The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-13
FUNERAL SERVICES . BEG|NFOR THELATE EMPEROR 0F JAPAN Century Old Rites Mingle With Modern Military
 Display SOMBRE COLORING IS ENTIRELY ABSENT Sorrow for Dead Ruler Is Apparent on Every Face, However-Half
 Million to Follow Body
 to the Grave

tO ttC
 Tokio. September 1s.-Funeral oere-
 monies of the late Emperor Mutsuhito of
 Japan posthumously known as the Fin
 peror of the Era of Enlightenment be- gan today amid surroundings in which
 century old rites and costumes were
 mingled with modern military display.
 From the most extreme points of Japan
 subjects have been assembling IT, Tokio.
 At midnight great crowds had gathered along the route of the procession. The
 weather was fair A police cordon WIS
 established, shutting off the streets
 through which the body of the Emperor will be transported and upon which it
 Is estimated half million people will be accommodated. A reservation was pro- vided for 1000 foreigners, both residents
 and visitors, at the request of l5aron
 Yoshiro Sakatani, the mayor Soon after
 midnight officials proceeded to the palace in preparation for the early ceremony. Sombre C0lOring Absent The sombre ooloring associlted with western mourning was almost entirely absent being replaced by the brilliant hues of the Orient. Sorrow for the dead ruler. however, was apparent in the faces of all who took part in the ilal act Of respect to an Emperor whose reign had witnessed some of the most marvellous developments III the life of any nation Official representatives of every country had come to Tollio to participate in the solemnties. Among them were several princes representing reigning houses and special embassies commissioned to con vey the condolences of republican presI- dents The list included Philander Knox. Secretary of State Of the United States, who was accompanied by Rans-
 ford F. Miller, chief of the far eastern section of the state department at Wash | ington; Rear Admiral Alfred Roytolde | United States navy. and Brigadier Gen eral John J. Pershing, United States army. | Members of the regular foreign ,liplo- matic body were present in their uniforms, the brilliance of which was set off by tile
 modest court or evening dress worn by a 1 few of the ministers from various re-
 publies.
 Palace the Goal
 1'rorf an eariu hour in the ranrnfi- ss ! palace ifi its great private park In tita heart of the capital was the goal toward | which virtually everybody m roltio made | his way on foot. The late Emperor only occasionally during his life left the | moated enclosure, where Ifs body has I lain in state since August IS. Since that date, on each tenth day. solemn memorial services and sacrifices to the spirit of the departed ruler were performed. u e | casket containing the body lay m state | in the main nall It had been decorated according to Shinto rites by d special corps of ritualists appointed for the obsequies.
 The casket was of enormous dimensions, | measuring nearly ten feet by five and weighing one and 8 half tons.
 At s o'clock in the morning the of ficial mourners began to arrive. First came the wearers of imperial decorations, | court officials, ministers of state and their wives and other specially invited per
 sonages. After these came the members of the funeral commission in native cere- nonial costume with swords. They were followed by the chief and assistant rtt- ualists of the imperial funeral corps, also in. full native costume. Members If
 the household then took their places and were followed by the higher officials who personally attended on ths late Elm
 peror, representatives of. the peers related
 to the imperial family and all the physi-
 clans who were present at the deathbed. The Emperor Appears After a short wait during which the functionarles formed a procession, Elm peror Yoshihito arrived. He was in full uniform of commander in chief, with black crepe armband and sword knot.
  grand master of ceremonies. and Count Watanabe, minister of the imperial house.
 hold, who were followed by court cham berlains carrying the imperial sword and seal After them came Prince Katsura, the lord chamberlain, with General Nak- amura, the chief aide-de-camp
 A small procession composed or the princes of the imperial blood in order of precedence came next.
 The empress then entered in a native court dress made of hemp cloth, her unbound hair falling on her shoulders. Her upper garment was of dark brown and her shirt of dull orange. The court ladies and maids of honor as well as the princesses of the blood were also thus attired.
 The dowager empress procession was of a similar character She was in na- tive costume and was preceded by the chief steward and followed by her ladies of honor. Prince Kanin wore the uniform of a general with an ancient robe of black hemp He carried sword and stan.
 Others in the hall comprised govern nent officials of the first rank, peers of Japan and Corea, members of the house of representatives and of the imperial cabinet the presidents of various gov ernment institutions. the mayor of Tokio and the chairman of the Tokio city coun- ell The members of the diplomatic corps
 formed group apart in a place of honor.
 Screen Is Withdrawn As soon as the imperial processions had entered the hall and those com posing them had taken their seats, the hanging screen in front of the cata- falque was removed by the ritualists and the Shinio band played a soft dirge
 on instruments resembling flutes and
 three peculiar drums.
 | The chief ritualist and his assistants | preferred the offerings of sacred food to the continued accompaniment of Shnto l music, after which other offerings of
 red and white cloth enclosed in willow | boxes were made. Prayers for the dead were recited by the chief ritualist, who | had taken his place in the center be- | fore the catafalque.
 l The most solemn act of all followed
 when the Emperor, the empress, the
 dowager empress and the princes and princesses advanced toward the casket | and worshiped the spirit of the depart | ed Emperor. A short silence ensued the | procession reformed and the members | of the imperial family retired.
 1 The other members of the assemblage, { however remained to worship the dead | Emperor's spirit, after which the Shinto
 ritualfsts advanced to the altar and re-