Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-07

Yin. or 'transmitter of the royal voice"
read his DEGREES I'm lou.l tones.
From the Peacock Throne the king in
spectei the royal horses and troops IL
stands in pavilion overlooking the parade
grounds
From the Elephant Throne he watched
me Sadden," or sacred white elephant the
highest object Of worship i'm Burma, at his
exercise and saw him feed daily
The Most Beautiful Throne.
The Lily Throne. the most beautiful of all,
stands In an audience chamber of the queen,
row used a dining room in the officers
club. There the king sat on social occasions.
or wheh anniversaries were being celebrat-
ed. and received the mobiles of the country
and their families and the prominent citi-
zens. Here he witnessed theatrical perform
ances and dances and on several occasions
fragments of operas performed by compa-
MES brought from Rangoon. where there
is an opera house.
The kings bed chamber is a lofty room
whose walls are whitewashed and entirely
without ornament. The walls are made of
sheet iron indiffercntly stamped with de-
signs and they are surrounded on all sides
by wide corridor, which. during the night
was occupied by guards for his protection.
Notwithstanding his exalted position. divine
origin and unlimited power he was In con-
slant danger of ASA ssination even by his
own sons. No king of Burma. as far back
as history goes, was ever allowed to reign
in peace. There were always assassns
lurking around him, members of his own
family, who were ambitious TO take his
place upon the throne. officials who had
been Inundated, degraded or deprived Of
their offices and were seeking vengeance,
and others who had been Ill trated and
wanted to punish him. His bodyguard was
usually composed of foreigners, pure mer-
cenaries, who had no interest in the affairs
of state, but usually Were subject to the
orders of the highest bidder
The queens palace is quite gay. Her
rooms are lined with little fragments of
mirrors, walls, ceilings. pillars. columns and
all. and little bits of colored glass are i'm
bedded in the plaster or In the wood as IL
they were emeralds. rubies and other jew
els. The particular palace was the resi-
dence of queen No. 1. The other three
queens usually allotted to king had their
residences on the other side of the cham
bers occupied by their lord and sovereign.
Each had her own establishment-iadies in
waiting and bodyguard, her servants.
tutors, secretaries and musicians. The
kings mother, who for a century or more
was the most powerful person at court. oc-
cupied a building second only in extent and
splendor to the palace Of the king.
A Considerable Colony.
These establishments, with the offices Of
the government, the pavillions for ceremo-
malls, the barracks. the temples for worship
and the pagodas covered considerable area.
Most of them are connected with each other
by corridors. passages or bridges that
the officials and attendants could pass from
one end of the great group to the other I,
They all built entirely OF teak wood.
having no masonary whatever Most of 4
them are deliberately carved and gilded, and
wherever gold leaf was not laid on they
We're stained with the brilliant scarlet pc
culiar to Japan and other countries of the
east called cinnabar. The roofs Of all these
buildings are made of ordinary galvanized
iron. the hottest and most incongruous ma
terlal that could have been selected, and in
striking contrast with the brilliant lacquer
and gold.
which surrounded the royal residence.
scattered in an irregular manner through
tie park, were the residences Of the min
iSterS of state, the high priests. the COM
mander-in-chief of the army and other
generals, the astrologists and other official
advisers and attendants of his majesty,s
the kings brothers and sisters and other
relatives. and various persons of influence.
Each of the residences was surrounded by
bamboo and palm leaf cabins occupied by
the retainers and servants. Altogether
there was a community of several thou
sand souls within the walls, not counting
the SOLDIERS. There were two monasteries
for the accommodation of the chaplains
and spiritual advisers of the king and his
household and a great deal was expected
OF them. They were required to bless
those whom the king pleased to ia
vor and to curse his enemies. one or the
mona steries was built a retreat for
King Mindon where he could retire when
he wanted peace and quiet 1t Is a gem
Of pagoda, the interior walls being beau
tifulIy carved and gilded, and the entire
exterior laid with heavy gold leaf. 1t
seems to have endured the climate ana
hard usuage much better than any of the
other buildings. 1t looks like a pagoda OF
gold. Here King Thebaw spent several
months during his youth In obedience 70
the rule which requires all devout Bud
dhist to serve a term of monkhood
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