The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-05-11

cratic and courtiers opposite, whose hos tile eonte1nptuous glances showed how
 little they welcomed the new and domn-
 ant force in Russian political life.
 The members of the council of the enl-
 Dire and cabinet ministers took their
 places on the left of the throne.
 The diplomatic corps with tue dean, NJ Bompard the French ambassador in ad- vance. and Ambassador, Meyer In court
 unlform entered and occupied the gallery
 in the rear of the hall while the mar
 shas of the nobility, the governors gen teral. and a vast throng of civil and military dignitaries i'm uniform and with tehlr breasts heavy with gittering orders, took the places assigned to them. The last persons to enter were Antonius,
 the metropolitan. of St. Petersburg. and a number of the clergy of the highest rank in mitres and robes of cloth of gold, who
 formed in front of the altar.
 General Trepoff. In his capacity as com
 mandant of the palace, In company with
 General Massoloff, the minister of the
 court, then made final and careful sur
 vey of the arrangements.
 Baron Fredercks minister of the i'm perial house, and aide de camp or the
 Emperor. then made a formal announce
 ment to the Emperor that the council Of
 the empire and the lower house of parlia
 rnent awaited his arrival in the thronc room
 Played National Hymn. As the strains Of the national hymn played by an orchestra in q far-off gal
 lery announced the starting of the inn peiial procession, three raps of the cham berlain's slaves on the floor stilled the assemblage into instant silence
 The magnificent but. to foreign eyes semi-barbarious pageant headed by two masters of ceremonies in gorgeous uni- araH pe. fore them walked two grooms and three court heralds with gold-tipped wands Then came resplendent array of court dgnitaries and officials. the grand mar shals court the lord high chamber lain, the gentlemen of the imperial cham bor, the master of horse, the master of the hounds, the master of the hunt the lord steward the high cup bearer and the high carver, all h their breasts GOV cred with decorat. ns, their places in the procession being in inverse order of rank Following them escorted by twelve gren- adiers in bearskn shakos, under command
 of two guard officers with drawn sabres six high dignitaries bore the emblem of the sovereignty of the House of Roman off. the seal of of the Emperor. the inn ! perial standard, the sword of state with
 it's long straight blade borne point up;
 the orb and sceptre and the glittering im- l perial crown in the order named. Emperor Advances.
 Half a dozen paces in the rear the Elm peror walking alone advanced slowly holding himself erect and evidently steel 1 ing himself for the ceremony. He was dressed in the simple blue uniform of a 1 colonel of the Preobrajensky regiment of l the guards with half length boots and his only decorations were the scarlet rib 1 bon of the Alexander Nevsky order and ! 4t. sIta al at Gf /, der.
 Then came the two Expresses the place of honor being accorded to the 1 Dowager Empress. and the other mem
 bers of the imperial caniiy. with the ex- 1 ception of the baby heir to the throne i Grand Duke Alexis Nicolaievitch, and tho
 daughters of the Emperor headed by the 1 Grand Duke Michael. brother of the Elm | peror. followed in their order of succession ! to the throne.
 The Expresses were clad in court cos 1 tumes the ancient Russian dress com
 posed of q flowing long train robe, over
 white silk skirt. and wearing on theii | heads the kokoshnik, or high Russian dress embroidered with pearls and dIa- i nonds.
 In the train of the imperial family 1 came the matrons and maids of honor and the courts of the Expresses in the same style costumes. Behind these followed a l long line of the wives and daughters oi
 the nobles, the families of Russia. Meets Emperor.
 The Emperor halted in the center Of the hall and Metropolitan Antonius ad- vanced to meet him. and held out the cross which his majesty reyerently kissed
 Then bending forward the Emperor clasped the hand of the metropolitan
 raised it to his lips and kissed It. the
 metropolitan returning the salutatipn. The Expresses who had in the mean time advanced and taken their places on either side of the Emperor greeted the sacred emblem and the representatives Of
 the church in similar manner. after which the bearers of .he insignia Of state had advanced to the steps of the throne, de- ! posted the emblems of sovereignty and cushions resting on the dais on each side of the throne. and the imperial family and courtiers having fallen slightly back | the Emperor and the Expresses were ] left standing in an isolated group during | the celebration of the te deum which | followed. This long and imposing cere- nony was composed of prayers for the | health and safety of the soverign and his | family, and the new legislators accom- | panled by the docp tones of the chanting l or inc bishops priests and deacons anc