King Edward’s Convalescence.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue IV, 26 July 1902, Page 227

King Edward’s Convalescence.

ABOARD IHE ROYAL YACHT. His Majesty’s yacht “Victoria and Albert.” on which the King took his short health cruise last week, suggests a palace ashore rather than a yacht afloat. Plenty of room for the royal occupants was one of th* first considerations in designing the Victoria and Albeit, and as a result there arc broad halls, spacious sleeping apartments, and a dining room which is cheery and luxurious in the extreme. Moreover, there is anq it* deck space for promenades. with sheltered nooks to be used in cast* of bad weather. Whether at sea for a month or a day. the Victoria and Albert is perfectly equipped both as to stotes and men. She might start on a tour of iht* Empire just as easily as on a jaunt around the United Kingdom. She carries 380 men aboard her, to say nothing of two-score or more servants of the King, ten cooks, etc., and other attendants. The yacht carries fifty-seven Marines, and two buglers. Marines and seamen alike aie a lint* lot of men. and among the “smartest” in tin* Royal Navy, lit* is counted a lucky man indeed by his fellows who can be drafted to the royal yacht. Concerning her construction it is sufficient to say that the new Victoria and Albert is a yacht of 4700 tons, is over 450 ft. in length. ami has 11.000 indicated horse-power. The Osborne. which is also lying at the Portsmouth Dockyard, has a tonnage of but ISSO. with 3000 h.p. Costly furniture, carefully cavert* r at all other times, sheds its wrappings, ami the gorgeous carpets and silken window curtains likewise reappear. When curtains cost L‘4 15, each, as did those in the royal dining room (and they art* not very large curtains cither), unusual cart* is quite excusable. 'The aforesaid curtains have bi en at once the admiration and tin* en\y of every woman lucky enough to ins|ect the royal yacht. They art* of tin* finest silk, with hand-worked designs. The deck-house, or pa\il <»n. in which the dining room is lot at. d extends from tin* second funnel air nearly to the wheel. At the forward eml a richly carved stairway ;t unique tiesign leads to Iht* upper* promenade deck. The reception room occupies the forward eml of the pavilion. Il is upholstered in red leather, tin* luinilurc being of eighteent li-cent ury tiesign, ami with its luxurious couches and great easy-chairs it is a cosy compartment indeed. The re-

ception lobby, which leads into the reception room, is likewise rich in colour. A stairway in the centre ot the lobby communicates with the royal apartments below. A second stairway, used by the members of their Majesties’ suites.

is immediately aft of the reception lobby, and the dining room occupies the remainder of the deck pavilion. Large plate-glass windows screened with blue shades as well as silk curtains. and a huge dome-shaped skyContinued under “Our Illustrations.”