Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-24
sniei Chester French. Sculptor.

admiral i now to come home The statue
i exceedingly interesting, and pictures
we'll the tall. commanding figure, the
handsome face and kindly. penetrating
eyes His townspeople will welcome y
and be glad 10 recall the deeds OF one q
Delaware's most eminent sons,
The statue was erected by act OF Con-
c-ess. the action having been largely due TO
the influence Of the then senator hoTnss
F. Bavard. and was unveiled March ~;
1851 II is 10 be replaced by memorial
in white marble, emblematlc OF the adrnl-
rails career on the sea.
II has taken several years 10 6ring
about the removal Of the statue ana the
erection OF a memorial n It's place 10
du Pont Circle Permission was obtained
from the Senate and the House Tor the re-
noyal OF the statue from Washington TO
Wilmington. and this was brought about
by Senator Willard salisbury. he com
mission for memorial was then gwen 70
Daniel c. French and Henry Bacon, ana
the late Mrs. Eugene du Pont, who was the
sdrnirars favorite niece, offered 10 give 10
Wilmington the base Of the statue and TO
provide for the expense OF removal! -aF.
French and Mr.. Bacon came to Winning,
ton to select the site for the statue ana
Mr.. Bacon designed the base, as he do for
the Washington memorial
WHAT TIE STATUE RECALLS
Much is recalled by the removal Of the
statue from Washington and IT'S placing
in this. the aduirals home clty--the ad-
rniraI. notable figure In two wars; the
l,nyeiIine OF the statue in Washington, and
the memorial that Is 70 replace the tlIile-
hons,red figure that gave name and char
,cter 10 d1I Pont Circle. They are all OF
interest.
ADMIRAL Dc PoNT.
And what of the man who IS com
rnenorated bv the memorial at Washing
ton and the statue in Wilmington de Is
known as an admiral in the United states
Navy. Fort du Pont Is named for hlm
du Pont Post. G. 4 Il. is named ioT hum
Every Wilmingtonian who goes 70 asa
ington sees du Pont Circle. How did ne
ain fame and fortune and why did on
yress erect statue TO him in 1881, and
then. in 1919. grant PERMISSION TO replace
the statue with q memorial fountain ~
that the statue might he brought 70 the
.dmrals own city, Wilmington!
His name and fame were extended all
over the world he Travelled far and sa"
strange peoples and foreign lands, IN the
days when the world had not become cos
mopolitan. when every country mad Only
It's own characteristics, that were no'
influenced and changed by the lnroduc'
tion of new customs from other lanes.
For fifty wears he lived In the annals OF hli
country. he was one of those who made
history. His reward was honor and rank
he died a rear-admiral, knowing he had
served his country long and faithfully
and had worked hard and to great pur
pose. and that he had lived in the tullnes
II achievement He always cherished tn
sword that his fellow-toRnsmen gave hun
as token Of their appreciation, because ]
came from the people with whom b
ived. He left ii 10 his niece, Mrs Eugen
du Pont. whose father, Charles ]. du Pont
was the admirals brother and she lett t t.
her eldest son. Alexis /. du Pom and thu
it has STAYED in the family, although tn
admiral had no child TO whom he might be
queath it in direct descent.
FULFILLED A PREDICTION
The adrniral's career was, curionsl
enough, predicted by Thomas Jefferson
after he had been appointed a mldshipma
In the United States Navy, December X
1915. when he was but II years Of age
Jefferson. friend Of Samuel du Pon
de Memo rs, the admlrals grandiatifei
wrote
For twenty years we shall couside
peace as the 'summum bonun of on
country. By that time your grandson VI
have become one Of our high adInlraii
and bear a distinguished part III restorln
the wrongs Of both Of his countries. ]