There were upwards of 20 priests officiating in their gorgeous robes, performing various ceremonies amidst frequent processions, and occasionally reading from one of their sacred books in so loud and distinct a tone as to be heard through the immense cathedral, and at other times chanting in deep bass tones, varied by the assistance of young choristers, with the sweetest voices, producing the most delightful harmony. During the service, which lasted 2 1/2 hours, the cathedral was illuminated by seven chandeliers, containing each 130 candles, and other smaller ones, all of silver; in addition to these were many votive candles purchased by various worshippers and deposited in sockets of a silver frame work placed near the altar, amounting altogether to not fewer than 1,500 lights. St. Petersburg can boast of several large monuments, the Ramanzof erected to the field-marshal of that name, and Suwaroff, one of their most distinguished heroes; also the column of Alexander, a single shaft of red granite, upwards of 80 feet in height. The base and pedestal is composed of one enormous block, above 25 feet square, and to secure the base there were no fewer than six successive rows of piles, the shaft of the column alone weighing nearly 400 tons. On the pedestal is the following short and well-chosen inscription: "To Alexander the Great; Grateful Russia." But the most wonderful of all is the well-known equestrian statue of Peter the Great, representing the Emperor riding up a rock and subduing a serpent. The huge block of granite which forms the pedestal, and weighs 1,500 tons, was brought from Lacte, a village four miles from St. Petersburg, at a cost of 70,000 roubles, or L11,000 sterling. It was originally 45 feet long, 30 feet high, and 25 feet in width, but broke into two pieces, which were subsequently patched together, the whole cost amounting to 424,610 roubles, or upwards of L70,000. After surveying the palaces and public buildings in the city, we turned our attention to those in the environs, and proceeded in a steamer to Peterhof, about fifteen miles down the river. Nothing can be finer than the situation of this palace, commanding an extensive view of the Neva from Cronstadt to St. Petersburg, with beautiful waterworks, considered little inferior to those at Versailles, with a magnificent jet called the Sampson, a colossal bronze figure, tearing open the jaws of a lion, whence rushes the water from a height of 80 feet. Besides numerous other jets sending the water in all directions, there is a broad flight of steps, and on each side a range of marble slabs to the top of the hill, over which the water pours down, so far apart, as to allow on fete nights, variegated lamps to be arranged behind the water, forming the most beautiful cascade.