The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-03-02

streets TO see the royal procession. !
The public parks were turned into /
camping grounds for the soldiers, the |
tents covering the grass, and making |
picturesque sight.
The Coronation at Westminster Alb
hey and the Thanksgiving service |
were the most imposing and spectaou-
lar events. We had not booked any
of the thousands of expensive seats
erected along the route of the process
sions and took our chances with the
crowds in the streets. We got a fine
position, however, and he'd an ex-
cellent view. The procession was a
gorgeous affair and very difficult to
describe. All the newspapers were
filled with descriptions OF it written
from every point of view, and illus
trated profusely by clever artists.
It was a sight never to be forgotten.
The royal horse guards alone make
very imposing show, but they were
merely an introduction to greater
things. The royal carriages with
their crimson and gold trappings, had
to be augmented by costly automo-
biles, bearing the royal arms, in or
der to carry the innumerable dignitar-
les. Fifty extra coachmen were
added to the numerous staff of the
royal stables. Home and Colonial
troops of all kinds we're in the pro-
cession.
Some of the most conspicuous fig
ures on horseback were the princes
from India and leading native officers
of the Indian army, wearing strange
looking uniforms, capped by great
turbans of various colors. Lord Kit
chener, head of the English army,
Lord Roberts and other distinguish
ed soldiers were noticeable The
admiral OF the feet, and other high
officers of the navy were prominent
The Lord Mayors gilded coach with
its six powerful horses made brave
| show, and ! will state that its occu-
pant, Lord Mayor of London, Sir
/ Thomas Vesey Strong, is Good TEN
par of many years standing, is chief
/ templar OF his lodge, and chairman
/ of the London Temperance hospital, a
very large institution which uses no
alcohol and is wonderfully successful
| in its treatment.
We looked. of course, for the Uni
ted States representative. Mr. Ham
mond and he was easily recognizable
by means of his plain black dress suit
which was in somber contrast with
the brilliant uniforms of the other
men in the procession.
The leading object in the long and
brilliant pageant was the royal coach
containing the King and Queen OF
England. This great equipage was
drawn by eight cream-colored horses,
with positions The sides of the
coach are all Of glass, so that a good
view Of their majesties was obtained
who smlingly and gracefully &C
knowledged the salutations and
mighty cheering of the multitudes as
the carriage passed Think Of the
responsibility resting upon the King
as the head Of a great empire on
which tho sun never sets numbering
near four hundred million souls, yet
Parliament is supreme, not the king
At the world-famed Crystal Palace
we spent a day to see the Festival
Of Empire. which was held under the
patronage of his maiesty's govern
ment. 1t was a unique display of the
arts, Industries, resources and toilers
of the British empire. II was arrang
ed that a proportionate part OF the
receipts of the festival guaranteed
under no circumstances 10 be less
than $4,000, should be devoted to tho
Mansion House Fund for a Nationa
memorial to King Edward VII.
The beautiful grounds about the
palace were opened by the present
king when he was Prince OF Wales
and had been enlarged to $50 acres
TO insure the most realistic represen
tatious. heroes. historic cavalcades
and choicest productions Of the EN-
pire. The attractions were unpar
alleled for all the famous British
bands were there and the magnifcen
garden in full bloom. The Crysta
= Palace, or the main part OF II. wa
, erected in Hyde Park. London, in 1856
for the first Of the great internationa
exhibitions held mainly by the ei
forts Of Queen Victorias husband
seemed too good a building to des
troy. and far too large for Hyd
+ Park II was moved to Lydenhar
Hill and now stands in beautiful
, park A central transept was added
and great organ, the largest in Ems
j. land Here | listened to a Handle
r festival concert, given by an orchel
l. ira and choir OF more than 5000 vo
: ces. The men were all dressed
;. black and the ladies OF the choir, !
II white The music was OF the hes
and finely rendered, to an audienc
e proportionately large. Imagine,
II you can, the difference between tina
choir. with the largest organ in Enl
e land, an orchestra Of 400 instrument
d and one Of our village choirs. Her
u a large number Of new large building
Il had been erected, each representa-
q some part OF the British Empire Il
e dia, Africa. Australia. New Zealan
d Newfoundland and Canada all ha
a fine buildings, each filed with n
V special products OF the country Di
a monds were conspicuous near n
II door of the big African building hl
carefully guarded The Canada
IL building was the most striking
Is all It is an exact copy of the Pa
n lament building at Ottawa but on
II about one third the size In one Sc
v ton OF this building, carefully g
closed in glass, was representatC
j Of farm yard The COWS and caly'