New-York tribune., 1908-10-11

as public holiday in the city. and in the even
ing the new chief magistrate enterrains TIE
Prime Minister. the various members OF the
Cabinet. the foreign ambassadors and the prn-
cipal Judges and great disnitaries OF the realm
at a state banquet the GUiIdhail the govsrn-
ment usually availing Itself OF the oppo-tunt!
10 make some pronOUncement in the atter-dinrsr
speeches on the subject Of IT'S domestic az4
foreign policy.
The principal insignia of the Lord Mayor
London is his gold chain OF Office II dates
from 1J4+-that is 10 say. from the reign d
Henry VIII. and Is the oldest r7ayoraI chzn
or office in existence. II is OF pure gold. ard
consisted Of twenty-eight -" links alternating
with enamelled Tudor roses and knots of pan
gold Twenty three years later. in 1864 II Us
' enlarged 10 its present length OF sixty-iou
inches. the additional links So matching ths
old that II is impossible to distinguish betTss1
/ them pendant or badge or the city arms
was added in 1J5S. but this was lost. and ths
present cameo, set in diamonds. acquires
in 1907, and reset about twenty y-fvs years asa
The Lord Mayor has likewise four robes OF Of
flee. on ordinary occasions ne wears a robe q
ribbed purple silk. faced with velvet and sdgsS
with fur When administering Justice al th'
Mansion House court he Is arrayed in scArls
and sable. Black satin embroidered with sos
is worn at state banquets and official rscsF
tons; while when the King visits the GU
the Lord Mayor meets him at its entrsncs q
rayed IN an earfs robe of ruby velvet. PATE
with ermine. and looped with gold
Ranking on such occasions as these as an e-'-
the Lord Mayors wife has been won't IN lhH0
gone BY 10 insist upon the prerogatiys
peeress on presentation-namely. that OF oeN'
greeted with a kiss on the cheek by the 81
ereign. George II created regular dlsturuA-s
in the city by declining to kiss the L6-
MayOress on the first occasion OF his dininS
the Guildhan on the ground that she was
hOmeIy. and the worthy dame. finding mS
IN vain that she had held out her CIV
TO be saluted by the monarch. angrily sulin0'
her pages. ordered them to seize the tISA
her dress. and. turning her back full on
sovereign swept out OF the royal pres'-4
Other sovereignS have been more poilu'.
have found II prudent to avoid giving 'A. ..
to the City OF London in this fashion 10 =
ter how glartng the lack OF attractive -
the Lady Mayoress. The Lord Mayors -
OF office he IS obliged TO provide OUT .
own pocket. and they are worth on sn 49, =
1000 apiece. But the chain and badge =
fee. as well as the four swords OF st4'' .s.,r
sented by Henry VIII. Edward VI. QueeS I'd B
and Queen Elizabeth. the ancient 81
crystal sceptre OF the Anglo-Saxon fO,~ .,r
and the great silver mace. all belong 10 1..,ns
and before entering upon his tweiVe "a %
term of office the Lord Mayor is S.rss
sign a bond Of $1,000. OOo-not for tns NJ
performance OF his important duties' -tos
the safekeeping OF the insignia IN - ,ss
which the citizens are manifestlY ,ous
he might sell. pawn. or dispose OF ~ o.
questionable manner. which Is not prs.-- p.-, nag
dicative OF popular confidence In the eA :, 10
istrate of the vast British Empire az -rzS
greatest city Of the world.