The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-02-14
From Our Regular Correspondent.
LONDON LETTER.
LONDON, Jan. 80, 1882.

LONDON, Jan. 80, 1882.
At the unveil'ng of the late. Prince
Imperial's-Louis Napoleon's-stat-
ue last Saturday, by the Prince of
Wales, a notable assembly stood
within the temporary enclosure fac
ing the Royal Military Academy at
Woolwich, and distant therefrom
about 800 yards. All the Princes
who travelled from Charingcross to
Woolwich, and all the off 'ers who
went with them, were in uniform,
the Duke of Edinburg wearing for
the first time that of the Royal Ma
rine Artillery. The breast of Lord
Wolselly was covered with medals,
the number being greater than Is
carried by any other officer in the
British army.
On alighting at the dais before the
monument, still veiled with a white
sheet, the Prince of Wales was greet
ed with royal salute, the cadets
presenting arms, aid the band play
ing the national anthem. The Prince
having been received by General
Browne, and having heartily recog-
nized Prince Lucein Bonap; rte and
others, was conducted to the foot OF
the memorial.
The Duke of Cambridge, as rep
resenting the memorial committee,
read an address, which stated that
they had received upwards of $780,
COO from more than 25,OOO subscribe
ers of all ranks, and from every
branch of her Majesty's sea and land
forces. In accordance with the pur-
pose of the subscribers. that a me
mortal should be erected to the late
Prince Louis Napoleon, commemo-
rating the facts of his ha, ing receiv-
ed his early military education un-
der English institutions, and having
met his death in the field with her
maies'y's troops in South Africa, the
committee decided that the memo
rial should take the form Of a statue
of the Prince, and proposed that II
should be placed in the grounds OF
the ROYAL Military Academy at
Woolwich. The committee ventur-
ed to hope that the Prince of Wales,
who had taken so kindly an interest
in the erection of the memorial,
would add further testimony of
his sympathy with the object of the
subscribers by publicly unveiling
the statue.
The Prince took the line in hand
and by pulling it released the white
covering, which fell to the ground,
disclosing the bronze statue. A burst
of cheering followed this act, and
testified to the interest felt in the
occasion and to the admiration of a
spirited work of art and faithful
likeness. Count Gleichen's work is
a manly piece of portralture, with
Just so much addition to its statu-
esque simplicity as invests the per
sonal likeness with character and
significance. There is nothing ale
gorical, but everything real in its
symbolism. The young Princes
ready aptitude for vigilant duty is
denoted by his grasp of the field
glass in his right hand as he leans
with his left on the hilt of his sabre.
The attitude is easy, but soldierlike
and alert. the left knee bent, the
body poised on the right leg, the
face earnest, frank and brave. Ex-
act in the details OF Uniform and ac-
coutrements, the statue is yet in effect
plain of outline and gracefully sim
pie. The Prince stands bareheaded,
his tropical helmet lying close to his
left foot. He is dressed in patrol
jacket, with riding trusers and boots.
This statue is of the ordinary size,
known as heroic, which adds a few
feet to the human statue. 1t is
placed Oh a lofty and well proper
toned pedestal of polished red gran
ite, a plain square column as to the
upper part, with bronze wreaths,
.enclosing the letter IN" each sur
mounted by the Imperial crown on
all four sides. and a larger and more
ornate though still massively simple.
form for its base. This, being also
four sided, has at each angle a
square projection supporting the
bronze eagle with outspread wings,
its talons .grasping the classic thun
derbolt On each of the four corners
projections are affixed in broze the
arms and lhntto of the Royal Artil-
lery, to which service the Prince was
for brief time attached. The lower
central pannels of the four sides,
between the projecting angles, con-
tain inscriptions. In front appears
in two lines the chief dedicatory in
scription in prominent characters,
Napoleon, Prince Imperial"