Through the general commanding the forces of the United States
in Manila, General MacArthur, the United States has paid the memory of the Queen the most striking tribute ever paid to the memory of the Sovereign of another nation. He has ordered all duty throughout his division, excepting in the case of the necessary guard in the field, to be suspended on the day of Queen Victoria's funeral. "At reveille a national salute will be fired with single guns half-hourly between sunrise and sundown, when there will be a salute to the Union Jack of forty-five guns." That is a magnificent compliment offered by the American army in the field, and we hope and trust that Lord Kitchener, on behalf of our army in the field in South Africa, may find some means of acknowledging it,—say by a public salute of the American flag. It is a great pleasure to us to think that America should thus lead the world in a matter—ceremonial observance —which is usually supposed to be the special province of monarchic and aristocratic States. We note also that a majority of the Municipal Council of New York has requested the Mayor, Mr Van Wyck, to place the flag over the Council Chamber at half-mast until after Queen Victoria's funeral.
Previous page
