The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-12

white Six The 0r1t COMPATIBILITY - uP
holstered in fawn and has two long couenes
able night couches. Here the queen Q
dresser rides, together with ono OF ene
wardrobe maids. These wardrobe maids
alternately do might duty" l. q, one ~.
ways sleeps within the queens cal, ana
the one whose night it il to serve rides IN
this compartment, door in the other end
leading directly into the queens bedroom.
are upholstered in dark red. The shades
are green. So are the beds which stand,
two OF them, either side OF the narrow
passage at the upper end of tho compart-
ment. The Princess Beatrice always
shares the compartments Of the queen.
An electric bell il within reach OF the
beds.
It was here. between the bedroom and
day sitting room, that the big English
man, who took me through the carriages
and who has the train in charge, called
my attention to an extremely beautiful
door. which, he said, was made OF "Un-
garian hash"
A lavatory separates the bed and day
rooms. This is finished in light wood and
tho bowls and other toilet receptacles are
Of silver plate.
The day salon Is upholstered in light
blue silk of that vivid hue called "royal
blue" Blinds and curtains are OF blue;
- are the lambrequins, surmounted With
the royal arms. There is . long. vide
couch of blue silk, three large. easy chairs
and Two tables. on one OF which ,.ii.sm o,ra
The second, for writing, ETC.. was supplied
with stationary lamps, with blue shades.
"Was there no dog3" l asked, remem.
bering her majesty's fondness for dogs:
mot now" he said, 'but there used to
be an old dog in . basket. He is dead
now" The collie Noble" used to accom-
pany the queen on her journeys, riding IN
the compartment with Francis Clark, who
at that time took the dogs in charge.
A door opens from the day saloon into
this compartment where the queens per-
sonal attendants ride. John Brown rode
here, and it is now occupied by his success
sor, Francis Clark. There are four deep
into night couches. These interiors are
handsome and comfortable. Thick rugs
cover the floors of all the compartments.
have seen the inside of q travelling cara
van much more splendidly arrayed and
doubtless at as high cost relatively. But
all is solid" comfortably English"
Outside the body Of each carriage Is al.
most black, highly polished and bears in
colors the royal arms, the Scotch thistle
and the star Of India. The upper part -
in panels of white and gilt, and there is =
narrow curved cornice in black. with here
and there gilt lions head or crown III
high relief. The ends of the beams or
whatever they may be technically called
are also finished in large gilt lions heads.
The running gear is painted to initiate gilt.
The queens Carriages are built with
view TO noseiessness and the greatest pos
sible smoothness of motion. They have
five tioors-two of wood laid upon each
other at right angles, two of rubber and
one of cork. The thick padding of the in-
-, L. L. 1xlAeu
no brakes upon these carriages, but very
powerful brakes are brought to bear upon
the train from the engines and from the
guards now in the rear. So the occupants
are not subjected to those sudden jerks
when stopping with which the most of US
travellers are familiar.
The station master, Mr.. COwes gave me
an illustration of now smoothly and noise
lessly they run. The carriages are usually
kept at Aboyne, about twelve miles dis
tant. during the queens stay at Balmoral,
and are taken out for "runs" for q week or
SO preceding the time for her departure.
One summer they were kept at Ballater
and Mr.. Cowes went ON one OF these
'.runs." He was busy in the saloon, with
start when they liked. He felt q slight
motion, and supposed they were simply
shunting preparatory to starting, when,
upon lifting blind, he found he was half
way to Aboyne.
Any one who has ridden in an ordinary
compartment near the rear of an English
express and experienced its jerks and
filings as though he were at the end of q
huge whip snapped by = Brobdingnaggian
will pray that the time may como when
this creaminess Of motion may spread
over the whole railway system.
As the train stood November IL. tho day
of the queens departure from Balmoral.
noticed the queens carriages were in the
center Of the long train: Next the engine
and guards van came the two saloon cars,
occupied by a sheriff, directors and nu-
merOus officials representing the railway
systems over which the train was to pass.
These were followed by the saloon for the
queens Indian secretary, Munshi Abdul
Karin, and Indian attendants. Next
came that devoted to the use of Sir
Henry Ponsonby, her private secretary,
DR.. Reid, her physician and other gentle-
men. Then the queens carriages, fol-
lowed by that of the children of Prince
and Princess Henry of Battenberg and at
tendants. The eighth saloon was for the
ladies-in-wa iting; the ninth for the dress
ers and ladies' maids; tenth for upper
servants and pages; eleventh and last for
men servants.
Everything was spick and span, the
busting OF panels and polishing of win
dows being kept up till the very last min
ute-a handsome train, illustrative of the
triumph of the nineteenth century over
those dark ages when the few folks who
ventured to travel entered upon their
Journey in great fear and discomfort, the
church putting up prayers for their safety,
as the English litany bears witness today.