Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-11
FREEDOMS DAWN.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

toned at strategic points. OUT Ia A.,
80. wara massed in the court yaroS
of the public buildings. p.,.ce
Early in the morning the
.nuare resembled field Camp
regiments Of guards having
there all night. At daylight
or policc took possession Oh al ~.
nroaches to the palace for tne o's'eliioe
- third Of a mile and all day no one
x,as allowed to pass the lines Mit'ou'
tickets. The draw OF the N'ciioias
bridge from vasili island was opened
ana the palace bridge. which rests on
nor,oon. was allowed to swing down
the current so as to permit the imperiai
yachts bearing their majesties and the
oo,,rt from Peterhoff to pass. up the
,iyor IN the landing stage in front OF
the Winter palace.
aotilla of police patrol boats, sew
ercI low lying torpedo boats and a
n,roher of Dared galleys cleared the
river so far as the palace OF all NOV
Ing ,raft.
Like all great state functions in Holy
Russia the ceremonies began with re-
he:ous services. At 10 o'clock in the
morning, the whole city reverberated
with bells and chimes from st. Peters
burg's myriad Of cathedrals, churches
and temples. summoning the people to
thanksgiving. Only those who have
heard the booming Of the bells of ST.
Isaac's cathedral striking base to the
tintinnabulations of the other belfries,
can appreciate the savage splendor OF
the wild ciangor. Not only in 81.
Petersburg but at the Khemlin OF MOS
COW. bells were rung and TIE Deums
were celebrated, thus giving the occa-
sion the solemn religious as well as
civic significance necessary to impress
the Russian masses.
While the bells were still ringing the
imperial yacht Alexandra with the I'M
perial standard at the fore moved ma
iesticalIy I'D the river, dipping her nag
in answer to the salutes and cneers
from the Emperor's warships lying at
the Baltic works. Instead Of proceed
ing to the winter palace the yacht stop
ped at the landing of the quay, below
the Nicholas bridge and in front of the
Leuchtenburg palace. formerly the
American embassy where the Emper-
or and the Dowager Empress entered
a launch and, attended by a launch on
each flank, moved on up the river. The
members of the court made the remain
, der of the journey to the winter palace
in carriages, escorted by troop OF
horse guards.
The Emperor's arrival was not her
aided by the customary salute of 81
guns and for that reason the passage
of the river hardly attracted the notice
of the thousands of spectators who
were waiting along the islands in the
river.
without hating at the Winter pal
ace. the launches crossed the river ant
their majesties landed under the grin
walls of the St. Peter and St. Pau
fortress. which they entered by the i'm
perial water terrace, driving hurriedl.
to the immense cathedral inside tn
walls, where repose the bodies of tn
Romanoffs.
There, before the tombs of his ma
jesty's ancestors the imperial famil
knelt for 90 minutes. made their de
votiOns and asked for the blessing an
guidance of the Almighty. AS thei
majecties. after their devotion. re-en
;crtd the launch. the faint echo of
cheer swept up the Neva. The i'm
ia;rial launch Immediately crossed tn
riveI and entered the Winter palac
from the quay entrance. For the frs
time since the ceremony of blessin
the waters. Jan. 10, 1905, when tn
Emperor. escaped death from tn
charge of grape fired from a gun Of tn
saluting battery on the opposite ban
Of the river. their majesties were bac
in the Russian capital.
A little more than two hours late
vast hosts of military and civic digni
taries began arriving at the Wintt
palace to listen to the Emperor's mes
axe to the representatives of the pee
pie.
The palace is an immense. strang'
mysterious looking. yellow-red struc
ture on the left bank of the NeVa. 1
the south Is a large open space Gale
the Palace square in the center {
which rises n giant column. 1t
anked by the buildings Of general stat
ministry of finance and the foreign OF
flee. An immense quadriga crowns II
archway of the main entrance from II
grand morskaya.
The scene on the square Thursda
was in vivid contrast to that of les
than 13 months ago. when the trooI
met with volleys. the people coming
ask the Little Father for less tina
they have now been granted. Instea
of soldiers shooting into mob, pran'
ing cavalry guarded the approache
while the square itself was filled wit
rank upon rank Of the cavalier guard
Cuirassiers, hussars. lancers and otht
guard regiments, each in pictureSQr
uniforms of red. blue and yellow. tt
helmets and cuirasses shone in til
sun. while the polished lance head
formed thicket of flashing lines ovel
head. The Emperors picked Circa:
sian Cossacks. in long. flowing erin
son kaftans sitting high on vii
steppe horses, gave the highest no
or color to the scene. Behind the ire
grill leading to the court yard of II
palace We're massed squadron
heavy Dragons and a battery of m;
chine guns.
Through this brilliant maze of troo
passed splendid equipages. many
the coachmen wearing the red imperi
livery and bearing invited CUES
swiftly to the various entrances
which they had been assigned. :