The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-06-21
bow LONDON DECORATES
BIG CHANGE SINCE THE DAYS
or EDWARDS CORONATION.

stan and Esiectricity Replace Telegraph
Poles. Tlnsei and Candles es-Soiitily
Buiit Grand stands Gated streets
The Dismai Hotel Cormorants.
Los DON. June 10 The traveller who is
back in London after an absence OF nine
years notices q vast difference in the
preparations being made for the decora-
| tion along the route Of the royal process
sion as compared with those that we're
put up in honor Of the coronation Of Ed
ward VII.
At that time London clung to wooden
poles and cheap bunting and tinsel and
had no appreciation Of the value OF stan"
as decorative material. The decorators
preferred to put up telegraph poles and
wrap them about with red and yellow or
blue calico. which the rains Of that eepe-
cially rainy season rendered cheap and
tswdry long before the real coronation
and the royal progress, postponed on ac-
count Of the Kings sudden illness. finally
came OF. Every ono who was here re-
members how the Same faded faGs and
draperes did duty AZ the reception Of
President Loubet Of France the follow
ing year. when Paris and London were
mad over the entente cordiale" and
King and President were exchanging
visits
Telegraph poles are still being used
along some parts Of the royal route. but
it goes without saying that they will be
more artistically employed But the
striking thing about the decorations this
time ia the white star pillars that have
been put up along Whitehall and the
arch Of similar material that Ia being
built. II took the exhibition at Shepherds q
Bush three years ago TO make British
decorators realize what could be done
with stan. and this year they have gone
in for il wholesale
Then nine years ago the ropes OF lights
that were strung from pole to pole all
along the route and the Nominations.
transpa-ences and glass devices tina;
adorned the fronts OF buildings were al
most Invariably supplied with gas Jets
or candles for even then London was
backward in lis use Of electricity. This
year while gas ia being used in some of
tho big glass coats OF arms that have been
res,irrected from store rooms. elec. -icity
will be the principal means OF illumi-
nation
One doesn't remember to have seen a
single length Of structural steel used
in any of the enormous stands erected
nine years ago. but this year you see
many a stand Of steel But the ma jor-
ny are sti'' bui't OF wood and are so sub
stantially constituted you could not
imagine them giving way under five
times the weight of their Napaci'v in
people There is nothing about them
OF the temporary. knocked together
character that is distinctive of those
We pat up opposite Madison Square
for the poltcemen's and firemen's parade.
Though there are only two occasions
on which these stands will be occupied
they are built FOR two DAYS consecutive
use. some OF them. while most will be
occupied only on the day Of the royal
procession they are built a. il designed
to Withstand the rJvages Of wears; and
this is one reason whv high prices are
demanded for seats Many of them are
being painted and all will be decorated
more or less artisticaliy.
just a few Yards from the mouth OF
each street that empties into the line OF
march carpenters are builiing huge gates.
III OF them in all. which are TO help the
police in keeping tho crowd in check.
They will be needed On the morning
Of each parade they will be closed as
soon IA the crowds All the sidewalks
adjacent TO them: and this. in some cases.
10 going to be at daybreak which at this
season comes here almost in the middle
OF the night. for people will begin to take
positions At favored spots before dark
Of the day before As for these gates,
tzey are built of heavy oak. with posts
nine inches square firmly set in ne ground
and Roman host with a battering ram
would have its hands full getting past
than EnCh most lv a
mided a. the top and decorated a little
thing which is apt "a strike the observant
American visitor with wonder
All over town they are putting up lit lie
sentry boxes before houses occupied by
distinguished visitors. who will be guarded
may not be necessary. But you cant
help being impressed with the fact that
seemingly no detail is being overlooked
in the staging of this wonderful pageant.
The London correspondent Of any
New York newspaper is apt to be an I'M
popular person in some of the London
hotels nowadays. The cause is The degree
Of emptiness and void that is j.st now
characteristic Of many hotel corridors
and extends upstairs. Never in the last
ten years have there been SO few persons
stopping in many OF what are called the
leading hotels at a corresponding period
Of the year and many restaurants have
been hard hit
While lnnchinR to-day at a popular
restaurant in the Haymarket the writer
was told by the proprietor that trade
this season had not by any means ap-
preached that Of last year. even houah
The death OF King Edward had hurt the
London season 80 tremendously Man
ayers OF hotels will tell you they have a
just grievance against the American
correspondents for sending over stories
about high prices obtaining. but if you
investigate you are apt to conclude that
nothing Of exaggeration has been sent
over The fact Is that now ANYBODY who
knows how to go about il can get accom-
modations at figures away of those that
have been quoted for weeks