The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-09-25
Phoenix European Corresponaeaes.t /
PARIs, September g. 1873.

tlauout VOL ulAcb ~ kAo oU1tA-W6Ss VI
:se city. .h.c,1s:.: o:e .ssS ..s=eaiees
parts of Frauce, by ciiateaux and. pa
laces, is the present capital, Versailles.
it has little to attract the visitor, aside
Louis XIV, like his predecessors, ut
arst lived at st. Germaip; but having
taken G dislike 20 tho paluee, OH account
OF it's proximity to the royal buryipg-
place, built at Versailles another, second
TO none in France, save the Tuilleries.
| To give an idea OF it's grandeur, suffice
it to say, that the original cost was over
400, 900, 900 francs, or nearly 500, ,000.-
600 in our currency. On the 18th of
January, 1871, by tho unanimous oon-
sent of all tho German States, King
William OF Prussia was here crowned
Emrero. Of Germany. During his stay
| here, he seems to have taken the same
care of the palace and its parks as be
would have exercised over his own. He
caused the extensive galleries to be
CLOSED, and all the finest pictures to be
covered with canvas, 80 as to protect
them from injury. The palace itself is
very extensive, perhaps larger than tho
Tnilleries, but possessing more OF ths
solid, gloomy aspect, common to most
old buildings. than that grace of style
80 noticeable in the other, previous to
its destruction.
The Musee Historique is one of the
finest collections Of paintings in Eu-
rope. The gallery, founded by Louis
Philippe, occupies an almost intermina-
BILE suite of apartments, walk through
which will take nearly two hours. The
paintings ara mostly mastGr- pieces
brought from the Louvre and other
palaces, intermingled with works of the
most celebrated living artists. The col
lection consists almost entirely Of histo-
rical scenes. The principal battles of
Napoleon alone occupy one Of the largest
galleries; whilo those of Charlemague,
Charles Martel aud Louis Quatorze
serve to remind future monarchs OF
France that their country has reputa.
tion to sustain aud blot on her es-
cutcheon that must bn elfaced. The
parks and gardens Of the palace, laid
out by LIE Notre. the most eminent
landscape gardener Of his time, are
adorned with numerous groups Of Sta
tuary and several magnificent bronze
fountains, which throw up columns of
water to the height of eighty feet and
more. The finest OF these is the
fountain of Neptune, in the Bassiu
d'Apollon, at the head of the canal,
which is formed like cross, the arms
of which measure two-thirds of mile.
The representation is that OF Neptune,
standing in an enormous shell, to which
ere attached the sea-horses that draw
.iim over the water. On either side he
ID accompanied by Proteus aud Ocean
on dolphins. These fountains play the
first Sunday Of every month, and then
only for fifteen or twenty minutes.
The expense even for this short time is
10000 francs. Between Versailles and
Paris is the Palace of st. Cloud,
built in 1872 by the wealthy banker,
Jerome de Cloudy. and purchased in
1868 by Louis XIV for his brother.
Duke of Orleans, in whose family it re-
mnined for over 100 years. Louis XVI
presented it to his bride, Marie Antoi-
nette. In 1889, jacques Clement here
assassinated Henry III. Here Napoleon,
after having dispersed the Assembly
with his soldiers, (March 8, 1898 had
himself declared First Consul OF the
Empire. For this first round in bis
ladder Of fame Napoleon always remem
bered st. Cloud, and on all accas,ons
gave this palace his preference. Before
the late war it was the favorite GUNNER
resort of the Emperor.
On the 18th of October, 1870. several
days after the armistice. this old palace
was burned. the Prussians say, by the
explosion of q shell thrown from Mont
Valerim by the French. The inhabit-
ants of the village claim that it was de-
stroyed by tue Prussians, for the same
strategic consideration" which caused
them to burn the barracks and num-
ber OF private houses in the vicinity
| Which of these is correct, shall not
attempt to decide.
OF the surrounding villages Of Paris,
st. Cloud played the least part in the
war, but met with the severest fate.
About quarter Of n milo from the old
palace is the pore clain manu1actory,
which has been the property OF the Go
vernment for over a century. The
manufactory is the largest in France,
and gives employment to $50 hands
All the other little towns have histories
connected with them, but 80 numerous,
TINT l shall omit them.
In the extreme Southern part oi
Paris are the catacombs. These were
once open to the public, but are now
closed, and it is @ matter of considera-
bic difficulty to obtain the necessary
permission to visit them. This can only