The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-10-17
special Correspondence NATIONAL TRIBUNE.


or Tire vast collection Of historic hattie scenes
OF France, is a celebrated painting by Duin.
In the foreground Fame blows her trumpet,
bearing aloft the Gag of France. To her right
are the Princes and courtlers IA splendid attire;
10 the LETT are the MANNED veterans IN the uni-
form Of France-men who make and unmake
mouarcbs II their VIII. over all are the Angels
OF Victory and Patriotism.
Bv some strange law OF association L never
think of The Hotel des lnvaiidos the Soldiers
Home of France, bat TINS picture rises before
me. 1t is il. itself the symbol OF Fame. aud
emblazons the achievements OF France aud the
esteem ia which her soldiers are held.
The Hotel des lnyal.des, or Soldiers Home,
is one OF the principal points 81 entrance 10 the
Exposition. Ii IS vast establishment ocru-
pying an area OF about 30 acres, aud was found
cd over two centuries aud quarter ago by
Louis XIV. being one Of the best acts OF That
eNfravagant monarch. who, despite has short
comings. did so much To permanently improve
aud beautify the Capital of France. The oh
iocts. as stated wall commend themselves 10
uatriots everywhere who would see their coun-
trV's veterans property Carei Tor, VIZ, - 10 AS
sure the support and happiness of soldiers who.
veterans manned or ntirm, find themselves
without resources, after having grown gray
following the fig, or who have poured out
their blood for their county,
What pleaSes Us most Is that it was not only
p mere support that was eOnjem plated; not
merely a crudgiug dole Of roof aud raimcnt.
but a provision beneath a stately dome, whose
towering golden crest proclalms 10 everyone
entering the beautiful city, Behold how
France loves her veterans
The building was intended ia accommodate
5000 iuvalides, soldiers disabled 10y wounds or
wllo have served - years being eligible. But
the number OF inmate, Is now hut iew hun
drcd. 50 well has France penSioned her vetcr-
ans All who have homes and early aSsocia-
tiuns prefer 10 live separately.
The handsome piauade Des !nvalides leads
FROM the river Seine L. the outer euHrt, which
is inelosed on three sl3cs BY dry noat 1t IS
about 800 yards in length and 20 yards wide
and Is embeilIshed by rows OF trees aud statues
Of French Generals. A trinmPhal battery
placed here is used 20 ere salutes on grand
occasions. Il consists o.. eight guns aud NOR
tar on each side. There are also ii guns and
mcrtar inside the iusse, including eight Al
gerian canuons. iaukei 10y Chinese cannon. A
revue of the lnvalideS takes place at noon
every SHHday.
OF captured cannon are two Austrian can
mons, one cast IN Vienna in l6-l, the other IN
1850. The latter bears the inscription " When
my song resounds IN fhe air many a wall VIII
fall before me-" There are two Prussian guns,
east at Berlin in l7o-, captured by the Anstri-
ans IA the - Seven Years War. and recaptuTed
from them by Napoleon. They were brought
70 Paris after the battle Of AusteTliiz. with
23s3 other field pieces. There Is Dutch Can-
noil captured az the siege OF Antwerp ia ls,i2 ::
arified Cannon from SelessiOPol; a mortar from
AlgicTs a swivel gun from HHrtemberg, deco
rated wiih alleg0rical figures; Venetian piece
3fI70- and other AaF5leonlc trophies. The
rest OF the court Is laid out a garden aud
adorned with d statue OF Prince Eugene in
Sronze.
The facade Of the massive stone structure
facing the court is about 30 yards long, the
. with trophies IN stone. Above the principal
entrance Is an equestrian figure OF the founder,
Ia0uis XIV. in Las Tfllei. Thanking the entrance
are statues Of TIC b4iiie-g0ds Mars and Minerva.
Ia front u the wings are four groups. in bronze,
eBibleHlAile Of four conquered nations. Pass
ing through the vast arcAWay, We are Ia the
Cont 81 Honor.
This court is a. grim as war itself. the whole
establishment pres niiHg the siernest military
aspect. ID Is iuc.Sscd on AL sides with wide
arcadeS supported by mammoth pillars DR
the side walls. beneath the arches. are pano-
ramic paintings Illustrative Of tbe history 81
Frdnce, particularly If the epOehs OK Charie.
nzgne. -. LOnis, Louis XIV and Napoleon l.
Behind tie aTcades from different entrances
T0u reach the Library, the Military Museum
fbe Portrait Galleries and the Relic Rooms
and III another portion the r'foctories and
kitchens. The military exhibit alone eulbraoea
400 specimens, beginning Eiih the armor and
implements Of the earliest period Of France tG
the present time. and including the arms and
implements Of many countries. ancient and
modern. A curiosity iH baTbar0us warfare i
chain with - iron collars for prisoners. capt
urcd in the Morocco camp after the battle o
Islay ia 1874.
IS we pass through this cleaning an,
bristiiug wilderness Of ancient aud modern
WeapoBs aud war harness % 50 many nation
and ages. and see the helmets, arsnicts, n3ace-
spurs. g5rgets. gautlcts, buckIers cuir3asssss
eAaIn-aTlI8T. swords. slbeTs aud battle logger,
jnnuHlerab4e. Tie thought occurs that 70 Wa
SigA time that America .as starting 4 AatiOna
Museum Tor Tie information Of { C studen
and tie qualification IS tie curious.
Americans have rich aud varied assortmen
@ arms aud implements. not only pertaining &
tie gre4t WaT, but OF tue Revolutionary aB,
Colonial periods. sag ing nothing Of the IudiaHt
the Az.rcs aud the warriors Of prehistari
agcs. a great National aud international CO.
lection would be school Of information Z
wbIrh we would al be proud. IL would. be
sides, serve 10 keep m5ny rare aud curiou
things IN 0Dr Own country which are fast find
ing their way into British mUseumz
The Ereuch-lag collection. of iginals c
copies, 5eZInning with the red orifamnIe, j. IN
81 reFerentlai interest. as everything must q
thai reminds the observer Of deeds OF hero
sacrifice. Tie white standard Of Joan of Ar
enriched with tie feur-de-lys, Is a part Of ii
Joan II Are in Paris sct ne 20 thinking ths
perhaps America might spIHe day erect
Etitue II Washington 10 brave Noble Pitche
Of some other beFOiBc 81 our wErs WHO helpe
20 make the Republic preserve IL As IL Is.
Prom the Court you enter the Egiise d
Inyaiides. OF Soldiers Home Chapck Tue il
terror, lighted with long, stained glass Wal
oOEs. gothic roof aud supporting columns,
richly irescOed, aud contains uHIner0us mem
rial tablets aud 6g1res IN las relief CONNER
OFatiVe u the heroes 0f France. High 40
the nave arc suspended The captured banners
Algeria. CTimea, Italy. China aud Mexico
The hag collection was once very large b
oB March ~. 1914 the evening before the ent
of the Allies into Paris, about I.5JJ 1at
trophies 81 The victories 81 Napoleon J. We
burned in the Court Of Honor 10 prevent the
falling into the hands II tine enemy On 1
same occasion the sword brought by &aBolc,
frOm lbs tomb Of Frederick the Great al 20
dan1, Boo 1896. was destroyed. An accident
Grs ia l-Jl. a the funeral 81 Marshal Sebi
tszn. further declmated tie Gag collection
the Republic and the First Empire.
Ibe Dome des Iuyalide- beneath which
The spirudid mau50leum 81 Napoleon l. 81
mounts 4 second chapel leading from the 6r
erected iB 1896 The entrance is by q DOR
with two series 81 columns. Doric aud Cor
THAN placed above another, aud ad1rn
with statues. The dome Is o8 feet IN dian
Ter, and was gilaed by the First Napoleon. a
again iD 1861 by the electro plating syste
j. Is profnsey enbellisbed with rclieis rep
sentative 81 military trophies.
The body Of the church Is a square pile,