The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-04
His Reception in Eternal City
Will Be Most Magnificent.
BREAD AND SALT ON TRAY
Delegation VIII Meet the Train and OBJ
serve the Old Russian Custom-Dis-
cussion of Feast Of Ste. Jeanne
d'Arc-New Field Gun.
BY PAUL vlLLIERS.
Special Gable to The Times-Dispatch
Copyright. Ieo3.)

/
Copyright. Ieo3.)
PARIS, Oct. 3..-Among tho nloyt dlstin-
suished visitors who have recently stop
ped in this city is Prince Colonna, the
Mayor of Rome, who has now left hero
in order to return to Rome to start the
first preparations for the reception Of
the Car, which will surpass the recep-
ton given by the Eternal City to any
monarch.
The decoration of the Via Nazionale
and the L'Esedre will be more simple
but much more effective than they were
at the time Of tho reception of Emperor
William.
According to the old Russian custom
q delegation OF the members OF the Rus
stan colony In Rome will meet the Car
at the depot and hand him bread and
snit on golden tray.
In honor OF the Gear the municipality
p ,of Rome will give a great gala soirec.
which will take place in the Theatre
Costanzl because this theatre Is the
nearest to the Qulrnal. The programme
has not yet been fixed.
1t had first been intended to give rel
ception to the Car on the Capitolium,
but this idea has been given up, as the
royal carriages, to reach the Capltohuln.
would have to pass through streets IN
which It would be almost impossible to
guard the Car against attempts on his
life.
There Is a bare possibility, however,
that some entertainment will be given to
the Gar on the Capitoirm, as he has
exprcgsed a wish to see the Forum illu-
minated with Bengal lights from the hill
OF :ha historical old fortress.
Jeanne dare.
II the Papal Court at Rome declares
\ Jeanne dare enlisted among the saints.
which will probably happen in the very
near future, there ls quite a coed deal
OF guessing going on as to what day IN
the year will be dedicated to the patron
saint OF France
It Is true that the present government
does not believe very much in saints or
sanctity. but the great majority of the
French people will expect certain day
in the year assigned to the new saint,
AMI they will celebrate 1t with all their
old-tine fervor.
1t will. therefore. undoubtedly be me-
ccssary even for the present atheistic
government t. fix certain legal holiday
In honor OF Jeanne dare, as It has al
ways been done by the government IN
similar cases,
Tho number of legal holidays in France
at the present time Is small compared
to other Catholic countries
Bonaparte, as first consul, proclaimed
Christmas Day, the day OF the Ascension
and All Saints Day as legal holidays.
New Years Day has been n legal French
holiday since the passage of law by the
government In 1910.
The law of the 9Th OF July, 1850, de-
clared the 18th of July, the anniversary
OF the fstorming Of the Bastile, and the
Sundays Of Easter and Whitsuntide legal
holidays.
NT
Combes may feel to Institute a new relig-
ious holiday. there seems to be no escape
for him.
New Army Gun.
While Germany las had only different
success with the new army field gun
with which the Kaiser intends to equip
the whole German army, Franco at the
present time not only possesses the most
perfect field artillery in the world for
general purposes. but also n new noun
tain guns far superior to any In existence
at the present time. which has been In
+ vented by Captain Ducrest.
Very extensive experiments have been
carried out with this cannon In Algiers
and these have been so successful that
all the mountain batteries In the French
army will In the near future be equipped
with this new weapon.
The gun Ducrest, ms 1t Is called OFF,
oialy. Is of sixty-eight milllmetre calibre,
and weights only 200 pounds with the
hydropneumatic brake. with which it is
equipped
Five mules are sufficient to move 1t and
the ammunition wagon from place to
place, and the recoil in firing is very
slight, so that 1t may even be fired from
the back of mule or camel.
Captain Ducrest Is only tllirty-four
years old. He graduated from the Poly
technical School In 1890. was made lieu-
tenant In 1892, and has been captain
since July, 1900.
During three years of this time ne
has seen service In the Alpine depart
ments. and 1t was here that he made
himself acquainted with the necessity
OF new gun serviceabe In mountainous
regions
The Secretary of War has sent him
personal letter of thanks for his inven.
ton, which he has given gratuitously
to the government, and he has been made
an officer Of the Legion Of Honor
To Build Palace.
The King of Belgium, who evidently In
tends to settle down, has expressed the
wish to have one of the wings of his
palace at Laeken made habitable for
next summer, and an army of seven
hundred mechanics has started to carry
out his plans. The King, otherwise re-
puted to the miserly and willing to make
his country pay for as many as possible
Of his personal expenses, has this time
made an exception, and intends to pay
the full cost of the changes out of his
own pocket.
1t is his intention, If he lives Ions
enough, to build palace at Laeken SUI