded
Dy the Duke of DevOnshire lord nras,dent
or the council. bearing the imperial crovr,
ana the heralds and pursuivants thev on
Tered the House of Peers amid a fanfare
The scene in the gilded chamber was very
prilidhl. state officers. ambassadors and
mn eSs, :, III handsome uniforms and peers
ana peereSseS In Vari-colOred robes -6IIed
every nook The Kine. beneath bis roha
wore Held marshais uniform. The Ouasn,s
dress was of black velvet surmounte,i nv .
robe trimmed with ermine The neeressas
all wore ostrich feathers in their hair an5
Were Were richly richly clad in evening robes Of the the
most varied colors, white satin however
predominating. The display of Jewels Was
unusually dazzling was
osrhe0s The only departure from the extremely
oecorous character of the proceedings oc
CURED when the King, i'm maxinS "a.
speech. referred TO the humanity of the
10 iie,sn ..,S .roops "a south Africa. This led
20 an unprecedented scene in the House of
Lords. Peers and peeresses and high Of
heers or state broke out into prolonged
cheer' Wnlch was repeated again and again
TO the evident satisfaction of his Ma siestr
but TO the apparent dismay of the oficiais
OF the house whose signailed deprecations
OF thls departure from ancient Traditions
were Intellectual TO stop the outburst oS
enthusiasm. VI
THE KINGS SPEECH
The speech was not an important utter
ance. IL opened with a reference 20 ,ho
tour of the Prince and Princess af wales
They were everywhere" said the K,ry
received with demonstrations of the lvaIi,
est affection and / am convinced tbe,r
presence served to rivet more closely the
bonds of mutual regard and loyalty bv
which the vigor os the empire is main
tanned"
Referring TO Great Britain's relation with
foreign countries, the King said: 'My re-
lations with the other powers continues
10 be OF friendly character"
Contrary TO expectations the Kings raf
erence 10 the war was just as indennfle
as the statements on the subject made in
the last half-dozen messages from the
throne 4 regret said his Majesty that
the war In South Africa is not yet conclud-
ed though the course of the oDeratIors
has been favorable TO our arms. the area
or war largely reduced, and industries are
being resumed IN my new colonies In
spite OF the tedious character OF the cam
P,ilsh, my soI1isrs throughout have dis
played cheerfuinSss I'm the endurance of
hardships incident 10 guerrilla warfare and
humanity. even 10 their own detriment
I'm the treatment or their enemy which are
deserving OF the highest praise The neces-
sity for relieving those OF my troops who
have most felt the strain OF war has ar
forded me the opportunity OF again avail
ing myself of the loyal and patriotic OF
fers OF nay colonies. and further contin-
gents viii shortly reach South Africa from
the dominion Of Canada. the common
wealth OF Australia and New Zealand .
IN regard 10 the sugar conference the
speech says: Il trust its decision may lead
10 the abandonment of the system by which
the sugar-producing colonies and home
manufacturers OF sugar have been unfairly