Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-13


la is much more private spot than
the grand palace. The warm, brown
tinted buildings. in the center of which
rises a tall. square watch tower, are
set in thick forest of oaks. birches
ana lindens. hiding them from view on
every side except towards the gulf of
Finland. whose waters almost lap the
foundation of the nearest shOrewari
building. From this section of the park
the public had been excluded for days
paSt, while a short mile down the shore
the children rompaj and shouted un Ter
the deserted windows of the Pet"rhof
palace and crowds of visitors gathered
each afternoon to watch the marvellous
FOUNTAINS. second only in all Europe
to those Of Versailles.
The birth of the heir to the throne
was attended with all the ceremonial
ordained by imperial tradition. In ac-
cofdance with the Russian law, there
were present. besides tho Emperor
ifaron Fredericks. the master of cere-
MONIES, and Prince DOlgOrouky, the
grand marshal of the court Dir. Rott,
the Emperor's family physician. was
the accoucheur. AMI DR. Hyruch was
the surgeon i'm attendance.
DR.. Rott personally announced the
birth of the heir to the awaiting impe-
rial family A formal announcement
Will he published in the official Mes
senger. An imperial salute of 101 guns
was subsequently fired, first from Pc
terhos and it was then repeated by all
the forts around st. Petersburg.
The christening of the heir will occur
in d fortnight It will be ceremony of
the most elaborate sort. In accordance
with Russian imperial custom it will be
performed in the imperial chapel Of the
Peterhof palace. credited with being
the most magnificent CHAPEL in Russia.
The Importance of the birth Of an
heir to the throne of Russia cannot be
exaggerated, coming as it does at a
time when the Russian people are de-
pressed by the reverses which the arms
Of Russia have sustained i'll the Far
East. Not only will the coming of Il
son to the Emperor and Empress bring
JOY to Russia in general because it
marks the advent of a new era for
Russia, but it will put an end to the in
trisues, more OF less open which have
been features of the present reign since |
the birth of the first daughter to Their
Majesties. Up to now the Grand Duke
only brother Of the Emperor, |
was the heir prcsunptive. A powerful. |
healthy, ambitious man, born i'll 1873. |
Grand Duke Michael is much beloved !
by the people and in recent years has
been looked upon as Tie probable sue
cessor of Nicholas III. Stories have
been circulated to the effect that Grand |
Duke Michael, like his deceased broth |
err Grand Duke George, suffered from !
lung trouble, but these reports are pro- |
nounccd to be unfoundcd by those in |
position to know the real facts in the |
case.
The birth of an heir to RuSsias |
throne also disposes Of the ambitions |
IF the family of Grand Duke Vladimir |
oldest uncle of the Emperor and ia |
Their of Grand Duke Cyril, Boris and |!
Andre, and of the Grand Duchess He |
lena, wife of Prince Nicholas of Greece. |
The announcement from Petcrhof |
was Immediately followed by salute |
of 101 guns from the imperial yacht |
lying at anchor off the palace, but it |
was 245 p. NJ. when the guns of St. |
Peter and st. Paul fortress, opposite |
the Winter Palace here, conveyed the |
glad news to the people of the Russian |
capital. The effect was electrical. |
With the boom of the first gun the peo-
pie in the streets who had been eX-
pcctiEg the announcement for "a hours, |
stopped to count the guns. Only 81 are
fired for girl. When the 32d sounded
and the people We're 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 bloss omed out with
laSS and bunting and the shipping in
the harbor was dressed.
Then the bells of the churches be
gan to ring wildly. In the meantime the
had been telcgraphed to
the most remote corners of the empire.
In all the towns and cities the glad
tidings were spread with the changing
IF bells and the booming of cannon.
services followed in III
The churches.
At the chapel of Alexandra Villa the
Emperor and the emperial family at
tended a te deuIh.
Tho formal announcement of the
birth will be mi de by the Metropoli-
ans of st. Petersburg, Moscow and
<ief at solemn masses, tomorrow. In
the various ministries. this afternoon.
he officials verb convoked to hear the
announcement. The heirs of the Rus
sian throne wh6 are likely to be more
leeply touched by the good fortune of
the imperial family than by a dozen
victories or defeats in the Far East
md the surerstitions Russian charac-
-"r will read in lit an augury of better
times.
S"raphin. who was canonized. last
summer. by the Emperor at Saroff has
low become favorite patron saint, as
he birth of the heir is attributed chief
y to his interposition. The Emperor
Viii signalize the event by some gra-
'ious act, like the remission of arrear-
lges Of taxes and amnesty and for the
lext two weeks until the christening
mere will be holiday and public fetes
# all kinds.
There is already a revival of the talk
hat with the succession to the throne
assured the Emperor will follow the