THE EX-EMPRESS EUGENIE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2123, 24 February 1908, Page 4

THE EX-EMPRESS EUGENIE.

j HER VISIT TO CEYLON. (Special to Timosi. , WELLINGTON, Keb. 22. I’assongi'rs who travelled b.v the Mooltau to Australia, ami have oomo on to Now Zealand, are talking a good deal about tboir follow passenger tho ex-Empress Eugenio, who traveiled from Marseilles io Colombo. Two ' of tlu> cabins in the big liner had been knocked into one for her con- ! \ enienee, and during the voyage she kept up a certain amount of state. . The ex-Empress, who travels under the name of Comlesse I’ierregords, was accompanied by Mademoiselle ! I) illonville (her companion), Millie. IDo Csstolbagae, INliss Viugbbon, M. j Piotrio (her secretary), Counts Clarg and Malvez/.i, and her medical attendant. An Australian correspondent forwards me some particulars ol ilic cx-limpress and her suite, as gleaned from Mr Kane, the purser, who is a brother of Mr 10. W.van Kano, one of the New Zealand Parliamentary oliioors. The ex-Empross remarked that gentleman, lias a charming personality, her conversation being bright and cheerful. She generally appeared on deck at about 11 o’clock in tho fore noon, and remained there until 10 o’clock at night, excepting during meal times when she went down into the saloon. At times she passed the hours reading on dock, or In the music room, this apartment being her favorite retreat. When the weather was cold, she seemed to go out of her way to avoid giving trouble to those about her, and insisted oil being treated in the same way as an ordinary passenger. Occasionally she would vary the monotony of life on ship-board by indulging' in "little walks” on deck, with ; the aid of a stick which she ilwa.vs kept by her, for that purpose. Being now ill her 82ml year, the ex-Kili-press stoops considerably, and her hair is snow white. M'lie'll being spoken to by the members of her suite the ex-Empross was addressed by them as “Your Majesty,’’ and to strangors they referred to her as “the 'Empress.’’ Great interest was evinced in the Suez Canal by the ex-Em press who was passing through it in tho Moo I tain for the second time only, since she opened this great waterway in ISG9. King Edward wrote to tho governors of Aden and Colombo in reference to the visit of the exEm press and upon the arrival of the Mooltau at Alien, the Governor boarded the vessel to pay his respects to the distinguished passenger, and when she landed at Colombo, the governor of that place was present to receive her. It "was the intention of the ex-Empress to remain about a week in Colombo, anti then to visit Kandy, etc., subsequently proceeding to Madras and returning to the Ceylon port, in time to embark by tho Mooltau on her next homeward voyage, cabins having already been engaged in that vessel for the return trip. The ex-Empress, who originally intended making the journey to Colombo in her own steam yacht “Thistle”. expressed her complete satisfaction with her stay on the Mooltau, and the manner in which her wants had been studied.