The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-07-26 00:00:00

THE LATE PRINCE IMPERIAL.

The final duty of the authorities at the Royal
Arsenal, Woolwich, in connection with the funeral of
the late Prince Louis Napoleon was performed on
Friday in last week, when the temporary mortuary in
the R3yal Arsenal was opened in the presence of Baron
Corvisart and M. Pietri, the representatives of the
Emprese, and its contents removed. These comprised
the three coffins in which the remains were brought to
England, the inner being a shell of African oak, en-
closed in one of lead, and the whole encased in a
strong chest painted black. From this outer case
several fragments had disappeared, and it was ex-
plained that the pieces had been chipped off as
mementoes by the French noblemen who were privi-
leged to be present on the mournful occasion. Major-
General Younghusband, C. 8., R.A., Superintendent
of the Royal Gun Factories in the Royal Arsenal,
personally attended to deliver over his charge and re-
mained with the French gentlemen until the duty was
accomplished; Major Ward-Ashton, Royal Horse Ar-
tillery, supervised the removal to Chislehurst of the
selected relics. The work was conducted by Mr.
Redding, manager to Mr. Garston, the undertaker.
Two large boxes had been prepared, into one of which
was carefully packed every portion of the coffins,
which were taken to pieces for the purpose, but
most jealously guarded, so that not even a screw
or a chip should be lost. Dr. W,liitmore, medical
officer of health for Marylebone, attended by special
request to perform the necessary processes of disin-
fection, and by his advice it was decided to
preserve all three of the coffins, in order that
they might be distributed as souvenirs among
the followers of the Prince. A quantity of African
grass, in which the body had been laid and some other
discarded material were placed in the second box,
which was fastened down and taken to the furnace,
which supplies the 12-ton hammer, for destruction.
The door being raised, the furnace was seen at a glow-
ing heat, and the box being thrust in, the door was
closed, and the work of consumption must have been
entirely accomplished in a few minutes. This process
was witness by a portion of the French and English
officials, while the remainder watched at the mortuary.
The coffins having been packed and secured, the box
which contained them was placed in an ambulance
waggon, bearing the Red Cross of Geneva on its tilt
cover and drawn by four horses of the Royal Artillery,
ridden by drivers of the regiment, and in charge of a
mounted non-commissioned officer, left the Royal
Arsenal for Chislehurat. Lomas, the Prince's Eng-
lish servant, rode in the vehicle, which proceeded to
Camden-house, closely followed by M. Pietri and
Baron Corvisart in a private carriage.

The Morning Post states that the bereaved Empress
will furnish the sarcophagus which will enclose the
remains of her lost hope in ,the chapel of Chislehurst,
while the Queen will also place in the same chapel a
beautiful personal memorial. At Woolwich some
testimony of the strong feeling of comradeship will be
put on record; and the Army Memorial will reach
proportions of considerable magnitude.