Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-01-14
THE REMAINS OF NApoLEoN-.rh. g,

THE REMAINS OF NAPOLEON.-rbe fol.
lowing particulars relative TO the disbursement of Tho
remains OF Napoleon from their tomb at ST. Helena
are given in the report of Court Rohan Cb.Lo,
and Captain Alexander, the French and EngIi,b
commissioners appointed to superintend the or.
humauon. Alter mentioning the persons who en-.
tered within the enclosure, the report proceeds as
follows 90
"We first removed the iron railing that surro,nJ-
cd the tomb, together with the strong Iavere Of
stones on which It was fixed; and the COVERING NJ ia.
tomb u feet inches Ivy : feet inch connosed Of
three slabs, set IN second edsng of masonry, was
then removed. This was done by half n,st ono
We then found rectangular wall forming the fur
slues oil vault III feet deep and feet by fee,
inches in the nIea.-This vault was r. led win
earth 10 within inches Of the top. After baving
dug INTO thus earth for g feet 10 inches we found
n layer OF Roman ent adbering firmly ALI
over the surface and Theoretically fastened 10 The
sides of the walls. BY three o'clock. this Iaver
having been completely laid bare, the commssion
ers descended into the tomb, and verified that il
was perfectly intact and without anv ini"rv in n,,,
part.
The layerof cement having been cut through. il
was iound 10 cover another layer, ten inches tbi,k
~ blocks OF stone fastened together with iron STAN
ehsonsl Whleh we were not able to get removed
until after four houIg and n half work. Tn. s4.
IRENE difficulty Of this operation decided the En-
gsh commissioners On cutting a trench on The t,ft
of tbs vault, and on knocking down tie vyoil in
order 10 arrive at the cofn, in c,se Of the uoper
IF.
forts, which were M dc simultaneously 10 piero,
'N-"""h IT, But the layr having been entirely re-.
moved by about 3 O'Clock, the works of the lateral
trench were abandoned. Immediately under tho
layer thus demolished wo found q strong slab G feet
~ inches long, feet wide and : inches thich form
ing the covering Of the interior sarcophngus con.
tanning the coffin. This slab, perfectly sound. Va
surrounded by an cdging Of blocks of stone, ard
Roman cement strongly fastened to the wall of the
vault. This last piece Of masonry having been
carefully removed, ond two bolts having been 4 rod
on the slab, every thing was ready 10y half past Q
Tor opening the snrcophngus. DR.. Guilord then
purified the tomb by sprnkling chlorate of limo
about u, and the slb, by order Of the English COM
mssione,, raised by means Of a crane and
lodged on the edge Of The tomb.
As soon es The coffin was YSib'r all present nm.
covered their heads, and the Able Coouereau
sprnkod holy water and recited the De Pr1,nnds
The commissioners then descended 10 inspect IN.
coffin, which they found well preserved but a small
portion OF the lower part, which, although il was
on strong slab that rested on blocks of stone was
Snghuy uee9ysq' some sanitary precautions hay.
ing been again taken by tho surgeon, an express
was sent OF 10 his eXceency the governor 10 in:
form him Of u progtess Of the OPERATION and ,hs
coffin was droyn up by hooks and cords, and care.
July transported beneath tent raised for lie reeep-
ton. At this moment, the amof er received the
body according to the rites Of the Catholic church.
The commissioners then Inspected the sarcopha.
gus, which WIS certified 70 be in n proper s.ato Of
pre'ervali,n and entirely comfortable to the oetI
rpiiono Of the burial Toward I /, the French
comm sonpr had assured himself that his eYesllsn
oy the governor hid authorized the Opening Of tho
coihn. Coniofmably 10 the arrangements made
We removed with procaution the first coffin. in
which we iound a coffin in lead in good pfeserya,
ton, which we placed in that which had been sent
from FRANCE. His Eycelenoy the Governor, &C.
compthiod by his stat, Lieutenant, Middiethofe
his aid de.camp and secretary, an1 Capt. Barnes,
mjor OF the place, entered thsrent 10 bd present at
the opening Of Che Inner eoifns.
me upper part Of the ieaden coffin was hen cut
ana raised with the greatest preoauton; within il
was found A coffin NJ wood, in very good tate and
corresponding TO the descriptions and rtoollectons
Of the persons present who had assisted nj the bu
rial. The 10 Of the third coffin having been rdiseJ
there was found a lining Of tin slightly oxydised
which having been cut through and "a sed, allowed
us 10 sheet OF whito aatini this sheet was mis-
ed with the greatest preoauton by tho hand. of the
doctor only, and tho entire body Of Napolson 40
reared. The features had suffered 40 little "A IN
DO imme1 intely recognised. The different obieets
deposited IN the coffin were remarked in the sraet
positions where they had been placed, the bands
were slngulatly we'll preserved, the uniform the Or
ders, the hat, but little changed-the whole person
10 fact, seemed TO indicate a recent inbum.,ion'
The body remained exposed TO the nir for only. a.,
most the two minutes necessary for tho surgeon to
hkc the measures prescribed by his Instructions in
order TO preserve IL from all farther alteration
Inc last, and ono Of the most interesting Of The
documents y the process verbal Of the opening Of
the collins, drawn up by DR.. Guillsrd, sureeon.ms-
.r OF the Belle Poue. This report, after reIs,in0
the precautions mentioned above, which were tskso
N opening the lids Of the several collins, continues
as follows:
Something white, which appeared to have 10.