Year: 1874

The London Telegraph has n long ac-


count of the memorial mass OF Chisel


hurst on the 9th inst on tha occ sion of
the first anniversary of the death of the
Emperor Napoleon. After disposing of
the crowd that attended, despite wind
and rain, the celebration OF the mass,
the Telegraph says cat length the
moment came for the removal OF the body
to Little Chapel, and while the choir
sang softly the members of the imperial
household grouped themselves around
the coffin, and preceded by priests and
bishops, surroun ed by candles, and
in the midst of cloud of incense,
bore it slowly to its last resting place.
It is iaid to have been the wish of the
late emperor that he should be laid in
French soil, even though he might be
buried in England, and in obedience to
this desire earth had been brought from
the garden of Tuilleries and placed in
the bed at the bottom of the sarcopha-
gus and into this the coffin was lowered.
The bishop, duly attired in the mitre
rochet and pail, advanced, and scatter
ing upon it little French soil, incented
the tomb, sprinkled it with holy water
and pronounced the absolution.


The prince imperial, who had remain
ed spectator oil the ceremony from the
place he first occupied, here almost
broke down under the emotions which
crowded in upon him, and it was nearly
n minute ere he could be called upon to
approach the tomb of his father. Mean
while, Father Goddard had advanced to
the vestry and now appeared on the al
tar steps, supporting the widowed en-
press who was bitterly weeping. The
bishop, attended by the priests, came
forward at this moment, and placing
the hand of her majesty in that OF her
son, conducted her to the little chapel
where she took last long look at the
coffin, sprinkled it with holy water, and
then retired, followed by the prince and
his suite.


Hereupon the congregation moved
gradually forward, passing one by one
the chapellG ardenta, each in turn TAX
ing advantage of the privilege accorded
of throwing little consecrated water
upon the coffin and so quitting the edi-
flee by small-sized door which opens
into the churchyari.


The imperial household had, however,
another duty to perform to which only
few of the friends of the Ia emperor
were admitted as witnesses fondly hop
ing that the day may yet come when
the remains of Napoleon III like those
OF his great uncle, will rest beneath the
dome of the Invalides, they deemed it
their duty to insure that the coffin
should not be surreptitiously removed,
and thus it was that in their presence
the state slab which forms the inner lin
ing to the cover of the sarcophagus was
fastened in its place with cement, the
four corners being further secured with
black wax stamped with the imperial
seal. Nothing how remained but to
place the top of the tomb in its place
which was done, and the members of
the household who had witnessed this
last ceremony left the church and re-
turned to the Camden House.


The only inscription which it bears is
that of Napoleon Third. r. |. F."
LIE 4end there is none, nor is there any
titles, mention of country or date OF
DEATH Even the imperial arms are not
displayed. The name and the prayer
which the letters represent alone bear
witness to the fact that one OF the Ma
poleons is inferred in the Catholic
Church of st. Mary OF Chiselhurst.