GLEANINGS FROM THE PAPERS.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 145, 17 July 1880, Page 3

GLEANINGS FROM THE PAPERS.

The Empress Eugene startod on hor pilgrimage on March, 2). A most fitting reeeption was given to rior Majesty on her arrival at Southampton, and the of the Union Company having every tiling in readiness hor embarkation on board the German wassjou effected. There was, of course, much handshaking, and the Empress seemed greatly affected mi taking leave of her most intimate friends, but she was greatly buoyed up by tho eheeis of tho inhabitants, who, with much waving of hats and handkerchiefs, wished her ban royayt. Her Majesty's apartments on board the vessel have been fitted up with much neatness and arrangod with excellent taste. Tho same may be said of the rooms set apart for her suite. There is everything at hand likely to oonduoe to making the voyage onjoyable, and with so many friends about her wo

may be sure that the Empress is not likely to suffer from ennui. Her Majesty's porty, as we stated some time a(jo, consists of three ladies and four gentlemen. ' These aro Lady Wood, Mrs. Ronald Campbell, and a French lady, with the Empress, whilo the gentlemen are the Marquis de Bassauo, Sir Evelyn Wood, Dr. Scott, and Lieutenant Slade, R. 11. A Mr. Slade was a fellow cadet and a moit intiinato friend of the poor Princ» Imperial, and it is at the special request of the Empress, that ho goes with her. Captain Biggo is also ono of the party, but he left by the Arab on March 11 to make the necessary ar-. rangoinents for transport mid accomodation ■ through Natal to Zululand. As previously stated, everything has been so arranged that the Empress shall arrive on the very day, and the very hour at the spot where the Prince Imperial The travelling will necessarily be rough after Natal is reached but it is to be hoped that the august lady will suffer no serious discomforts or contretemps in hor sad pilgrimage. The Empress travels incognita as the Comtesse Pierrefonds.

Sir Garnet Wolseley is expected to arrive home towards the end of June to take up his new appointment here as Quarter-master-General of tho Army, which is worth £ 1,500 a-y ear. His appointment will no doubt give rise to much heartburning, as there is more than one old officer who regarded the berth as a possible prize. Few, however, will venture to contend that Sir Garnet is not in every way qualified to discharge the duties of the post in a thoroughly satisfactory manner. His good fortune has given him better opportunities than any living general in the service of acquainting himself with the modern requirements of troops in the field. Efficient supply and transports arc two of the most vital necessities for the conduct of successful operations, and these come directly under the control of the Quartermaster-General's Department. Both in Ashantee and iu South Africa Sir Garnet must have personally observed what are the ddfioienoies of our military organisation under these important heads, and in the office to which he has now been appointed ho will be able to give tho country the benefit of tho knowledge so acquired.