The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-06-28 00:00:00

the front rank, but the bullets and cannon balls fell at our
feet. Louis has kept a bullet which fell quite close to him.
Some of the soldiers wept at seeing him so calm." After the
dtsastrous defeat and capitulation at Sedan, the young
Prince made his escape to Belgium, and crossing from
Ostend to Dover on the 6th December, proceeded to
Hastings, where he was joined by the Empress on her flight
from Paris. He subsequently resided with the Emperor and
Empress in their exile et Chislehurst. He entered the Royal
Military Academy at Woolwich as a gentleman cadet, end
acquitted himself with considerable distinction, standing at
the final examination in 1875 seventh in a class of 84, a
position which would have entitled him to elect or serve
either in the Royal Artillery or the Royal Engineers.
With the English people, and especially in the metropolis,
the young Prince was exceedinely popular, and his occasional
appearance as a speaker at public gatherings were always
warmly welcomed. Upon the despatch of reinforcements to
the Cape the Prince volunteered for service with his old
comrades of the Artillery and Engineers, and was attached
as a volunteer to the Staff.—Globe.

A rumour that the Empress Eugenie had died reached the
Crystal Palace on Saturday while the concert arranged in
honour of the Duke and Duchess of Connaught was in pro-
gress. The Royal visitors had postponed their visit owing
to the death of Prince Louis Napoleon, and the "Dead
March" in Saul was about to be played in recognition of
that sad event when the rumour came. A profound sensa-
tion was caused, but was followed by a corresponding sense
of relief when the report was soon afterwards contradicted.

THE QUEEN'S VISIT TO CHISLEHURST.
2'he Times of Tuesday gives the following particulars of the
visit which the Queen paid to the Empress Eugenie on
Mond

"The Queen discharged yesterday what must have
been e most afflicting duty. Her Majesty travelled
from Windsor Castle to Chislehurst and remained
nearl,e an hour with the Empress. The Royal
spech a train left Windsor, South-Western Station,
at five minutes past five, and going through
Waterloo with slackened speed, but without
stopping, passed on to the South-Eastern line, and
at precisely ten minutes past six came in sight of
Chisl shurst, stopped, was passed by the up express, and
then drew up at the station. In the state carriage
travelled the Queen, accompanied by Princess Bea-
trice,, Prince Leopold, the ivlarchionees of Ely, and
Majc neGeneral Sir Henry Ponsonby, the Queen's
privlits secretary. Two other saloons and two brake
vans composed the train, which was under the charge
of Mr. Verrinder, general manager of the South-
Western Railway, and Mr. John Shaw, general
manager of the South-Eastern Railway. A. director of
the South-Western Railway, Colonel the Hon. C. Camp-
bell, accompanied the train from Windsor, and Sir
Edward "Watkin, M.P., chairman of the South-Eastern
Railway, was in attendance at Chislehurat. The
Lord-Lieutenant of the county, Earl Sydney, had
I arrived at 5.33, and awaited her Majesty upon the plat-
form. Immediately after the Queen had left the train
he preceded her M,ajesty to Camden-place. The Queen's
landau, with postilions and four horses, had travelled
from Buckingham Palace, and the Queen, the Princess,
the Prince, and Lady Ely took their seats in it, Sir
Henry Porisonby riding as Equerry beside. The car-
riage, with an outrider ahead, proceeded slowly up
Summer-hill, under the gate of the water tower, and
in five minutes had driven through the lodge gates and
up the long avenue to the house. The Queen was re-
ceived at the door by the Duo de Bassano, the Duc de
Mouchy, and Prince Joachim Murat, who had arrived
that morning by special train from Dover. It is
needless to say that in the presence of such a grief
the etiquette which prescribes that Sovereigns shall
advance to a certain place to receive Sovereigns of
equal rank was not for a moment regarded.
The Queen was ushered at once to the Empress's
boudoir, and there had the long and inevitably
most distressing interview into the details of
which no efforts have been made to enter, nor
have any particulars of it been given. The two
ladies of exalted rank who had met in such dif-
ferent circumstances and whose illustrious posi-
tion only serves to emphasize their sufferings, met
alone. Princess Beatrice and Prince Leopold were
only admitted for a few minutes at the end. The
hour of 6.45 had been fixed for the Queen's train to
leave on the return journey, for it was thought the
Empress's strength would be exhausted by a long
interview; but a mounted servant was sent off to
the station to inquire as to a postponement of the
time for starting and a second time to bespeak it
more urgently. es r. Shaw and Mr. Verrinder drove
up to the house, and it was arranged that the depar-
thee of the train should be deferred till ten minutes
past seven. The other stations were at once warned by
telegraph, for the time at which the train was to pass
them had of course been carefully fixed in the special
instructions issued, and the train was haud-sigualled
by platelayers throughout the journey from Waterloo
to Chislehurst and back. Oa the road across the
common between the water-gate and Camden-
place many carriages were drawn up, the occu-
pants of which uncovered their heads as the
Queen passed by. When the Queen and the
Princess drove back it was noticed that they had been
shedding tears, and when the Queen stood at the
window of her railway carriage to look back at Chisle-
hurst before commencing the return journey her
handkerchief PM again held to her eyes. The queen
had arrived at ten minutes past six and left at ten
minutes past seven. It was said afterwards that the
Empress had been calmed and consoled by the visit."

The Standard of Wednesday said :—" The hope that the
visit of the Queen might prove of assistance in enabling the
Empress Eugenie to oveccome her great grief has not been
fulfilled. It had for some time a beneficial effect upon the
Empress, but as the evening wore on, and the memory of
her loss came back upon her, the bereaved lady again suc-
cumbed. It was with alarm that those who called at Camden
Rouse early yesterday morning to obtain information
respecting the Empress's condition read the following but-
letin, which was issued at eleven o'clock by Baran Cor-
visart

"There Is no ohange in the health nor in the grief of her
Majesty. The Empress, however, has tried to take more
food, saying it wos the wish of the Qaeen. Her Majesty slept
badly."

The issue of this news brought many inquiries from ladies
and gentlemen living in the vicinity, while from town came
several visitors. ly the nine o'clock train arrived again M.
Rouher, who, like the members of the household, wts much
alarmed at the unfavourable report. At two o'n,,ock a
further note was posted in the I.4•,dge, stating that the
Empress rose at haltpast ntus, and went to the room of the
late Prince, whore 413 i) engaged in prayer, and that she rk.i-
pained the same as in morning.
In the visitors' hook on Tuesday afternoon was inscribed
the following message, which came in the form of a tele-
gram from Count Toren', President of the Society of
Solferino, addressed to general Menabrea, the Italian Am-
bassador

" Peschiera, Jane 23.
'4I have to communicate as soon as possible to the
unhappy Empress Eagdnie that the Society (4 Solterino had
a solemn service celebrated in the ,po4trt:o, (bOrial place), in
which they took to themselves a great part in the immense
sorrow of 'her Majesty on the occasion ot her hicomparakl2
lose

This 10 only one of a large nilmbe: of messages, all a
which express the deeps t sympathy.