The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-07-08

june =, 1000.
Editors Herald:
The Hotel des Invalides, founded
in the year 1910 by Louis the Four
teenth, for decayed veterans, whose
numbers his warlike propensities
augmented to somewhat alarming
degree, is situated on the south side
of the Seine, not far from the Ecole
Militaire and aboutan equal distance
f1Om the Palais Bourbon. It covers
an area of thirty-one acres, and has
a facade towards the river go feet
in width. 1t was originally intended
to receive 5000 pensioners, but some
portions of the building have been
diverted from the purpose of it's
founder, and at present the hotel
contains but 500 beds. It derives
its principal importance at the
present time, from the fact that
beneath the gilded dome of the
church, forming a portion Of this
extensive structure, repose thu re-
mains Of the Emperor Napoleon The
First. 1t will be remembered, by
all who recollect, that among the
behestS embodied in the conqueror's
will was the following: Il desire
that my ashes may rest ON the b nks
of the Seine, in the midst of the
French people, whom l have so well
loved" THIS request was complied
with on the 18th day of December
1910, when by the consent of the
British government and the uni
verSal desire of the French nation,
all that was mortal Of him who
once made Europe trem bic, the
greatest captain Snd military
genius of modern times, were
brought from. st Helena, where he
died on the 5th of May, 1921; and
after IA most solemn and enthusiast
tic reception, deposited in their
present resting place. The sar.
cOphagus containing the remains. a
magnificent block of mahogany
colored marble, spleadidIy polished.
is placed in the centre of Il circular
srypt, exactly under the dome of the
church. 1t rises from the midst of
a mosaic pavement formed to repre-
sent a wreath of laurels, and sur
rounded by pillars of polished gran
tie, adorned with marble reIiefs and
oyerhung by captured flags, taken in
the dead herO'S most famous victo-
ries Between the pillars are sus-
pended eenSers, which on certain ap-
propriate occas onS are lighted, and
as may well be imagined are instru-
mental in enhancing the spectacular
effect. The crypt containing the
memorial is thirty-six feet In iii.
ameter and twenty feet deep, but
the visitor, unless favored with the
rare privilege of entering the vault.
looks down upon the casket from
the round gallery above The en-.
terance to the tomb is behind the
altar, some distance back from the
gallery, and is guarded perpetually
by aged military veterans who.
from their gray and warlike
appearance. might pass very well
for members of the Old Guard that
died at Waterloo. The portals of
the tomb are fianked by two colos-
sal allegoricaI statues, and over
their heads is a tablet, upon which
is inscribed in French the dying
request of the Man of Destiny, the
English translation of which is
given above The keyhole to the
door is in the shape of the letter n,
an initial which also appears upon
the casket, and indeed upon nearly
every object in the vicinity. 70 the
right and left Of the crypt are mon
umenGs to Vauban. prince Of mill
tary engineers, and the famous
Marshal Turenne. In two separate
chapels 10 the right are placed the
sarcophagi of Jerome ard Joseph
And now, haYing
glanced at all possessing any inter
we should not omit
the chapel of st. Louis, on the oppo-
site side of the altar, with its pro.
fuse display of captured Algerian
flags, where the veterans of the H0-
tel come to worship and where MIL
itary mass is performed every Sun
day at noon-We emerge upon the
Iine open esplanade facing the
Seine, where a battery Of twenty
eight guns, mostly trophies, is