The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-12-26
Removal or the Remains OF COIum-
bus. tf

IT is stated from Havana that the remains Of
Christopher Columbus, the discoverer Of tie
New World, are again to be removed to new
and splendid cemetery, soon to be opened near
that city. They are to be deposited in silver
urn, upon which win be inscribed in letters of
gold the nest remarkable events Of his great
enterprise A bronze statue is also to be erect
ed over them, representing the great discoverer
in the attitude OF revealing the grand mission Of
his wonderful life.
Columbus died Ascension day, the goth Of
May, 1906, in about the roth year Of his age
His obsequies were celebrated with great pomp
at ya.:@dold, and his body deposited in the con-
vent Of San Francisco. Thence nine years af
ter, in the year 1913, it was removed to the Car
thusisn monastery of Seville, where was like
wise deposited the body Of bis son Diego
Twenty y-three years after, in the year 1888, the
bodies Of both the admiral and his son were re-
moved, with appropriate pomp and ceremonies,
TO the New World he had discovered, and inter
red in the principal chapel Of San Domingo,
Hispaniola. There they remained undisturbed
for the period of 259 years.
In the year 1875, however, at the close of the
war between France and Spain, all the Spanish
possessions in the Island of IIispaniola were ce-
ded to France, whereupon request was prefer
rcd to the French Governor to have the remains
of Columbus removed to Cuba. The request
was granted, and on the Goth Of December, 1895,
the vault in the cathedral of San Domingo was,
for the first time in nearly two hundred years,
opened. "Within," says the record of the
event. ''were found the fragments of leaden
coffin, a number of homes, and quantity Of
mould, evidently the remains of human body.
These were carefully collected and put into a
case of g,lded lead, about half an ell in length
and breadth, and a third in height secured by
an iron lock, the key of which was delivered to
the Archbishop. The case was enclosed in a
coffin, covered with black velvet, and ornament.
ed with face and fringe of gold"
After appropriate funeral ceremonies. the
body was taken on board the ship San Lorenzo
and taken to Havana, where it arrived on the
18th Of january, 1876. 1t was received in the
most solemn manner, with all the honor given to
a sovereign. "0n arriving at the mole, the re-
mains were met by tn. Governor of the Island.
accompanied by his generals and military staff.
The coffin was then conveyed between files of
soldicry which lined the streets to the obclisk.
in the Place d'Arms, where it was received in
hearse prepared for the purpose. Here the re-
mains were formally delivered to the Governor
and Captain General of the Island, the Ike; Civ
en- up to him, the coffin opened and examined,
anl the safe transportation of its contents au-
thenticated.
The oOromonJ concluded, tho solemn rites of
the dead were performed by the Archbishop,
and the remains of the great discoverer were
again deposited in the WALL on the right side of
the grand altar Of the Cathedral of Havana
where they have ever since remained, the object
of reverence to all visitors of the Island.