The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-08-15 00:00:00

THE QUEEN'S JOURNEY TO LUCERNE.

A communication from Lucerne Sap

Queen Victcria is now settled here in a beautifully
sitaated residence called the Villa (Pension) Wallace.
It is built on a hill overlooking the town, with the
Righi on the left, and Mont Pilatus, distinguished by
its serrated ridge, on the right, and the lake and snowy
St. Gothamd range of Alps immediately in front. Her
Majesty in coming here used the same train that con-
veyed the Royal party from Cherbourg to Paris, and in
i which there s good sleeping accommodation. The
distance from Paris to Bale, on the Swiss frontier, is
323 English miles, the route, except in the hilly wine
districts, having little of a picturesque character to
recommend it. At Bile her Majesty and the Royal
party took breakfast, and here the officials of the
Eastern Railway resigned their charge of the train to
the officers of the Central Swiss Railway. That line,
the works of which were executed by Mr. Brassey,
traverses the district of the Jura through very beauti-
ful scenery to Olten, at which point branches diverge
to Lucerne and other Swiss centres. On quitting Bale
the railway crosses the valley of the Birs, over a ,
lattice-bridge, a little work of the famous battle-field
of St. Jacob, where, in 1444,1,600 Swiss had the courage
to withstand for ten hours a French army ten
times more numerous, commanded by the Dauphin,
afterwards Louis XL Only ten of the Swiss escaped
alive, and the battle of St. Jacob is still referred
to as the Thermopylw of Swiss history. The vineyards
near the field produce red wine called Schweitzer Nut
(Swiss blood). The railway continues for several miles
along the flat land of the Rhine valley, and then
leaving it turns to the right up the valley of the river
Ergolz to Liestal, the seat of government of Bale-
Campagne. A wide valley opens as the traveller ap-
proaches the Olten junction and in fine weather the
first view of the Bernese Alps may be observed. On ,
leaving Olten the railway enters a beautiful valley,
bordered by a varied outline of wooded heights, with
the snow-capped Alps in front. Passing in succession 1
the small stations of Zofingen, Dagmerzellen, Nebikon, 1
Sursee (historically interesting as the scene of a battle
in 1386 the second of the surprising victories by
which Swiss independence was established), Rothen.
burg, and Emmenbruch, Lucerne is approached
through a charming district, with magnificent views on
the left and right of the town. The station here was
handsomely fitted up, and in addition to the authori-
ties a number of English were in attendance to wel-
come her Majesty. The Queen and the Royal
Family, with the Ladies in Waiting, will occupy the
villa, and the other members of the Royal suite will
be accommodated in a pretty chalet situated in the
grounds of the Villa Wallace, and closely adjoining
the lake. Altogether the spot chosen for her Majesty's
residence has charms of scenery of the most sublime
character, probably not to be equalled in Europe. It
is expected that her Majesty will remain at Lucerne
during the next three weeks, or probably until the
first week in September. The continuance of the
present fine weather will probably have an influence
on the Royal movements.