The Yale expositor., 1910-05-13

King Edward VII. died of pneumonia
at 11:45 o'clock Friday night. The
prince of Wales is king, assuming the
title of George ", took the oath be-
fore the privy council Saturday after
noon.
The tolling of the great bell in ST.
Pauls cathedral at minute intervals
between and 6 o'clock Saturday
morning, an Office performed only for
the sovereign and the archbishops of
Canterbury and York, conveyed to
countless thousands of Londoners and
suburbanites the first intimatlon OF
the death of King Edward VII. Great
crowds coming into the city on early
trains proceeded toward Buckingham
palace and by O'Clock an immense
stream of people was slowly filing
past the front of the building with
its drawn blinds. round to the west
end of the palace to gaze upon the
windows of the chamber where the
body of the dead king was lying
Members of the royal household
attended a special service in the pri'
yate chapel of the palace at an early
hour.
The death of his majesty has caused
a general suspension of business and
the abandonment of all race meetings
and other sports, public gaieties and
private entertainments. The theaters
closed. The stock exchange and other
markets were closed and the law
courts took a recess as a token of re
spect. Everywhere throughout the
country flags were placed at half mast
upon public buildings, warships and
other shipping, while church bells
sounded the doleful news.
The morning services at the churches
were more largely attended than us
ual. All of the congregations were
IN deep mourning. A notable change
IN the service was the substitution
of the words "the queen, the queer
dowager and all the royal family" fol
the familiar phrase, "the queen, the
prince and princess of Wales and al
the royal family"
The bulk of the population of the
country have donned mourning gart
in some form. Men who are MOI
wholly clothed in black are wearint
black neck-scarfs OF black bands abou
are almost without exception dressed
in black. Streamers of crepe hans
from the whips in the hands OF the
cabmen. The shop fronts bear mourn
ing shutters.
Public Not Forewarned.
Just "a hours after the first news
was broken to the public, as from |
clear sky, that the king was suffering
from bronchitis, with the physicians
statement that his condition causes
some anxiety" came the official pro
nouncement that his majesty's con
dition is now critical"
The public Immediately interpreted
these significant words TO mean tina
the kings case was absolutely hope
less. That conviction pervaded Lon
don and the entire kingdom. The bul
letin was transmitted to all the roya
relatives before II was made public
and the rapid sequence of arrivals o
royalties at the palace within the mex
hour confirmed, so far as confirmation
was needed, the most alarming views
The prince and princess of Vale
and the duchess of Albany, who ha'
left the palace shortly before the is
suance of the bulletin, both womei
showing marked signs OF grief, 500
FASTENED back. Princess Victoria an
the duke of Fife followed. The duk
and duchess OF Connaught, who ha
Just arrived at Suez from an Africa
shooting expedition, were notified an
Queen Maud telegraphed from Chris
tiania that she would start for Lor
don.
New Ruler Takes Oath.
George ", who ascended the thron
as soon as the breath left the bod
of his father. Edward VII, Saturday
amid medieval ceremony handed dow
from feudal times, was proclaime
king of Great Britain and Ireland an