Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-06-16
gOW SOVEREIGNS TRAVEL.
GREAT PREPARATIONS FOR THEIR
SAFETY AND COMFORT.
Victoria's Beautiful Railway Car
riages-Precautions by the Czar-
How Other Rulers Go Visiting.

v " are yet bound to observe
certain formalities in their
journeys. In principle, they travel
only by special trains, and have their
own imperial or royal carriages built
and kept up with exceeding care and
always ready for use at the shortest
notice. The railway carriages used by
the Queen of Great Britain in England
and Scotland, are marvels of perfect
construction and arrangement. They
are fitted with electric light, uphol-
stored, furnished and decorated in per-
feet harmony and taste. She can write,
read, work, converse, take her meals,
and sleep almost as easily and comfor-
tably as in any of her royal residences;
even her favorite flowers and the many
family photographs she loves to have
about her are disposed in the different
compartments of her carriages, in the
exact places she is accustomed to see
them at home The train always slacks
speed as soon as she retires to rest,
and it is we'll known that she never
seems to feel fatigue or discomfort
from long night journey. All her
tenances of her bedroom are sent on
several days ahead, so that her apart
ments are quite ready to receive her
ON her arrival.
She owns private carriages in
France, left in charge of the Compag-
ME de TOuest and despatched to
Cherbourg to meet her when she leaves
the royal yacht; these convey her to
Biarritz, Grasse, Hyeres, or Italy, as
the case may be, without change. The
royal trains are built so as to travel on
every European line of rail, with the
exception of the Russian and Spanish
ones, where for military reasons the
gauge is trife broader than else
where. Each portion of the line
assumes the responsibility Of the royal
train rs long ms it travels on its radius
The Government, officially informed of
the intended journey of the sovereign,
even if he travels incognito, notifies
the respective companies of the line OF
route. The companies in their turn
give instructions to their staffs of the
hours of arrival.and departure of the
train, and they agree with each other
as to the best manner of concordance.
When this is satisfactorily settled a
plan is drawn up with the minutest
particulars of time and sent to the
Government, which forwards a copy to
the Minister or Ambassador whose
sovereign is about to pass over the ter
ritory. When the moment arrives the
chief engineer of the company, and
frequently the director, lis ut the station
to receive it the engineer of the line
enters carriage, and the first
mechanician of the road boards the
engine. The whole extent of the line
has been previously carefully examined
so as to guard against delays and
accidents.
Queen Victoria travels with less
state than any other crowned head,
except the Emperor of Austria, who in
this. rs in all else, has deep-rooted
dislike to pomp and representation.
Franz Joseph is only accompanied by
his military suite; if he retires to rest
at all, it is on narrow camp bed, but
rs often as not he spends the night
sitting up dressed in a corner Of the
carriage
William H., of Germany, has had q
train recently constructed on the most
luxurious scale, and really seems to be
the apogee of railway-coach building.
The Czar, however, is the ruler
whose journeys necessitate the most
stringent measures of prudence. Un-
der Alexander III. troops used to be
posted at short distances along the line
/ from st. Petersburg to Moscow and
from Moscow to the Crimea. The inn
perial train was divided into two
sections, following each other at few
minutes interval, and it was never
known with any certainty into which
portion the imperial family had taken
their seats. 1t was to this precaution
that the Czar owed his escape in the
cruel catastrophe which blew up the
first started train near Moscow when he
was in the second. Since the outrage
of Borki fresh orders of precaution
have been given. Where formerly a
soldier stood every hundred yards now
there is one at every fifty along the end.
less line of rails across the immense con-
b1neuC Oh hUSSld, ueCtSsitttbihtS
ments of whole army corps; this ser
vice works with admirable precision
and CELEBRITY. The imperial carriages
are siron clad, and within, extremely
comfortable, replete with every posi-
BILE accommodation, bedrooms, bath
rooms, sitting and smoking saloons, an
excellent cuisine and perfect system
of heating and ventilation. Neverthe-
less the imperial party never enters
one of these trains without the secret
apprehension that their lives are in
jeopardy and at the mercy of the muir.
derous sectarian.
Nominally all through Europe the
railway companies are supposed tc
make no charges for the transit OF
royal trains. and to undertake at their
own cost the extra expenses which II
entails; but as fact they are the
gamers by the royal journeys, as they
receive important qualifications, rich
presents, and not unfrequently dis
tinction in the shape of orders or ad
vancement. Setting apart the actua
cost of building and keeping in repair
these magnificent trains the sums dis
bursed, even on comparatively short
| journey, appear fabulous and dispro
portionate, but even those who, to fiat
ter the masses, cavil at the waste Of