New-York tribune., 1909-11-10

IMPERIAL PALACE AS 4 HOTEL
Prince Louis Bonaparte, who is a general
Il cavalry on the retired list Of the Russian
army. has just been led, IL is said. by his
heavy losses at cards. 10 sell 20 syndicate
Ihe Praneins estae near Nyon. on the
Lake of Geneva, which he inherited from
his father. the late Prince Jerome Napoleon
I, had previously belonged 20 King Joseph
Bonspsrtc who took up his residence there
under tho name Of the Comte de Survilliers,
sfter quitting BordentoNn. y. J.. where he
had lived FOR the first fifteen years follow
ing the battle OF Waterloo. Before that II
had been occupied by Voltaire. who made II
his homo In 1864 and 1875. while IN the be-
ginning of the seventeenth century It was
owned by Emile Of Portugal.
Prangins is eNqulstely situated. on the
Swiss shore Of the Lake Of Geneva. OF which
II commands a superb view. and tho out
look from the grand salon OF tho chateau,
with its huge pateglsss window. looking
out across tho lake on TO Mont Blanc and
rising from the mantelpiece TO the lofty
ceiling without a break. is magnificent, es-
necislly on q bright moonlight night. An
other feature OF the chateau is the orstory
of tho now widowed Princess Clothilde,
CIRCULAR apartment with a domed ceiling
lcsutifullv PAINTED 10 represent the sky.
aud from which tiny electric lights In the
form of stars glimrer. After the downfall
= fh. enpire IN 1879. Princess Clothilds
rarely visited Prangins. separating. indeed
from her wonderfully clever hut singularly
Immoral husband. who made Prsngins his
headquarters while she took up her resi-
denoe near Turin. i'm her chateau of Mou-
calieri. where she has lived ever since the
life - Sister of Mercy. having trans
formed rho Old castle into an orphan asy-
luul for Tho entire surrounding district.
u vas AZ Prangins. as long as the late
Prince Jerome Napoleon remained alive,
fhst the principal councils of the Bona
uartist party we're held and where he
was visited by all sorts Of distinguished
people and notable politicians, il was
There also that ne took the measure of
General Roulsnger when the latter came
20 cell upon him with tho object of tender
sng his services 10 tho Bonspsrtists. with
regard - whom he wished 20 fill the
role that General Monk acted in the case
- charles II of England.
When Prince Napoleon died. he he
aucathed Prsngins. with It's 2e9 acres
~ land. It's chateau. its dependencies
its villas. its beautiful boathOuses, it's
elaborate stone harboT, its steam yachts
md boats Of every description. and lis
vennigh priceless treasures Of art and his
toric relics. not TO his eldest son. Victor.
With whom he had auarrelled and whom
he had disinherited. but 10 his younger
ron. LOUIS. The latter kept the place
intact FOR a time. and then distributed
fhs contents of the chateau among his
brother. who makes his home in Brussels,
his mother. the widowed Princess Clo-
tinlde. and his sister, Princess Letitia.
widow OF the Duke Of Aosta. The syn
diratc which has nov purchased Pran-
gins intends 30 transform il into a high
class hotel and hydropsthic establishment,
aud for purposes such as these II is OK
frcmcly well adapted. though some viii
regret that property possessed OF so
many historic associations should fs' 20
lhe lcvei OF q mere caravanserst