New-York tribune., 1900-12-23
PARIS.
ART TREASURES OF THE DE LIGNE FAM
lily SAVED FROM FIRE.
THE MOST IMPORTANT or THE SPLENDID
COLLECTION AT BELRIL INTACT
N. CAMRoN's RETURN-THE-
ATRICAL NOTES.
/. n. F.

Tcorvriaht. 1900 BY The New-Tork Trihunel
Inv cARTE TETBUNr J
Paris Dec 2o-The last days of the eighteenth
and nineteenth centuries have been very event
ful ones for the princely house of Ligne. On
Friday. December E 1900 Prince Louis Eugene
de Ligne the great grandfather OF the present
prince was left for dead on the battlefield Of
TIohenlinden Prince Louis Eugene was then
the sole male descendant Of his family which
with mis- death. would have become extinct. By
q lucky chance his life was saved through the
personal attention and solicitude Of young
general Of the hostile army. afterward known
70 fame as Michel Ney. On Friday. December
IA 1900 the Chateau de Beloeil. of the most
magnificent medieval castles in Europe, the
name Of which for more than five hundred years
has been associated with the house Of Ligne,
was destroyed by fire. All that remains stand
ing Of the castle is the blackened masonry Of its
outlying towers The Prince de Ligne, his
mother the Princess Dowager Marguerite de
TAgne, and his only child the Princess Suzanne,
a young girl Of fifteen, were living at Beloeil
when the fire occurred. On Thursday evening
the Princess Suzanne remarked to her father
that she snelled something burning. but no at
tention was paid TO this On Friday morning
the flames, which had been smouldering in the
centre Of the building burst forth into blaze.
The cause Of the fire was the defective hues Of
the furnace. All the inhabitants of the little
village OF Beloei the fremen from Tourney and
the neighboring towns. did all they could to sup
press the flames. and would have succeeded but
for the strong southeast wind. At present the
park Of fifteen thousand acres, laid out by lie
Notre in III. is vigorously guarded by gen
dBrmes and soldiers. No one is allowed to ap
proach the ruins. where the Prince himself is
working night and day classifying objects
rescued from the fire. which stored in the
stables the paviiions the orangery and the hot
houses.
The Princess Dowager arrived in Paris on
Thursday and, thanks to this ladys courtesy
! enabled 10 cable the welcome news that
contrary TO all reports hitherto published, the
pictures. bronzes. marbles and other works of
art. and most OF the historical relics, including
presents and mementos from the Emperor
Charles V. from Philip II. from Marie Antoi-
nette and from Napoleon have been saved. The
Princess said that this due TO the splendid
conduct and courageous efforts Of the villagers
of Beloil who, like one great family men,
women and children. all turned out and worked
with might and main. Among the pictures
saved are the 10 family portraits. canvases by
Albrecht, Durer, Holbein. Van Dyck, Rubens
and VelasNuez. The superb Cranach, the value
of which alone was estimated by insurance COM
the famous bronzes by CelIini the faIences by
Bernard Palssy, the ivory carvings by Duques-
noy, the wooden spoon that belonged to Luther.
the autograph letter OF st. Vincent de Paul, the
coral cabinet, a gift Of Philip II; the sword Of
Rubens. and the glaive with which the Counts
Egmont and Horn were beheaded. The whole of
the valuable library and all the old manuscripts.
which form one Of the most precious collections
Of the sort in existence, have also been pre-
served. The collection OF firearms the most
complete outside any national museum, was
saved. Not a single picture has been lost, and
only four have been damaged. these being paint
ings on mural panels representing the mission
OF the Prince de Ligne the occasion OF the
coronation Of Queen Victoria.
On the other hand. quantities of beautiful
furniture and tapestry of the sixteenth seven
teenth and eighteenth centuries have been de-
stroyed, together with rare collections of Sake
and Sevres porcelain. The Princess Dowager
says that her has decided to rebuild the
castle nearly possible TO reproduce
what was destroyed Eye-witnesses describe as
most pathetic the sight presented by the Prince
pale with emotion, begrimed with smoke and
bleeding from contusions caused by falling