The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-05-30 00:00:00

NILE EXPEDITION (CANADIAN VOY-

AGEURS.)

-
The following is a copy of letter to the Marquess of
Lansdowne, Governor - General of Canada, from
General Lord Wolseley, dated the 13th April, 1885,
acknowledging the services of the Canadian
Voyageurs in the Nile Expedition of 1884-85: Cairo,
April 13, 1885. My Lord,—The Canadian Voyageurs
who have recently been employed with the Nile Expe-
dition, having now all returned to Canada, I am
anxious to express to your lordship my high sense of
the services they have rendered, and of the value they
have been to the Expeditionary Force. With a few
exceptions they have been thoroughly competent
boatmen; they worked exceedingly well. They
have undergone the hardships of this
arduous campaign without the slightest grumb-
ling or discontent; and they have, on
many occasions, shown not only great skill, but also
great courage in navigating their boats through diffi-
cult and dangerous water. I much regret that in so
doing some of them should have fallen victims to the
dangers they were attempting to overcome. The
officers, and especially Colonel Denison, have shown
much energy and good will, and have proved them-
selves of considerable value. I beg to ask that your
lordship will have the goodness to convey the purport
of this letter both to the officers and men of tho
Canadian voyageurs, and also to the authorities in
Canada, certain unfounded statements having ap-
peared in various papers, to the. effect that their
employment had been attended with unsatisfactory
results. I desire to place on record, not only
my own opinion, but that of eveYr officer con-
nected with the direction and nateaagement of
the boat celuams, that the service of these
voyagours had been of the greatest possible
value, and further, that their conduct 'throughout
has been excellent. They have earned for themselves
a high reputation among the troops up the Nile., It
was, moreover, a source of much satiiiiacbign to
these troops to find the Canadians represented on
this Expedition, and sharing with them their priva-
tions and risks. At a time when English, Irish, and
Scotch soldiers are employed, the presence with
them of Canadians, shows in a marked manner the
bonds which unite all parts of our reat Empire.
In the advance up the Nile next auturfip I pv-Pose ,tO.i
employ a considerably . larger number of voyageur's
than that employed m the past winter. On this
subject, however, I will make a further communica-
tion to your lordship as the period of active operations
draws nearer. Lastly, I am anxious to express to
your lordship personally my sincere thanks for the
trouble you havo taken with regard to the engage-
ment of these voyageurs, and in all other arrange-
ments connected with them.

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

Ix the Lady's Pictorial the following fashion notes
appear: Among the dresses for the present season
is a very pretty checked tweed with a close waistcoat
and remarkably well-cut and well-fitting jacket.
Another tweed is a mixture of blue, red, and black,
made with a wide kilting, and a particularly pretty
tournure at the back. A very stylish blue cloth is
handsomely braided to simulate a waistcoat; the
bodice is habit-shaped, and there is not a single
crease in it. A very charming novelty is a fine blue
serge dress, the collar and cuffs of which, as well as
the flounce round the bottom, are adorned with fine
black silk braid, most artistically- interlaced so as to
show an under-lying foundation of crimson or old
gold. This is perfectly unique.

A very delightful little tennis dress is of fine blue
serge, which may be braided with white, red, or gold.
It is made with what is called
,a fishwife tunic and a
sailor collar, and the 'buttons are dear little mussel
shells highly polished and made fit ft r their purpose.
Some very charming toilettes are of two materials
combined, a dark brown cloth, or a tweed of lighter
brown, and one mos becoming cosilme is a green
mixed tweed with coLr and cuffs and waistcoat of
dark green corduroy. A very pretty mode of braid-
ing consists of interlaced rings of braid to match the
material. It looks val-ticularly well on the skirt and
tunic, and is beautifully graduated on the bodice, and
worked in proportion on the sleeves. By way of indi-
cation to intending purchasers it is as well to mention
that the prices of these dresses ranges from four and
a half guineas upwards.

ONE of the nicest ulsters ever made is of check
brown cloth in a princess shape, with the fulness set
in behind in gathers or box-pleats, whichever is pre-
ferred. A very similar garment is called the "Beau-
fort," and is made with a detachable cape, tucked up
in the front so as to form a sling or sleeve for the
arms. This is especially valuable for a lady to
covert in.

ANOTHER, is a wing cloak, cut pretty much in the
shape of a gentleman's inverness, but longer. There
is no clumsiness about the warm, comfortable garment,
for it fits into the back and makes a very pretty
figure. Another cloak has a sling cape which not only
rests and covers the arms, but leaves them quite free
if desired. Short jackets never were more popular
than they are this spring, and braiding is more worn
than ever. Some are quite plain, and others are
braided in the artillery, infantry, guards, patrol, and
many fancy styles. The dainty little jacket fitting
closely behind, but left loose in front, will be the
great success of the season on both sides of the Eng-
lish Channel.

A VISITING or promenade dress is of the soft silk
already mentioned, in a rich reseda shade, with
beautifully simple yet effective back drapery. The
dainty little jacket is of th 3 Zouave shape, with coat-
sleeves, and is trimmed with a cunningly devised
embroidery of old gold and silver thread, with a
slight mixture of the reseda cord and some small
straw ornaments introduced as centres, the advan-
tage of which is not
.only their novelty, hut their
lightness, and the fact they cannot tarnish. The vest
entirely consists of the same embroidery, and very
handsome it is, besides being entirely out of the
common.

A DINNER-DRESS is of the same soft silk in a tint
that can only be described as beige or biscuit, which,
by the way, bids fair to be a reigning favourite this
season. The drapery mixed with it on the skirt is of
ecru net embroidered with gold and watercress
green chenille, and to preserve the entirety of tints
this is laid over cream silk, which brings it into exact
..orrespondence with the main fabric. The skirt is
finished off with a cockle-shell ruche of the beige
silk, lined with watercress green, and the elegant
drapery behind has a revers of velvet of the same
shade of green at the °side. The comb:nation is a
most happy one, for it gives all that is chic in French
taste, tempered by a modest sobriety peculiarly Eng-
lish.

! A MANTLE is called the Iris, and is made of an in-
describable autumn green and brown tinted yak lace,
with a velvet back adorned with rows of gold braid,
and a velvet collar also trimmed with gold braid.
The velvet ends are finished off with chenille orna-
ments made speoially for the purpose' there are
streamers of ribbon from the throat, and round the
neck and down the front there is a ruche of frayed
silk. This mantle is also made in black lace and
faille
.francazse. Another mantle called the Myrtille
is one of Pingilt's models, and looks behind like a
shoulder cape with Chantilly flounce, between the
scallops of which are bead ornaments.
THE Scipion in plomb beads !.s on a foundation of
satin meryeilleux, and the shape is given by a series
of double-beaded tabs headed by oval buckles. This
is tied in the front. The Hermione is made of stripes
of black yak and faille francaise, and a delightful
carriage or dust cloak is made of a kind of brown
! wool canvas over thin crimson sarcenet, with a thick
ruche of frayed brown silk round neck and sleeves.
This is most deliciously light, and a five-pound note
will not only purchase it, but there will be some silver
change.

The QVCC2t gives the following description of
" Royal Dresses": The following costumes form part
of the trousseau of Princess Beatrice. They are of
woollen stuffs of light weight, suitable for summer
and autumn. A costume of rough English cloth in
navy blue and red stripes of narrow width. The
skirt has plaits down the front. and the overskirt is
arranged in plaits and panels that hang straight, and
give the effcct of a redingote. The basque has a
notched collar like that in men's morning coats, and
is to be worn with a cravat of dull red silk; the back
rests smoothly on the tournure, and is very short.
Blue braid is stitched on the edges, and the buttons
are blue. The Tam o'Shanter cap is of dark red cloth,
with a blue quill thrust through it. Tan-coloured
gloves. High white linen collar and narrow cuffs. A
second gown for yachting and for tennis is of cream
white flannelette, with turquoise-blue wool inlaid in
small plaits between the large box-plaits of the skirt.
The plaited basque is of the white flannelette, With
high officer's collar and a notched collar edged with
blue; the belt is also white, with blue edging. Sailor
bat of rough white straw, with blue canvas
ribbon band. A third gown is of dark red
habit cloth, with ottoman . silk of the same
shade forming the vest, and inlaid between
the wide box-plaits of the skirt. Tne drapery is
short, with many curves, and is bouffant. The basque
is sharply pointed in front, short on the hips, and
plaited like a habit in the back. The silk vest laps
over the fastening of the lining in one piece, in
Breton fashion, and has revers at the upper part;
the officer's collar also has silk in front. Turban of
the red silk laid in folds, and ornamented with a gilt
pin. The fourth dress has a bodice of navy-blue
webbing, with blue serge skirt, and trimming of
crimson and blue blocks. The false skirt has a plait-
ing of the blue around the edge, and the serge is laid
over this plain on the front and sides, with all fulness
massed in plaits behind. There is a band of the
blocked wool around the skirt, and the edge is
scallopGd and bound. The short apron overskirt is
trimmed like the lower skirt, and is mounted above
the edge of the bodice of Jersey webbing. A crimson
vest is fastened by two rows of pale blue buttons.