The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-10-29 00:00:00

THE DESTRUCTION OF ST. CLOUD
BY THE FRENCH.

The Prussian Correspondent of The Times, writing
from Berlin the 19th inst., says :—" The destruction
of the Palace of St. Cloud by French grenades is in
the official Stases Anztiger made the subject of an
article, which will probably be referred to more
than once in justification of the impending shelling
of Paris." The Government organ says :

- -
On October IS, at one pm., the garrison of Mont Viii don
began throwing grenade. at Palace of St, Cloud, Tile
building was Immediately eat on lire and burned to the
ground. AU that is left are the four outer walls. Our men
were ordered to save the furniture, hooka, paintings, and
historical relict for which the Palace was so celebrated ; but
the bombardment being continued, notwithstanding
the flames burst out on all Wes, little has been pre-
served. We have given no pretext for this wanton
deed. Though our troop. had penetrated to the park of
St. Cloud, where they protected themselves by earthworks,
there were none In the Palace Itself; nor did we make any
movement in the neighbourhood which amid have aroused
the suspicions of the enemy. Among the few things saved I.
the fable on which the gmperor Napoleon 111. signed the
declaration of war against Prussia. The furntture, books,
sod works of art which could be hastily snatched out of the
consuming element were carried to one of the magnificent
alleys at the back of the Palace, where they remained • day
or two prior to removal to more appropriate quarters Had
the destruction of an edifice so intimately usoc.lated with tha
history of France been the consequence of an attack on our
park we should have been charged with the vitt of causing
Irreparable loss. As it is, the artillerymen on Mont Ve.lkien
an alone responalble for what haa occurred."

ALAS, FOB ST, ccoun!

Of the building nothing remains but a mare empty shell;
the house is completely gutted, the roof has fallen in, and of
the interior there is left but • heap of debris still smoulder-
ing and emitting clouds of sullen smoke, writes the corre-
spondent of Daily Telegraph, and thus continues —'• The
garden, gay with variegated leave, and autumn flowers,
contralti. horribly with the blackened ruins of the house.
The statues, still intact, look complacently with stony gaze
upon the desolate scene. All the furniture that could be
saved has been dragged out and piled in the garden. Offi.
corn and soldiers were seated on gilt and selves chairs, or
reclined upon sots. of rioheat silk, reading books covered
with gorgeous binding, .ome with the Stamp of the
Seem. Empire, some with that of the First, some with
the dear de lie upon their gilded back.; nanny being rendered
doubly velnable by the autographs of famous authors which
they contained. Little did those who gave or those who re-
ceived the gift gums into whose kande they were destined to
fall—Little did they think that the pages which had been
perused by an Empress would beguile the leisure hours of
some rough soldier from tar beyond the Rhine. Richness and
misery were here strongly contraated. The most elegant
articles of luxury, constructed in the perfect taste that speaks
the highest state of refinement and civilisation, heaped
and mingled with charred timber, and broken wall.; great
mirrors, ormolu tables, china vases, grimy with smoke sad
dirt, and shattered by bursting shell or falling roof;
beautiful things, the results of patient industry, care•
ml tact, and &Wale skill, destroyed utterly, ill a
tee minutes, by the fearful engines of modern war ! In
nature repair keeps up with waste; the constructive prin-
ciple is equal—nay, superior"—to the destructive; but when
man attempts to emulate, so feeble are his leowers to invent
sod carry out, and •43 strong his ability to destroy, that Ins
few short hours hecan obliterate and defaoe the twilit of years
or centuries of patient investigation and unremitting toll.
Great efforts were made to preserve the pictures, especially
the portrait of the Crown Princess of Prussia, and the one
representing • visit of her Majesty the Queen of England to
St. Cloud butt. vain. Nothing could be done, and these
and many other works of art have perished in the
flames. In some outbuilding. • vast store of books
have been collected, of all shape, and sites and
every variety of binding.tresting of every conceivable subject
under the sun. The works of many English and American
authors were there, notably those of Walter Scott and Feni•
more Cooper. Perhaps the most interesting of ail that came
under my notice were some large handsomely bound volumes,
containing the old number. of • French Government organ.
I opened one, and strangely enough, the first thing that
caught my eye was the official account of the battle that
deeldroi the fate of Napoleon I. I read hew the Prue.
Mans were grumbling and dissatisfied, how the fkason
annoyer-Ism', and Belgians were unwilling to fight, and
how some Scotch and English regiments had been cut to
place. at Qn•tre 8r..; and I learned at the end of the des-
patch that Le noble lord kali confundu ''—fanny the Iron
Duke confounded. I read that the Emperor was deter-
mined to smite and utterly destroy the English forces. how
glorious actions had been fought at Fisurtu and Qaatre
Brae, and, lastly, I saw Waterloo, or Mont St. Jean, as they
called it, described as • victory, bat • "%nests victory, for
France. After a long last gaze, we turned our horses' heads,
, and rode away through the quiet peaceful park."