Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-02
french FLAG OVER
KA|SER'S PALACE
Germans Lose Control Of Famous
Estate Overlooking the
Bay of Corfu.
ONE OF cURlosITIEs OF EAST
Imperial Building Typical in
Many Ways of Eccentric
Genius Who Plans It.
Correspondence of Associated Press.l

Correspondence OF Associated Press]
CORFU. ISLAND OF CORFU. August
emperor Williams famous summer
palace of Achillion. on a height over
looking the Bay of Corfu, had the
French nag flying over 1t when We
drove up for visit to-day. At the
! gateway tho arms Of the Hohenzollerns
blazed from the massive iron gates
thrown back on either side. But
these proud arms were for the moment
4 obscured by tho solid ranks Of French
5soldiers. native troops from French
Senegal in tho heart OF Africa, black
as coal and In the French gray
uniform With red fez. They saluted
tho French officers as we passed
through tho gate. and their trumpeter
sent n French buGle call echoing
through the German Empcrors gar
dens.
All about were evidences that French
had replaced German direction at this
imperial establishment, and that in
stead Of being a summer plaything
for majesty. 1t was now being put to
some real use. Tho island itself is
temporarily under a French military
governor. French battleships and cruls-
ers crowd the hnrbor and dominate
the heights. and French soldiers and
sailors make up considerable part
OF this medley OF races cmpticd into
Corfu by the stress Of war. Here
at tho palace grounds we passed
French Red Cross nurses tending
wounded French soldiers in the olive
groves, and one OF the high officers
OF the French medical service came
from the palace to greet the party rs
It arrived.
This palace Of the Emperor is one
of tho curiosities of the East. and is
typical in many ways OF the eccentric
genius which conceived it There arc
palaces tho world over. but nothing
quite like this exists anywhere. Only
Emperor William could have developed
such an idea The whole scheme is
imperial and heroic. The palace is
planted on tho very spot where
Ulysses came for his sojourns, and
from tho imperial chamber one looks
out on tho classic Island of Ulysses,
whore tho great hero spent his leisure
hours. Like Ulysses, Emperor Will
linm camo here for his leisure. and
Severy May until the war began the
imperial yncht circled Europe from
tho North Sea to the Eastern Mcditer-
rAnean IN order that he might enjoy
these classic and heroic surroundings
during the loyeiiest period of the year.
Looking down the steel cliff, one sees
tho imperial landing place where the
yacht was moored during these visits.
Hare the Emperor first set foot. reach
ing the palace by a flight OF steps
hcwn in the rock. lined with marble
statues OF Greek deities. Or II he did
not, wish tho climb, an auto took him
through the miles OF drive in the
olive grove. making gradual ascent to
tho lofty palace.
!. DOMINATES VAST STRETCH
OF LAND AND WATER
Tho palace dominates a vast stretch
$ of land and water-Albania, just across
the strait: then Greek Epirus, to the
south; tho mountains and valleys OF
Corfu near at hand: Italy. lying low
in the dim distance to the west and
the clear blue waters of the Adriatic
. reaching in all directions through the
tangle Of islands. 1t is suggestive
\ of imperialism. and one thinks of
what Emperor William had in mind
when he looked out on this circle of
many lands and their strategic waters.
There Is one definite clue to his
thoughts in the heroic statue of
Achilles, which he built at the highest
point dominating all this land and
water. The statue is Of bronze, show
Ing the hero armed from head to foot,
Esword In hand and shield on his
breast, straining forward for the fight,
Z and looking intently out on this en-
pire of foreign lands and waters
spread at his feet. Perhaps William
had In mind something more than a
toy palace dedicated to Ulysses and
Achilles, and that the old Trojan
heroes revived dreams OF universal
conquest
The palace is of white marble,
squareiy and solidly built after the
Creek classical design. with the sug-
gestion that a German hand had
modernized the old classical lines
Along the middle front. facing the sea.
runs deep. wide marble gallery or
porch, and similar wide galleries are
at the eastern end, where the entrance
is located. The building is three
stories high, with frontage Of about
500 feet, and has about 100 rooms, in
Gluding bathrooms. state dining rooms,
81 royal chapel and the suites of i'm
peria1 chambers. The marble columns
OF the galleries. the window cornices
and friezes along the front are all
essentially Greek. and the whole
place has the massiveness and majesty
OF q Greek temple.
entering the main nall, 1t was not
Z clear whether one was in a palace. or
temple. or a museum. Immediately to
the right was the royal chapel. with
the large fresco Of Munkacsy's Christ
Before PLATE" back Of the altar. BY
an ingenious electrical continuance, a
food OF light could be turned on to
tho central figures of the fresco. CIV
ing them sort of luminous and liv-
Ing effect, almost as in cinema,
though 1t seemed queer continuance
for q chapel. Ono could hear a muir
+ muir OF ~boche'' run among tho visitors,
indicating their view that a vandaI
hand had put together this mass of
= fresco and effect.
Elaborate frescoes and mirrors COW
cred the ceilings and side walls OF
the state dining-room. The subjects
were always drawn from Greek an
II tiGuity, but the figures Of dancing
nymphs and fawns looked rather
Continued on Fifth PaEe.1