February 26th was the Chinese Emperor's marriage day. 'The auspicious event was all plamed and the ceremonies fixed, the date, time, place, and what to do were all' settled by the Board of Rites ith the approval of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. The Empress elect is the daughter of Duke Kuei-hsiang. His dukedom was created on this occasion, and further he had the rank of Tartar Generalissimoconferred on him, and we believe further honours will be bestowed on him later on, A few days before the Imperial bridal trousseau was taken in, It was divided into two portions, exch three hundred pieces or somewhere near that number. All was carried in by men. One pact was carried in two days before the proper day, and the final part was carried in the day before, or on the 25th February. All over the gates and doors of the Palace was ornamented by silk lattices and the whole of the way from the Palace to the bride's house was carpeted. Tu consequence of the rain that prevailed at the time the trousseau was carried in, we unfortunately did not see everything, the greater part being covered up with yellow vileloth, But the few articles we did see were of first-class quality, riz., several boxes made of massive gold, beautifully chased, which were said to contain inestimable gems of all descriptions, boxes of jewellery all pure gold, chests of clothes for all seasons, cupboards, tables, beds all carved and inlaid with jade, gold, ete, Everything was put up in proper position and only hai to be put down in the room, even such bulky picees of furniture as bedsteads, large cupboards, mirrors, ten feet high set in massive wood or inlaid gold frames, tables, with tassels composed of rubies, sapphires or pearls, were in proper position, The men employed in carrying, including the lantern carriers, who carried each a big lantern, must have been at the least estimate over four or five thousand. All along the road were placed lanterns to Tight the way, and in spite of wind and, one horning, stow, the display of illumination was excellent." We are forbidden to go into the Palace, so we are prevented from seeing a sight which must be magnificent in every sense of the word. The outside even ison such a grand what it must be inside can be imagined. About meridian on the 25th the Court assembled before the Tai-ho gate which had been burnt a month before, but was temporarily replaced by matting covered with red and yellow silk; the massive stone steps and dragon heads that were formerly a wonderful sight and specimen of human labour not often elsewhere seen, were replaced by wood, The cost of this temporary gate was over two hundred thousand taels. After the Court had performed the ceremony to con-tulare Hi is Imperial Majesty on this Tost propitious event, the Imperial marriage procession commenced tu more towards the house of the Empress elect, and although it was only a few miles distant, the procession did not return till next morning, it having been agreed what time to enter the Palace.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.