THE EX-EMPRESS EUGENIE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8542, 24 March 1908, Page 2

THE EX-EMPRESS EUGENIE.

lIVISIT TO CEYLON. Passengers who travelled bj the Mooltan to Australia, and have co.'i'e on tj New Zealand, aro talking a good deal about tluir fellow-passenger the ex-En-press Euganie, who travelled from Marseilles to Colombo. Two of tho cabins in tho big liner had been knocked into cno for her convenience, and difing tho voyage sho kept up a certain amount of state. The ex-Empress, vho travels under tin name of Comtcsso F'ierregords, »'ss accompanied by Madur.oisello Da!lonville iher companion) Mdlle. De Castelbagae, Miss Vaughbon, M. Pietrie (her secretary), Counts Clurg and JVlal\ozzi, and hor mcdicai attendant. A-i Australian correspondent forwards some particulars of tho ox-Empress and her suite, as gleaned from Mr Kane, th;; i purser, who is a brother of Mr E. Wyan Kane, one of (he New Zealand Parliamentary officials. The ex. Empress, remarked that- gentleman, has a charming ! personality, her conversation being bright and cheerful. Sho gencially appeared on dock at about 11 o'clock in the forenoon, i and remained thero ur.til 10 o'clock at night, excepting during meal times, when she wont down into the saloon. At times she passed the hours leacing on dee!:, i or in the music-room, this uj artment being hor favourite retreat. When the weather was cold, she seemed to go o.it of her way to avoid giving trouble M thoso about her. and insisted in being treated in .the -same way a3 an ordinary passenger. Occasionally sho vould vary the monotony of lifo or. Ictrd fhip by indulging in "little walks" on deck, witis tho aid of a stick which sh-} always kept by her for that purpose. Being "now in her eighty ; sccond year, the cx Empress stoops considerably, and her hair is snow white. When being spoker. to bv members of her suite .tho ex-EmproSa was addressed by them as "Your Majesty," and to strangers they referred to her as "tho Empress." Great interest was evinced in the Suez Canal by the ox-Empress, who was passing through it in the Mooltan for the second time, on'y since she opened this great vaterway ir; 1869. King Edward wrotp to the Governors of Aden and Colombo in refeicrice to tho visit of the ex-Fir press; ami upon the arrival of the Mooltan at Aden tho Governor boarded the vessel to pay his r-ospects to tho distinguished passenger, and when sho landed at >.'olombo the Governor of that place was piosenfc to receive her. It was the intention of the -ex-Empress to re ma::; about a week in Colombo, and then ' j visit Kandy, etc., subsequently proceed it g to Madras, and returning to the Ceylon port in time to embark by t(io Mooltan on her next homev ard voyr.g". cabins having already been engaged !'i that vesse! for the return trip. The ovEmpress, who originally ii tended making the journey to Colombo ir. her own stoarn yaY.it Thistle, expressed her complete satisftctian with her stay on the Mooltan, and tho niarner in which her wants had beer, studied. I