The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-05-20

The Column I'm the Place Vendorne.
| The Vendome Column, so called after
the name of the Place on which it but az
yesterday stood, was erected by Napoleon
to commemorate the success of his arms
in The German campaign of 1905. The
Place Vendome, originally called the Place
des Conquetes, AMI afterwards the Place
Louis lie Grande, is an irregular octa-
gon, the larger sides Of which measure
$50 feet, and the smaller 400. Pre-
vions to the erection Of the column,
or colonne, its place in the centre was
occupied by colossal equestrian statue,
in bronze, of Louis XIV, which was, how
ever, partially destroyed in 1892, and finally
completely re removed in 1906. The pedestal
and shaft of the great column were OF
stone, but completely covered over with
bas-reliefs, cast from the metal Of 1900
pieces of Austrian and Russian cannon,
which represented the victories Of the then
invincible army. 1t cost 1,5Oo, 900 francs.
l5gOnthe pedestal were represented IN bas-
) relief the various uniforms, armor, and
weapons Of the conquered armies, while
the bas-reliefs Of the circular shaft followed
spiral direction to the top, or capital, and
Represented In chronological order all the
principal actions from the departure of the
troops from BouIogne to the battle OF Aus
terlilZ. The designs for these casts were
made By Bergeret and executed by
thirty-one artists, one of whom was
Madame Charpentier, and an idea
of their magnitude may be formed
byathose VINO never saw them, and now
never will, when it is known that the mass
| Of metal employed In their casting weighed
about 360,000 pounds that the figures re-
presented upon the bas-reliefs were 1000
> rnn I'LL Il
rage, while the total length of the spiral
was not less than, $40 feet. The pedestal
was q feet high and about 20 broad; it
was square in shape, rested on q broad
base or plinth Of polished granite, and
was surrounded by an iron railing.
On its four corners it bore four magniis-
cent bronze eagles, weighing 500 pounds
each, that supported IN their claws and
bills garlands Of oak leaves in bronze,
which had most charming effect. A massive
bronze door in the side of the pedestal adj
mitted of entrance into the interior of the
column, where winding-stair of 176 steps
led to the capitol, which was also sur
rounded by an iron balustrade, and bore
the following inscription:
Monument Sleue d Ia glorie de la grande
arnEe, par Napoleon le Grand, commence
sous la direction de d. Y. Demon, MIN. j. B.
Lepere, aet et Goutoin, archatectes. s" y
On the lofty capital, which was sur
mounted by handsome acroterium, stood
originally statue of Napoleon as EN-
peror, but this was removed in 1914, and
given over to the melting-furnace to form
Dart! Of the equestrian statue of Henry
w., which now adorns the Pont Neuf.
During the Restoration simple flagstaff,
with the feur. de-lis, occupied the topmost
pinnacle. :; and this was again, in its
turn, removed to make place for another
statue of Napoleon, modelled by Seurre and
cast by the celebrated Crazatier, which was
solemnly inaugurated in the presence OF
Louis Philippe and his Court on July
2Sth, 1888. This statue, which ever since
occupied the place OF honor, was eleven
feet high, and represented the petit cor
poral in his world.renoWned habit, with
overcoat, cooked hat, and all. But even
this had to make room for an immense clas-
sical statue OF the late Emperor, Louis
Napoleon, which was probably the real
eyesore which led to the destruction OF the
whole column Wdsbington Patriot.