New-York tribune., 1902-06-08
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS
LONDON.
ALMOST INExTRICABLE MAZE IN CoRo-
NATION DETAILS.

OFFICIALS OVERCOME WITH woRK-MANY
APPEALS TO KING-LACK OF HARMONY
IN COLOR OF ABBEY-THE SOUTH
AFRICAN PROBLEMS
f,opy7.gnt; 1902: By The Tribune Association,
,s,Acsal 70 The New-York Tribune by French Cable)
Tondon. June while the angel Of peace has
,-,a with q benediction for the coronation more
,,cfent than the stately phrases OF the Arch
hishop OF Canterbury, the court is taxing lts
Measure sadly. The coronation ceremonial is
an ,rex+ricable maze Of intricate DETAILS en-
-neshed with etiquette and privilege Inc ha1
dozen Of chief officials charged with the respon-
sib,li+v Of arranging It are beset with a swarm
. .-.,o,,s ,ro,,irers and Jealous disputants, and
ora hraaking down under the pressure OF anxi-
e+ias an6 nerplexities The Lord Chamberlain,
Io,6 Clarendon, is a robust and hearty man.
but he has been forced by impaired heaIth 10
take refuge abroad in order TO be reinVlsorateo
for the supreme effort fortnight hence'
The other functionaries are harassed and irri-
tated by the inportunate demands OF the tltieo
class and ambitious people OF the smart sets ior
snecisl attentions and distinctions. The corona
ton is a drama with all the great olgnltarles OF
the kingdom and all the representatives OF quail
,+v east for subordinate parts in the procession
o- ce-ennonials Hundreds of these minor actors
are discontented either with the parts assigned
m them or with the stage properties and acces-
sorses allowed. There is heartburning every
where When the presence Of one page is grant
ed for carrying coronet or q train, two are
considered indispensable, especially If other
dignitaries in the procession are favored with
q second attendant If one carriage be assigned
10 a prominent official, two are demanded as
essential to the dignity Of his office.
JeaIouses and sensitiveness are revealed at
ez-erv turn and the chief functionaries bearing
the burden Of arranging and directing the un-
manageable court pageants and gayeties are not
only perplexed by q thousand details. but also
worried and reproached by disappointed claim
ants whose hearts are carried on their sleeves
for every gossping bird to peck at
The King is not exempt from annoyance, for
appeals are constantly made to him over the
heads OF obdurate and exasperated function
aries He is even forced to decide so petty de-
tail as the employment Of two carriages In place
of one when FIVE portly officials in full dress
expected TO drive in state and maintain the dig
nifty OF the court and the peerage- The Kings
health IS remarkable when the pressure Of work
Is SO tremendous He is compelled by the sheer
force OF circumstances to he virtually his own
master Of ceremonies, and to devote a large por-
tion Of his time TO settling minor points in the
order Of precedence and etiquette connected with
the approaching ceremonies Fortunately he
has marked talent and q genuine love Of de-
tail. resembling in this respect George ". and
his tact is almost useful as his authority in
reconcilng dscontented courtiers to their parts
and keeping peace in Vanity Fair.
Notwithstanding all the unpleasant byplay now
in progress in the anteroon1s OF great function
aries and the drawing of Mayfair and
Beleravia it is already evident that the cere-
rnony at the Abbey viii be unique in brilliancy,
stateliness and magnificence, and that the coro-
nation fetes viii surpass in variety and splendor
any court displays ever known in Europe
While there is an immense Of inaccurate
information in print the official statements are
now coming out. and the order Of the ritual and
the professions is gradually settling The music
and ceremonial details of the coronation service
are definitely arranged and the order Of the
march from the west front to the theatre, but
the order OF the street procession to and from
the Abbey has not yet received the finishing
touches, has the cavalcade for the drive
through London been officially described The
Admiralty is also holding back the chart for the
naval review but has made complete arrange
Tents for the entertainment of foreign officers
and men.
The King and Queen will attend the thanks
giving service at st. Pauls tomorrow. hold
court on Friday in Buckingham Palace, and at
tend the Aldershot review and the Ascot races
IN state the following week. Their public social
engagements throughout the next six weeks are
weIluigh continuous. The Prince and Princess
Of Wales. who attending the lads drill in
Albert Hall to-day are equally occupied. Never
have there been so many public banquets and
entertainments planned for the season The
presence OF the colonial premiers. Indian princes
and special embassies will involve lavish dis
play Of British hospitality.
Meanwhile the talk in the drawing rooms
centres upon the glories Of coronation day, and
also the hardships, FOR the Abbey will be opened
at 3 o'clock in the morning. and every great
lady must reach her seat by $50, there to re-
main until 2. when there Will be a rush for
luncheon in old Westminster. Half of Vanity
Fair has forgotten already the war in South
Africa. and is sorely exercised over the problem
OF having hairdressers finish the work Of laying
foundations for tiara and coronet before Z
O'clock on the fateful morning
Edwin A Abbey is no longer envied by the
English artists for obtaining the commission for
painting the coronation What promised 10 be
an harmonious color scheme Of red and white,
with touches Of black and purple, is now threat
ened with combinations Of many colors. The
court officials fancying that there would be reds
enough and to spare in the robes of the peers
and peeresses have decided against scarlet COW
er.ngs for the tiers of carpentry with which the
Abbey is Uttered, and have ordered blue and
yellow velvet tn large quantities The peeresses
ought to have some method Of protecting their
crimson mantles from the excessive use of yel-
low and indiscriminate blends of colors.
This weeks court was the largest and most
brilliant Of the season AS London is now
crowded for the coronation period, these func-
tons are conducted with a marked increase Of
stateliness in comparison with the drawing