The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-08-16
OF HOLIDAY
The Salute of o Guns, Conveying the
News to the Populace of the Birth
OF a Boy, Caused Scenes OF Great
Rejoicing-In All Parts Of the En-
pire There Were Thanksgiving Ser
yices-SuperstitiOus Russians VIII
Read I'm the Event an Augury OF a
Better Time-The Christening OF
the Heir Will Take Place i'm a Fort
night.

St Petersburg, August IA son
born. The empress and the child are
doing we'll. The accouchment occurred
at 1880 o'clock this afternoon. The
child will be christened Alexis. The
announcement from Peterhof was i'm
mediately followed by a salute of 10l
at anchor off The palace, but it was
2:4o p. m. when the guns Of ST. Peter
and st. Paul fortress opposite the win
ter palace here, conveyed the glad tid-
ings to the people of the Russian capt.
toll. The effect was electrical. With
t.e streets. who had been momentarily
expecting the event for twenty four
hours, stopped to listen and count the
guns. Only thirty one are fired for a
girl. When the thirty second Doomed
n the people were aware that at last
an heir to the throne was born there
were scenes of rejoicing everywhere and
before the salute was finished the whole
city had blossomed out with flags and
bunting and the shipping in the harbor
was dressed. Then the bells of the
churches began to ring wildly.
In the meantime the announcement
had been telegraphed to the m oS re-
mote corners Of the empire. In all the
towns and cities the glad tidings were
spread with the clangor Of bells and
the booming of cannon. Thanksgiv-
ing services followed in all the church.
es. At the chapel Of Alexandra Villa.
the Emperor and the imperial family
attended a te deum.
The birth of the heir to the throne
was attended with all the ceremonial
ordained by imperial tradition. In ac-
dan with the Russian law there
were present besides the Emperor, b.
ron Frederick. the master of the cere-
monies. and prince Dolgorouky, the
grand marshal Of the court. DR.. Rott,
the Emperor's family physician vas
the accoucheur and DR.. Hiruch was the
surgeon in attendance.
DR.. Rott personally announced the
birth Of the heir to the awaiting impe-
rial family. A formal announcemen,
will be published in the official mes
senger.
The christening of the heir will take
place in a fortnight. 1t will be a cere-
mony of the most elaborate sort. In
accordance with Russian imperial Gus
tom it will be performed IN the imperial
chapel of the Peterhof palace, credited
with being the most magnificent chapel
In Russia.
The hearts of the Russian people are
likely to be more deeply touched by
the good fortune of the imperial family
n by a dozen victories or defeats in
the Far East, and the supsrstituous
Russian character will read in 1t an
augury of a better time. st. Seraphim
who was canonized last summer by the
Emperor at SarahOf has now become a
favorite patron saint, as the birth or
the heir is attributed chiefly to his in
terposition. The Emperor will signal
ize the event by some gracious act.
like the remission Of arearages of taxes
and amnesty, and for the next two
weeks, until the christening, there vii,
be a holiday and public fetes of ali
kinds.
There is already a revival of the talk
that with the succession to the throne
assured the Emperor will follow the ex>
ample Of the house OF Romanoff and go
to the front.
The heirs name will be Alexis Mix
olaievitch and if he reigns he proba-
bly, will assume the title of Alexis II.
The last Alexis was Emperor of Mos
cosy, in 1645.