Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-24
of the Associated Press.

Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
PARIS, January 31.-Prince Roland
Bonaparte. the only male descendant OF
the oldest branch of the house of Bona
parte having male representatives liv-
ing, and, consequently head of the
family, according to the rules of primo
geniture, is taking a modest part in
the war. Excluded from active service
by the law of 1856. as a member of a
family having reigned over France. he
was attached in the quality of civilian
auxiliary to the geographical section of
the army. and has helped direct the
making of the millions of maps the
field forces have required.
Il should have been glad to fight for
France in the field" he said to a repre-
sentative of the Associated Press. and
] would have served disinterestedly,"
he added; Il have no imperial ambi-
tions and no other desire than serve as
/ can the cause of my country and the
interests of science"
Physically. Prince Roland recalls but
feebly his famous uncle the Little
Corporal: he is six feet tall and is
built in proportion; what is character
istically Bonaparte about him is his
untiring energy, his Corsican COM
pleXion and a nose that would look
like Napoleons had it no mustache un-
der it.
BE so kind as to be seated he said
to the correspondent. pointing to an
armchair in which Napoleon the First
sat when at work in his study. 1t stood
in front of one of Napoleon's desks, on
which were piles of scientific books and
documents. among them copy Of his
latest publications. issued since the
war began. treating of 94S groups of
ferns, among which are thirty-five new
species and twenty-four hitherto I'M
known forms of old species. These
latest discoveries bring the princes
collection of ferns alone up to about
351 goo different varieties; his botanical
collection altogether comprises be-
tween 100000 and 1,OO0,0 600 specimens.
Advantages of Contentment.
Yes, 1 suppose l am really the head
of the house of BonaDarte," he replied
to the correspondents question. but
it doesn't matter much. since empires
and emperors have very little interest
for me. and there has been wonder
full advantage in not being an emperor,
nor even a pretender. l have gotten
out of life a wonderful lot of fun and
profit that ] would never have known
had been an emperor. / have climbed
the Alps $50 times: Napoleon did it
but once, and then it was neither for
pleasure nor scientific research, but
with the responsibility of a forthcom-
ing military campaign on HIS mind.
Pretending to the imperial scepter
is useless, anyway" declared the
prince. since the Bonapartist doctrine
is the plebiscite.''
The prince lives on the Avenue d'Iena.
in a modern, spacious mansion big
enough to be called a palace. but re-
sembling more the quarters of an inn
portant public institution or a well
ordered commercial enterprise. There
is an air OF business all about the
place. In addition to the million and
more of natural history specimens. all
catalogued and described in volumnous
publications. there is library of
100000 scientific works which the
prince puts to considerable use. judg-
ing from the volumes lying about the
Moor. on the chairs and on the desk
of his own study, which adjoins
chamber where he sleeps in the bed
Napoleon occupied at Elba. There the
prince receives with about the same
hospitality as that of congeniai coun-
try gentleman. who doesn't see dozens