The New York herald., 1873-09-18


Thee o Lord, is due alone the honor and the glory
Thou didst lend gracious ear to our pleadings and
our prayers. Thy almighty hand completed the
great and glorious work, and gave victory after
after victory. Thy work 1t ia which united again
the separated members OF our German nation, and
again gave the ancient glory Of the Empire re-
newed and grand, under its victory crowned hero
Emperor"
At the close Of the prayer second roll OF drums
and Q trumpet blast. Heads were again covered
and the Emperor, lowering his sword, gave the sign
for the monument to be uncovered; and as all the
music bands on the ground struck up, and drums
rolled, and the bells Of the city rung out and can
non were fred and the cathedral choir sung the
'heil Dir i'm Siegerkranz, the curtains fell slowly
and gracefully, and the monument with It's fres-
Goes, its gallery, its bas-rehes, stood revealed
A brief silence followed the choir intoning the
psalm OF thanks, "Nun Danket ALE Gott." Thus
ended the ceremony OF Inauguration. A burst of
surprise escaped from the assembled thousands
who could see the beautiful artistic structure of
glory in its full height It's beauty OF design and
grandeur OF effect.
THB MONUMENT OF VICTORY.
think no ono can deny that the monument ID
one OF tho most beautiful and appropriate struc-
lures ever raised in honor OF the goddess Victory
It has height, from it's base to the crown OF 104
monious proportions, the grand design OF Its sub
structure and the immensity OF the square on
which 1t stands make 1t appear not so
large as 1t really is. AS you stand near
1t you involuntarily imagine that the Col
umn OF Antonlne, on the Piazza C0lonna, at
Rome, Is higher, since the latter Is crowded In
narrow square and all it's surroundings are small.
The Vienna opera House, one OF the most beautiful
and stately temples Of the Muses. in Europe, ex-
cepting that OF Paris, loses in effect by the high
edifces that surround 1t. picture alone could
give you a proper idea OF the monument The en-
tire structure rests on q circular stone terrace
feet In height and from this rises broad square
substructure Of polished red Swedish granite
20 feet high by 80 long, each side contain
Ing one Of the four large bass-reliefs, which
we shall describe further on. From this substruc-
ton rises tine column which supports the colossal
statue OF Victory The base OF the shalt ia devoted
to beautiful allegOrica picture representing the
events OF 187O1S7l which is now In colored carton,
but Is to be made permanent in mosaic. Encircling
this picture is an arcade Of sixteen slender col
umns OF red Swedish granite, each 16 feet
high and feet in diameter, with capitals OF
cannon bronze, the archtrave joining up to the
central column, making total height to this point
OF Sc (German) feet from the terrace Thence
the shaft rises still further IS feet above
into three parts. each division having twenty
groves, which bear horizontally twenty gilded
cannon trophies, bound together with garlands Of
g1lded bronze. The first division has heavy ord
nance from the Danish campaign, the second twen-
ty Austrian field pieces, and the third twenty
captured in the last war. Eight eagles with out
stretched wings form the capital OF the shaft.
which ends in q platform lat German feet
above the ground, surrounded by taste
full bronze railing From the platform, an sand
stone pedestal, IA feet high, stands the colos-
sal gilded winged figure of Victory, by Professor
Drake, the helmet surmounted by the Prussian
eagle, holding in her left standard with laurel
encirced iron cross, and in her right wreath Of
victory. The figure has height Of 81 feet, the
standard Al. making to the point Of the latter
l94h feet above the ground
PICTURES OF WAR.
The bronze bass-reliefs on the four SIDES Of
the substructure each al feet by 8h
representing eventful moments Of the three
wars, which the monument Is intended to COM
memorate, ere works of the highest order Of art
On the eastern side, facing the Raszinski Palace
and the city, on one-half Of the picture the
preparations for the Danish campaign, the blessing
Of the arms, leave-taking, marching out with Aus
tria to fight the little kingdom Of Denmark The
second half OF the picture represents the storming
OF the Dnppeler trenches, the figure OF Prince
Frederick Charles being prominent In the middle.
On the north side is large relief, representing
the Battle OF KUntggratz, at the moment when
King Wilhelm decorates his son, the Grown
Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, on the battle field
OF Sadowa with the Ordre pour ls M6rtte The
portraits of the King, the Crown Prince Prince
Friedrich Carl, Bismarck, Moltke, Blumenfeld and
poor disgraced Steinmetz, all on horseback are
exceedingly well caught. This Is the only subject
selected for illustration from the events Of the
Austrian war. Prussia has generously spared her
allies OF 1870 the allies Of Austria In 1861 the pain
and modification OF picturing In bronze or stone
for the gaze of posterity scenes Of Prussian glory
arising out Of their defeat and humiliation. Two
bass-releis taken up by the history Of 1870 and
1871. The one on the west slde facing Kroll,s
establishment represents on two-thirds Of the
space the capitulation OF Sedan, at the moment
when General Reie hands Napoleon's letter to
the Kaiser; the rest Of the bassrelief represents
the triumphal entry OF the German troops into
Paris just as they are passing the Arc de Tromphe
Facing the Avenue OF Victory the grand arstocratic
drive OF the Thiergarten, the other bass-relief
bears the inscription" To the Victorious Army BY
o Thankful Fatherland" 1t represents the entry
OF the Kaiser and the German troops into Berlin,
and the reception at the Brandenburg Gate by the
virgins, the Burgomaster and clerical figure,
whom we take to be the venerable and semheret-
ical Sydow. Bismarck, Moltke and Room precede
the Emperor who Is followed ny the Crown Prince,
Prince Frederick Charles and other recognized
German leaders, and numerous and brilliant
suite. At the extreme right is the monument Of
Frederick william Ill.,, In the Lustgarten, at the
base OF which soldiers deposit trophies of the
French campaign.
ALLEGORY AND REALITY.
The gem Of the monument Is the fresco (mosiac)
surrounding the base Of the shaft, which has, I
imagine, q circumference Of fifty feet and height
OF ten or twelve. The legend OF the picture ALE
gorica!ly composed, Is as lollows:-Germanla sits
on the banks Of the Rhine baskng In the sunshine
OF peace and plenty; at her feet children wind
flowers into beautiful garlands and bouquets, as
Freiligrath sings:-
She has no thought Of bloody fight;
Midst gladdeninR peace no fear no cara.