Mr. Jackson to Mr. Hay.
Sofia, September 26, 1904.
Sir: * * * The coronation took place on the 21st instant, in accordance with previous arrangements. The ceremony, I understand, was strictly according to the rites of the Orthodox Church. It lasted about two hours and a half, and was quite impressive. The King received the crown from the Metropolitan and placed it on his head himself. The diplomatic corps attended the ceremony, and subsequently it was received by the King, when the Italian minister congratulated His Majesty in the name of the sovereigns and chiefs of states represented by it. The Italian, Austrian, French, and German ministers had presented letters to the King prior to his coronation; the Russian, Roumanian, and Greek ministers presented similar letters at the reception which followed, and at the same time verbal congratulations were presented by the Turkish and Belgian ministers and myself. The next evening a dinner was given at the palace, to which the chiefs of mission were invited, and at which the Italian minister spoke again, after King Peter had drunk the health of the sovereigns and chiefs of states who were represented. The hereditary prince and princess of Montenegro and a special Bulgarian mission were present at the fêtes, all other countries, as mentioned above, being represented by their regularly accredited ministers. The fêtes included a gala performance at the National Theater, a military review, a ball at court, races, and a sham battle. Belgrade was filled with visitors, foreign and native; the city was appropriately decorated and quite prettily illuminated on the evening of the coronation itself. There were numerous foreign correspondents present, and detailed reports of the event have no doubt appeared in the American papers before this.
I have, etc,