Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-20
ROCHAMBEAU STATUE
Will Be Memorial Of Frances Gen.
erous Assistance.
LATE INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE
GalIantry of the Visitors at York.
towns Fall.
TNTOJTE WORK OF ART
E INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE
UNIQUE WORK OF ART

Some interesting correspondence has
just passed between the French embassy
here and Count de Rochambeau head of
the distinguished old house of Rocham-
beau and the present holder of a title
which became famous in Americas revo-
lutionary struggle. The letters were
brought out by the recent action of Con-
gress in appropriating $500 for statue
of Frances great field marshal, Count de
Rochambeau. who commanded the forces
sent to the assistance of the United States,
and who. with Lafayette and other gallant
Frenchmen, shared in the brilliant achieve
ment of American independence
The present movement for Rochambea u
statue in Washington is a part of the
| strengthening of international ties between
France and the United States. Since Mr..
CambOn became French ambassador at
Washington there have been numerous evil
dences of this cordial relation. including
the presentation by the president of France
of two superb Sevres vases to President
Mckinley. the presentation of a beautiful
loving cup by President Mckinley to AM
bassador Cambon as a tribute of apprecia-
| ton for his services as intermediary dur
| ing the Spanish American peace negotia-
tiCns and quite recently the visit of the
! French naval cadets to Mount Vernon to
| deposit d wreath upon the tomb of Wash
| ington. In the same line the statue of
| Rochambeau erected at Washington, is to
| be q reminder of the traditional friendship
| between the two nations.
Rochambeau's Gratitude.
| Mr. Cambon has been greatly interested
| In the project. and he has had the active
| aid of Mr.. Boeufve, chancellor Of the en-
| bassy, who has seen that there was no
| tagging in the details of the enterprise.
When the two houses of Congress voted
the appropriation for the statue. Mr..
| Boeufve advised the present Count de
| Rochambeau of what had been done. In
| reply a letter. of which this is the transa-
ton, was received:
| paris, March -, 1901.
| "Sirs: I have this moment received the
| int resting information concerning the
| statue of the marshal and I desire to
thank you at once for your kind thought.
1T is with great pleasure that heard of
| the vote of Congress. | thanked General
Porter in the name of the ROchambeauS,
and asked him to convey to the members
! of the American parliament the expression
| of our gratitude Would 1t be indiscreet.
| sir to beg you to fulfill the same request
| please accept. sir, with our heartfelt
guished sentiments
IsigneO COUNT DE ROCHAMBEAU.
mir. Jules Boeufve. French Embassy etc. a"
Count de Rochambeau was advised later
| of the plans for the statue, and he again
wrote giving an idea of the study which
| the sculptor was giving to his model.
PARIS, March a. 1901.
stSir: You are a thousand times kind to
| think in the midst of your occupations. of
sending me these most interesting articles
| concerning the project of the Rochambeau
| statue, and 1 thank you in my name and
| In the name of my mother, the Marquise
| de Rochambeau.
| We have all been happy over the sue
| cess of your efforts. because II the marshal
| will be represented in the capital of the
United States it is surely to you that We
| shall owe it. May his statue recall. some
| day or other, to the American people that
| across the ocean another people exists
| which reached out to them helpful hand
| in moment of danger.
| 81 have written to his excellency Mon
| sieur Cambon to thank him for having
| given the project his assistance. and. as
| 1 have already told you, have asked Gen.
| eral Porter to convey to Congress our
| most heartfelt sentiments of gratitude.
| "Our young sculptor is at work; he is
| studying his pedestal and will soon, I be-
| lieve, begin his model-unless 1t is already
| done. because l have not seen him these
| last few days. l believe his conception
| Will be beautiful. and will produce an ex-
| cellent effect.
| please sir, believe in my warm graft
| tude for what you are doing and already
| have done for the glory of our name. and
| accept the assurance of my most distin-
| guished sentiments.
| (SigneD COUNT DE ROCHAMBEAU."
| The American ambassador at Paris also
|
| wrote as follows of the good done in erect
| ing monuments of this international char
| acter:
| Ambassade des Etats Unis,
| PARIS. March Is, 1901.
| Dear Mr. Boeufve: . The pedestal
| which Mr. Hamar has prepared for the
| statue in Washington is very artistic and
| appropriate. l examined the marquette
| with great interest.
Il am sure, from previous experience in
inaugurating our several international
| monuments. that much is accomplished
| thereby in drawing still closer the sympa.
| thies which happily exist between our sis
ter republics.
| There is a great deal of interest mani
| Tested in France in the project in relation
| to which you have labored so zealously and
| successfully.
| with renewed thanks. am. yours truly
(Signed)- HORACE PORTER
Facts Not Generally known.
There are some interesting facts in con.
nection with Rochambeaus service IN