The New York Herald Newspaper, November 16, 1872, Page 4

4 ‘NAPOLEON. Interview with Prince Napoleon. ——e—— His Retirement on the Baaks of Lake Leman. An Yanat the Prince Thinks of His Banishment. He Intends to Seek Justice in the Courts. His Personal Relations to Presi- dent Thiers. Wow He Served M. Thiers Twenty | Years Ago. ° SPECULATIONS UPON FRENCH POLITICS, The Bonapartists Do Not Want the Empire Unless France Wants It. The Prince and America—fe Wants to See California. GENEVA, Oct. 26, 1872. The sun was passing over the hills and throwing the long mountain shades across the clear placid surface of Lake Leman, as your correspondent found himself trundling rapidly along to the exile home of Prince Jerome Napoleon. His Imperial Highness had expressed a willingness to receive a correspondent of the HERALD, and the hour fixed for the interview was four. It was a long ride into the Swiss country, two or three hours from Geneva, It was a superb autumn after- noon, and Nature had poured out a wealth of color and beauty over hill and lake and valley. On the right Mont Blanc looked proudly up, its peak glis- tening through the clear October air (the sun throwing its rays into your eyes) so near that one would deem it a morning walk, an‘ yet sixty miles away. Lake Leman swept before us, with the grace and calmness of a virgin, modestly ebbing its way to the narrow gorges of the Rhine. The vintage was done, and the poor vines looked dreary and forlorn robbed of their hanging clus- ters, and going into brownness and decay. Now and then a thin, trembling mist arose from the val- ley, a kind of tangled gauze or crape, that seemed to be lifted by unseen hands, to show the beauty it had been hiding. Suddenly we would come upon a small, compact village, and as we scampered through the narrow street with the overhanging houses, the heavy portals, the dingy churches, neither sweet nor fragrant to the wayfaring sense, the gossips hurried to the door to see who made the clatter. Across the lake was France, and tle day was so clear that you felt almost as if you could reach out the hand and press ttssoil. The exile sits by his hearth ona foreign soil and sees his native land from his window, THE “CLASSIC GROUND" OF LAKE LEMAN, The country through which we pass is cultivated ‘to the last degree. Ang out of the trees and throw up their quaint, graceful lines from lawns and groves and wood- Jands are the homes of wealth and leisure. Lake Leman is an “English lake,” you will be told. Itis certainly a lake of rest and peace. We pass the home of Sir Robert Peel, which might be in Kent, It looks 80 English; and high upon the hill is the palace of one of the Rothschilds, a glaring, ostenta- tious, proud mansion, with a flag floating froin the tower in token that the Baron is at home. Further- more remember that this is classic ground, As we eave Geneva we pass Les Délices, a country home of Voltaire, where he lived aiter quarrelling with Frederick; aud a little on we see Ferney, where he reigned for twenty years patriarch and king, driving to Genevyain a four-horse team, ac- cording to tradition, at stated occasions, to look aiter his dividends and funds. Across the lake is Diodati, where Milton lived when he passed this way to Italy and saw the scenes which inspired the ode— Ayenge. O Lord, Thy slanghtered saints, whose bones Lie scattered oi the Alpine mountains Cold, And Diodati has other memories, Here Byron lived in 1816 and wrote the third canto of “Childe Harold.” Here he met Shelley, and you know all about their moonings on the lake and sitting up tilt dawn to rhapsodize, and how his Lordship was fond of shouting the Tyrolese songs to announce to the Shelleys that his boat was coming. The Shelleys lived near Coligny, and their neighbor were Madame De Staél, whose family still live in | this very chatean, that looks so demure and mod- est behind its screen of foliage as we whirl along. This 13 the road—this very road, with the high pop- lars standing like sentinels in close array, arm to arm—along which Gibbon came wooing when he made his unsuccessful suit to the famous daughter ; of the then famed Neckar. We passed the house of Rousseau, and his statue overlooked us as we set out on our journey, and the splendor of his genius rests like a bright aurora over Lake Leman. This shelly town of Versoix, which looks like a high pretending gentleman gone into decay, was an idea of the noted De Choiseul, who became angry with Geneva and meant to destroy her by creating a rival town, And this is all that came of it. “At Versoix we have tie streets, but we do not have the houses.” So Voitaire said in his mocking way. THE EXILES NOME. The town of Dijon is passed and we come to Prargins, the home of Prince Napoleon, It is quite a drive before we reach the gate. The por- ter's wife arrests us and bids us tarry at her lodge until the Prince sends word that we are welcome; and a little chip of a bare-legged girl, with hair streaming In the wind, runs scampering to the | chateau with our card, It is quite a distance, as we learn by waiting, and madame, the keeper, goes herself to see what detains the child. moments she signals us, and we drive along, per- haps a furlong or two, before we come to the door of the chateau. It is a quiet, modest, unpretend- ing house, the Prince having sold the grand chateau to an Englishman. As we enter the attendant escorts us to an antechamber, Another moment of delay and we pass into a large, roomy, comforta- ble study, with a blazing fire. Before it stands the Prince, who bids us welcome in a full, pleasant voice, PRINCE NAPOLEON. One is startled as he answers the greeting. All the world knows the figure of the great Napoleon— the large head, the deep black eyes, the dark brown hair, thin and straggling over the brow; the arched nose, the close, almost cruel, Jips, the olive complexion and that attitude of thought or con- templation which led his soldiers in later days to call him ‘#ather Thoughtful." This historical figure you could draw with charcoal so that any one would know it, and here it stood, in life, form And movement, the Napoleon of history and ever- lasting fame, I had olten heard of the resem- biance, but never fancied it as so striking. Prince Napoleon is about three or four inches taller than the great Emperor and somewhat fuller, He is now forty-nine, and his uncle closed bis career at forty-six, and the full cheeks and double chin show the ‘middie-aged genticman. The Prince speaks French with @ marked Southern accent, a trace of Italian melody running through it, and in a loud, hearty fashion. At times he would speak English which he did freeiy, but whenever he est he ran into French, in which lan terview was mainly held, riding suit tate, He Ih wage the in He was dressed in a and had probably been out over his es- ves ere with his wife and three chii- These homes that come peer- | In a few | NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1872.—TRIPLE SHEET. Gren under the name of tne Vomte de Montcaione, although he ia knows as “Prince Napoleon” aud ie en no other designation in the neighbor- hood. THR PRINCE'S PERSONAL HISTORY. Napoleon Joseph Char'es Paul, “Prince o! France,” as he 1% calied, was bora in 1622, and waa the second child and ony gon of Jerome Napol-oa Bonaparte, the younyest brother of the Emperor, by his marilage with Catherine, the Princess ikeyal of Wurtemborg. You know how young Jerome visited America and married Miss Patterson, of Bal- tumore, and founded xn American branch of the family; how the Emperor dissolved the union and made Jerome a King, and competied him to marry the German Princess; and how, when the Linpire ‘was restored, te abrogation of the marriage was sustained and the Piince made heir to the throue in defiult of an heir from the Emperor's marriage with Eugénie. The Prince married in 1869 the Princess Clotilde, daughter of Victor Emmanuel and sister of tue King of Spain, By this union he has three children—two boys (aged ten and cigiit) and a girl, aged six, His visit to France was to ina & school for the boys, who are now with hua at Prangins. When your correspondent acquainted the Prince With his mission, that he had been charged by Mr. Bennevt to suy that the American people, through their representative journal, the HexaLy, would be pleased to know the views of (he Prince upon affairs in France, aud particularly upon the iuci- dent personal to himself which had excited so much attention, he replied that he Jelt honored by the courtesy of Mr, Bennett, and that nothing would agord him more pleuwsure. THE PRINCH AND HIS AMT The conversation run at once to Ame: The Prince remembered fir, Bennett having dined with him in Now York, had fit sorrow at his death, He w remarkable man, and had made a great journal, He said ne had listened to Stanley's address at Brighton, which he bad attended with the Emperor, froin ceded @ random talk on journelivm, wee asking many questions about tie The press tad become & power in and America which, he said, Bur- He was anxious to know how the Alabama question, topics. 'y Weil and said England prised him, the Americans viewed and said that if the arbitration really made and lest no ill feeling It was a great trium made inquiries as to the Presidential cleet seemed surprised at the nowination of Mi by the democrats. He had never mot Grant, but asked particularly about Gen Meade, his present rank in the army and how he wus esteemed. He had met Meade, and boid him in kind remembrance for his courtesies when he visited our army, He was sorry to hearof the death of Mr. Seward, whom he knew, and asked some questions about the late eretary. Tle thought Mr, Seward had shown the highest states- manship in our war. He made inquiries about Mr, Sumner, and your correspondent having men- tioned his acquaintance with Mr. Sumner and hay- ing seen him in Paris, the Prince was anxious to know his views on France and French politics. He made some inquiries about the Pacific Railroad— its length and success—and said he meant to visit America if he could make it in any way con- venient, and cross this road to Catifornta, THE BANISHMENT OF THE PRINCE. The conversation in time exhausted itself on matters interesting to the Prince, your correspon- dent making answer to the best of his ability, He then, in answer to our question, spoke of his arrest and sanishment, caretully explaining tle real nature of the passport under which he entered France. He found the document after searching his table and opened it out before us under the glare of the lamp. It was a thin raggod shect of white paper, and had been evidently worn in travel. It desired, “in the name of the French people,” that “Prince Napoleon, of the Couacil General of Corsica," should be permitted to pass, without let or hindrance, and receive all the pro- tection extended by foreign governments to the citizens of France. The formula, as to height, color, complexion, character of nose and chin and mouth and forehead, and those embarrassing and sometimes not very flatteriug legends which a wise and curious government inscribes upon our passports, wW: biank, and simply written ‘The vis¢ on the passport The Prince explained the law on the showed that the document was good m the time of the last vis’, and could tuerelore run in full legal force until October, 1873. So that there was no foundat for the pretext that he was seeking to enter nee with a pass- bead which had expired and was without legal joree. HOW THE GOVERNMENT AUTUORIZZD THE PASSPORT. | Your correspondent ventured to observe that perhaps the passport might represent the act of a subordinate government official and have been iven without any knowledge on the part of the epublic, and that this might be cited as an indi- cation of the wish of the government that he shouid not return to France. Monseigneur, who was standing before the fire rolling a cigarette, re- plied, with great animation, “Oh; no! the circumstances under which this passport was granted show thatit was with the express will and cognizance of the government. | was here in Switzerland when it was announced that I had been elected to the Council General of Corsica. This is a et office, the functions being sim- ply local, and with no political significance or re- sponsibility. But it was necessary that I should go to Corsica to periorm them, and to go to Corsica [ must visit France. So I appited to the French Con- sul General for a passport. I know him well. We had been and continued to be on terms of friend- ship. Wehad been deputies under the Republic and had seats near each other. When I made my PADRE tne Consul refused—re fused indirect! threw- difficulties in my way. Isaid to him I was a Frenchman and demanded what was tel dad my right. He did not absolutely deny me; said there were reasons why he could not grant my request, hoped I could see thelr value and not press my demand, and so on. I tola him there were no reasons under the laws of France why I, a@ Frenchman, should not have my richts as a Frenchman, and that I would cail with a huissier or @ notary and make my demand for- mally and have a proces verbal of the transaction. Sunday intervened. On Monday, before 1 had time to call with the Auissier and have a legal refusal, the Consul General sent me my passport. He had telegraphed to President Thiers for instructions, and the President had consented to the issue of this very document, Furthermore, you will see on the face of the passport, ‘Issued by the order of the government’—an unnsual phrase, which the Consul told me he was constrained t9 insert. To | this you will see are also added the three visés— Turin, Brussels and London, The last was made at Partarlin, d carries the document through to | October 2, 1573. And to this there were no dimeul- | les ade Whatever, So it il be seen that the ; government was made acquainted with my de- mand for a passport and over and over again con- firmed it, as can be seen by the visits, THE BANISUMENT A MISADVENTCRE—A ERRORS, The conversation then turned upon the apparent Motives of the President in Issuing the order of bans Your correspondent — observed | that it, was of course impossible, or at least im- | probable, that the President would issue such an order whimsically or trom a mere impulse of dis- like towards the House of Bonaparte. He then “aged forty-nine years.” was correct. COMEDY OF political or otherwise, which led the President to exile him, Monscigneur, in reply, described in an | animated and amusing manver tie incidents of his arrest, and what seemed to be the operation of the mind of M. Thiers in commanding it. “The police of Monsieur Thiers,” said the Prince, “are hot very well organized, Of course, as soon as I arrived at the frontier at Beilegarde and ex- hibited my passport, and it was seen who I was, the officer in command directed two secret oMcers | of the police to follow me, Well, it is a long night's | {ney from Beliegarde to Paris, You pass Belle- | arde late in the afternoon—abont five, if Iremem- | er—and arrive at Paris at seven o'clock bext morning. Of course, being in the Paris train, the | policemen reasoned that I was going, of necessity, | to Par.s; 80, instead of watching the train atevery | station where it stopped to observe my Movements, | they quietly went tosicep. As | meant toavoid Paris, simply and wholly because I desired to give no | offence to M. Thiers, or throw the least obstacle in the way of peace and order, or give the least ground for any suspicion that 1 was in any con- spiracy against {ts authority, I had arranged to | visit my friend M. Richaud, Instead of continuing | to Paris and going by train to bis house I had a riage meet we and drove across the count 1 arrived at Melfin, where he lived, before dawn, Melon is thir ‘aris, The train went to Paris. My keepers awoke from their weary pap, but Iwas not to ve fount, As I had ne sought their companionsiip vor given them confidence as to my movements, of ¢ | did not know at what station I had descended. the police Went to their superiors in high chagrin, fearing censure, and with disturoed imaginations, From these superiors, who were naturally anxious to avoid any suspicions of inattention or delay, the | story increased in wonder and mystc y ntl rt fell Bren the imagination of M. Thiers. I had entered pe re during the night, J had slipped away so | Stealthily that the keen eyes of the police | could) not observe my movements. Where was I going?’ Of course there was a plot. I) was going to Satory, most likely, to corrupt the | army and have the kmpire proclaimed, So M. ‘Thiers issued the order of banishment in a pavic. As soon as} knew the condition of his mind and the misadventures of his policemen, and the strange, nninst suspicions under which I rested, I hastened to communicate to the President my resence in France and my purpose in returning. | Twas simply the guest of an ‘old and valued friend, ; accompanied by my wile, and intending only to make a social Visit And find a school for my boys. | But it was of no vaine, The order had heen isssued, | The government could not admit that its sleepy | policemen were in error; the journals had reached the jact and were disussing it, and so 1 was con | pelled to know the history o my departur e (his narrative with | allimation, dwelling upon its human aspects, the ntures of the erring policemen and panic that fell upon the government with g: | spirit, laughing witha merry, round, fill, hearty | laugh, when some incident of an amusing charac. ter came to his mind, WAS THE VISIT POLITICA. IN CHARACTER ? Your correspondent suggested that from the nar- rative of His Imperial Highness it would seem that there was no deliberate political or government purpose underlying the action of M. Thiers, and | | that the question arose in his mind, and would | naturally be asked by the American people, whether the Prince, in resisting the commands of the President, had not given @ political tone te an incident that came from a misadventure? The Prince answered that there was no doubt in his mind that M. Thiers had acted under a panic, m- spired by false information and impressions, “But,” he said, “what wasl todo’ M, Thiers put it | the policeman. | what is best. asked the Prince whether there was any motive, | out of my power to do anything but resist. Hf he had said fo me before enterins France, or even aiter my entrance, that my presence would be an embarrassment to him or an impediment in the way ofa permanent and happy peace or in the work ol frecing the territory of the foreigner, |, as a Frenchman, loving France above any govern- ment or iorm of government, would have said at once that I would remain in exile, But he put the alternative to me in the most offensive inanner, 1 could only assent to it by admitting that I was a conspirator and had returned for purposes of conspiracy, M. Thiers did nat give me an opportunity of freeing him from an; embarrasameut, He made no appeal to my patriot ism or my duty asa Frenchman, [ie asked no ex- nae of my motives in returning to France, He knew that 1 Wasa citizen aé much as himsell— and more than that, an officer chosen by the suf frages of my constituency, just as he was chosen by the constituency that made him Deputy. So when, without appealing to me as a Frenchman, or giving me an opportunity for explanation, or regret or acquiescence, he sent a policeman to hustle me over the border, I fell back upon my righta as a French citizen, without regard to m, name, Or.my rank or my family. I the incident nas become ‘political, and has attracted universal comment, Tam not to blame, I it has given an, trouble to the government, it is the fauit of M, Thiers, Tcouid not susmit to an indignity from his or from any government, and] was compelled to resist, asTam now compelled to seek the courts and ask if Lamacitizen of France. The case on my part is simply personal, ‘The politics value it has achieved 18 the work of the head of the French government,” WAS THE BANISHMENT A MILITARY ACT ? espondent then called the attention of ‘apoleon to the point made in many Paria —that his banishment was a military and not a 1 act; tat the house of M. Maurice Richand, where he was staying, was in the Depart- ment oF Seine-et-Oise, now under martial law, and tlt by martial law the commandins ofiicer could remove at willand without explanation any one who was not agreeable to him. “Yes,” said the Prince, “ have secn that point, But remember tint i was not arrested by the military but by the civil hority, It would have been a diferent matter had the soldiers taken me away. 1 don't svo Lhe Prince smiled and shook his head meanipgly} that the President would have sent soldiers on that business! No; it was @ civil act, emanating irom clvil authority, and carried into effect by policemen, The President cannot assizn the existence of martial law as a reason for his his action, nor will he or any of his subordinates sivance it. Noi M. ‘hters must make & purely civil defence and abide by the decision of the civ. courts, THE OASK TO BR PRESSED TO A LEGAT. DECISION, “I suppose, Monseigneur,” said your cor spondent, “that you mean to insist upon your ca: being decided in the courts.” “Most certatt most certainly,” replied the Prince, with great emphasis, “Who will be the defendant in the case? Can you bring an action against a Minister, who 1s at the same time a member of the Assembly and en- titled to the immunities of that position? The Prince replied that if the Minister of the Interior was free from any prosecution on account of his representative character, then he would prosecute He would take one after another until he found a defendant. He could certainly prosecute a Prefect of Police, There would be an obstacle to the prosecution of any subordinates, arising out of an antiquated law of 1775, which screened them from any legel Ba ee eee This was a foolsh, useless law, and the Ollivier Ministry proposed to rescind it, But war came, and with the war tho government of Gambetta, which annulled the Olivier propos: fo by this old law a_ prefect of Police, or any other official, could be held re- sponsible in the eyes of the law for any act, and could not plead In bar the directions of his superi- ors, “So, in considering this case in its civil aspect,’ the Prince continued to say, “the law gives me a remedy—the remedy I have taken, and h I mean to pres Had it been a military transaction there would have been no responsi- oI except on the pare of the officer whe gave the order, No; M. Thiers DHS e Tee he sees phan- toms of conspiracy in every shadow, and he alone must be respousible for so unjust and atrocious a violation of the rights of a French citizen.” POLITIOS IN FRANCE, The conversation then passed into a wider range of themes, I give you this part of the interview with due reserve, a8 many things would naturally ke said in the freedom and abandon of an a'ter- noon's conversation that would not do for publica- tiou. Allusion was made to the rumors now 80 generally in circulation as to the alliance between the followers of Napoleon and Henry V. Your cor- respondent asked His Imperial Highness whether there was any truth the rumors of such an alliance. To this he made no direct answer, but the drift of his conversation whenever any allusion was made to the legitimists indicated a change in the minds of the Bonapartes so far as the Bourbons were concerned. We were speaking, for instance, of the discrivMaation made against the Bonapartes by M. Thiers. “1 came to France a rivate citizen,” said the Prince, “and I am ban- shed. I{there is no friendship for our house in France why care what any member of it may do? But the Orleans Princes are not troubled, and when the Count de Chambord returned to his chateau he was not molested, I think it was proper to give the Count hospitality. He returned to France a citizen of France and was under the protection of his country’s laws. You will see, also, that he returned as King, and not only visited his chateau a8 King, but issued a proclamation signed ‘Henri.’ He spoke as a King to his subjects. Now, suppose 1 were to have issued a proclamation in the name of the Emperor, my cousin, There would then be some ground for anger or severity. If M. Thiers meant to administer the laws to all French- men alike, whether princes or simple citizensy he wonld make no distinction between the houses of Bourbon, Orleans and Bonaparte." THR REPUBLIC A MOCK REPUBLIC. This led the conversation to the present condl- tion of politics in France. The Prince spoke with great freedom and animation, his conversation having a conciseness and brilliancy which your correspondent despairs of rendering in satisfactory English. ‘The Republic,” he said, “is a mock Re- public. Everything ig as provisional a8 when Gam- betta and Jules Favre organized a government on the sidewalks, We have no government—no erystalized and respected authority, M. Thiers came from nothing, and if he were to die to-morrow he would leave nothing behind him but anarely. There is order; but order comes from the conser- ve, honest, patient sense of the people, who see (and unpatriotic all agitation must be at Now in this interregnum—when France is looking around for a government—what is the duty and the right of every citizen? To look around, see what is best, discuss the good and the bad of ali questions, and especially the future state of parties and politics, to sce ‘The world has its lessons of experi- ence. The war may have taught us lessons, as no | doubt tt did. How shall we profit by them? M. | Thiers has no right to think tor France or to say | Mat there shall be ho speech which does not meet his approval. Of course, [cannot say how rance Would speak were there to be an absolnte freedom of discussion and an expression of opinion.” FRANCE BEFORE THE EMPIRE. “Another plebiscitum,” I said, “might be ex- | peeted to recall the Empire.’ | ‘As to the Empire,’ said the Prince, “of course, | Moy position in life makes me a partisan and nota critic. Twill mot say what I think about that, for public opinion in France is too uncertain to justify any Opiuion as tothe future of its politics, You were saying some time ago that Cluseret, of the commune—— By the way, was Cluseret really a } general in your army?’ “Yes,” I said; “he was appointed a brigadier general in our army by President Lincoln, at the urgent solicitation of Senator Sumner, and served on the staff of General Fremont.” ‘THE COMMUNE NOT IMPOSSIBLE, “Tow odd,” id the Prince. “I knew he had served in an army, but did not knew you had made him really a general. But Cinseret, as you were saying, intends te return with the Commune to Paris in two years. Now that event is just as probable as any other. Just as prohable,” said the rince, slowly, us if thinking, “I would not be eur- prised if it turned ont to be more probable than ; ven so impatiently expected. As to the Empire, we who beileve in it and in the man ane the system upon which the Empire is fonnded, regard France as above all forms oj government. jt France wants the t the most glorio t Wealthy, ¢ nation jn the world tented and prosperous, then let us have ti e, Butit not then let it be a republic ris wanted. We have no affection for inpire th does not Dies to France. ve the pire to be France, bot ow e€ above ali fovins of government. ts clearer in the history ofou use than that, The Bonapartis's de not Nf a Their house came from a aHIiC, Want a republic that France Wants, We do not complain of M. Thiers as Presi- dent, nor shal) we complain of any other citizen in the same siation, We sre not satisfied with the eystem.”” THE REPUBLIC NOT ESTARLISHED. “Po you think, Monseignenr,” said your corré- sponden!, “that the Republic may be juokcd upon as established: “Tsee nothing,” was the prompt reply, ‘to lead | me to think so, TF see how a republic is possible in our country, and how it is becoming a great power. also, how—sheitered uuder their INountains ani tis political mregrity necessary to the Powers of Kurope—a republic can exist here in Switzerland, There are ttions Of society, cus- traditions and so on, in Switzerland and the i States which do not exist in France, absence makes me donbt as to the possibility of a republic. But this is my opinion, which I give with | the utmost reserve, as the subject is one npon which any man may make an opinion utterly valueless, do not believe in this Republic. [i may come, put only in one way— by free, generous, universal discussion, When it comes I and all my house and ai) who believe in the name of Napoieon, will accept and defend it. For, as } have said, the first principle of our house is—all for France, and France above any mere form of government! Franc nee, and she will make any government s valory, Butifa public Were more sure (han even the republicans pect the course of M. Thiers in this personat inct- dent would go far towards destroying it. How can there be any r 1 or agovernnient or any respect for an authority Which claims to be a Republic and ai the same time makes the most arbitrary exer- cise of power? One circumstance like that, making # scandal throughout the world and slowing & timidity and want of Pao, on the part of the President, will do the Republic more harm than any event you can imagine, It shows weakness, ana weakness no one respects. It shows # want of Empire under that house which | Their | rmpathy with the essence of republican doctrines, Thue ie, ublie has been bitten by an carly and un- timely frost."" HOW THE PRINCE RECALLED THIERS FROM BANISH- MENT. “7t Is not sige said your corre: dent, referrng again to the circumstances of tne ar- rests, “¢ iat M. Thiers could have had any personal motive in putting upon your Frghnene he indie nity of Dadtshineat “Oh, not all,” was the response. “I knew M, Thiers very well. Our re- lations had al: 6 been soy pleasant. Our house was not insensible to what it owed him—for tho justice he had done te the Emperor in his history. en it was Thiers who negotiated the return of the remains of the Emperor from St. Helena. He was then Minister of Louis pe, and to make the return more conspicuous and noticed Prinoe Joinville was placed in command of the expe- dition, So it naturally happened that between Thiers and my father and msseli there were always the best relations, When my cousin etfected the coup @'état ‘Thiers was arrested and banished, lia banishment affected him acutely, as he had even more than @ Frenchman's love ‘or France. He had not been absent two days before he wrote to ine to endeavor to have his sentence cancelled. I spoke to my father about it, and we both agreed that there was every reason—rea- sons of gratitude alone, not to speak of jus- tice and policy—why ®& man who had done 40 much for the memory of Na; olcon and who had held so high a atation in France should be allowed to remair here. My father was most earnest in tho matter, and when he spoke to my cousin, the Emperor, he at once assented, taking the same views, M. Thiers was full of expressions of grati- tude. Our relations continued friendly, No politi- cai differences under the Kmpire were permitied to interrupt them, He came frequently tu the Palats Royal, and so far as 1 know tne feeling continues, So, likewise, with the Minister of the Interior, Wo were always on the most friendly terms."' LOUIS BLANC AND GAMBETTA, “I take it,” said your correspondent, France, a6 in all countries, political diferences did not necessarily mean personal ditlerences.”’ ‘Not at all,” suid the Prince, “1 know Louis Blanc very well, for instance, and hold him in high respect and honor. Louis iano is a dreamer, and has Political fancies which do not seem possible o! reali- zation, but he is @ worthy Frenchman, and has great pewer,” “Do you know Gambetta?’ “} don’t know M. Gambetta, “Do you regard M, Gambetta aa the successor of M. Thiers under a republic?” was my question, “Oh, not at all,” said the Prince, “1 cannot see how, under any circumstances or under the reign of any king or of any party, M. Gambetta can rule France, He does not seem to be made of material to wear. His strength is not the strength that leads to the executive power. But 1 don’t know him and may do him injustice. 1 speak simpiy of the impressions his career makes upon me.’” “How could @ republic be possible, under the circumstances now existing, and the radicals com- ing more and more into power, without Gambetta or some of his friends ruling it?” 1 ventured to ask the Prince. REVOLUTIONISTS AND REPUBLICANS. “You must remember," was the reply, ‘‘In ex- aming French politics, to make @ distinction be- tween @ republic and a revotution, Men hke Louis Blanc are republicans. 1 see Gambetta and his friends as simply revolutionists, The one would like to build up a new system of govern- ment. It may be an impossible task, but they mean to try to do it. The others want to tear down, Now no government can exist under the care of revolutionists. 1n times of revolution bad men—adventurers, those who have no care or pur- pose but their own comfort, ambition or advance- ment—are as apt to gain the mastery as the wise and good, I do not see how the party of Gambetta can be anything more than a revolutionary party, and no leader of @ mere revolution can expect to rule France." THIERS FOR HIMSELF ALONE. ‘73 It not possible that M. ihiers may ask the Or- leanists back ¢” “M. Thiers,” said the Prince with emphasis, as he stood in tront of the fire, “is neither for the Or- leanists nor the legitimists, He is for himself—for himself solely and wholly.” THE COLUMN VENDOME. “I see, by the way, that Prince Jomville proposes to piace a statue of a simpie private soldier on the top of the newly erected Column Vendome in place of the Emperor.” “Yes; what an idea!’ sald the Prince, laughing. “The ‘Communists Meant something when they ulled it down. They were logical trom their preni- ses of reasoning. But this suggestion is absurd. The column tells the story of the Emperor’s German victories, and it cannot be made to fell anything else, no Matter what you may put on the summit.” assed into other regions, SPAIN AND ALSACE. The conversation here The Prince gathered that your correspondent had visited Spain, and had been on a tour through Al- | Sace and Lorraine. He asked some questions about Spain, but said nothing about the politics of that country. He inquired what the feeling of the United States was towards Cuba, but gave no opinion on the subject. He felt a deep interest in Alsace and Lorraiue, and asked many questions as to the real extent and nature of the emigration. Germany, he thought, had made a grave error indemanding any territory from France—an error that no one saw more clearly than the Germans themselves, only their pride would permit of no receding. “BON VOYAGE !"? The evening had fallen late, and your corre- spondent, after thanking the Prince for his courtes: and patience, rose to go. The Prince came with him to the door, and said nothing gave him more pleasure than to meet an American, that he held the country in high honor and had the most pleas- antremembrances of it, and begging your cor- respondent to come and see him at any time when he could serve him, snook him warmly by the hand and gave him a cheery bon voyage, that rang pleas- aptly out in the mild Autumn evening air. THE INSURANCE EXCITEMENT. The Market Forced Into Liquidation— They Will Reinsare Their Risks in the Exchange—Proposed Increase of Rates on Mansard Roofs from 60c. to $1 20 Per Hundred, The insurance interest was somewhat excited yesterday over what was believed to be the critical condition of two or three companies whose losses at Boston impaired their surplus capital, and whose stockholders seem to hesitate about sup- | porting the directors in their determination to make up any deficiencies. Among these companies is the Murket, whose able and energetic President did not abandon hope until yesterday afternoon. A two hours’ session of the directors and stockholders was held, and the discussion at in Thave seen him," Kalbficisch, who is a large stockholder, willing to pay their proportion of the seventy-five percent assessment required to carry the com- pany through, butsome of the stockholders showed ap indispoation to stand the assessment, and, | consequently, Mr. Taylor and his directors | were forced, much against their wishes, to | the alternative of liquidation. The meeting resolved, in view of this condition of things, to remsure their riska in the Exchange Insur- ance Company, who assume them after yesterday and wind up the company, All policy-holders who desire to have their policies cancelled can have the premium refunded to them pro rata, The om- cers report that tiley will be abie to pay all losses and have probably twenty-five or thirty per cent | | i showed that the directors, including ex-Mayor , were | SALAMANDER EDIFICES. Can Fireproof Buildings Be Constructed ? Suggestions for Their Erection—What the Mon of Scionoo Say. Have we « building suMeciently strong to with- atand the action of extended conflagration ? is the question that is now most frequently asked by prop- erty owners and business men. ‘The great mer- cantile steres of Chicago and Boston, which were formerly supposed to be invulnerable, crumbled to the ground when exposed to the test of danger, and the public were not more astonished at the speedy destruction of the edifices than the archi- tects who designed them. The only two buildings in the burnt district of Chicago of which a particle was leit standing were the Post Oftice and the 7ribune office, and even these were #0 badly damaged as to be rendered almost complete- ly dseless. Thoy were built of iron, constructed in accordance with the latest fireproof theories, and yet they could not withstand the action of powerful and prolonged flames. The fire in Boston originated in & fireproof building, was fed by fire- proof buildings and only stopped when it had reached the old brick houses of which Uosten is justly proud, tis evident that OUR ARCHITECTS have not yet hit upon tho proper design on which to model and the proper materials with which to construct their buildings, and the question natur- ally suggests itself, have they been wandering in the dark for 40 many years ? and, if so, can 4 build- be erected in which property will be secure and life safe ? ‘The citizens of New York may well be proud of the numerous tasteful, commodious and magnif- cent edifices which the enterprise of the past few years has erected. Our city is rapidly becoming important in influence, science and art, and in Architectural effects is vying with the olden centres of wealth and fashion in Europe. It is an all important question, and one that comes forcibly home to every resident on Manhattan Island, how can these buildings be preserved from the destruc- tion which has overtaken others equally beautifuy in the sister cities, one of which is just recovering from her disaster and RISING FROM HER ASHRS, while the other is mourning in the midst of her ruins? The alarming increase of great conflagra- tions both in this country and in Europe ts excit- ing the attention of men of science, and they all Agree that the only way to prevent them is to erect buildings which will render it utterly impossible for extensive tires to occur, The schemes which have been advanced for the erection of these build- ings are very numerous; but the one which seems to meet with most favor from the builders is that brick should be mainly used in the construction of walls, Bitter experience has now proved that the vaunted iron pillars and marble walls, however or- namental, beautiful and apparently indestructible, do not fulfil the anticipations of their architects, and they must be abandoned for something that will better stand the test. is An experienced builder, speakin: store of A. T. Stewart & Co., which of the retail generally re- garded as one of the strongest buildings in the city, stated that in his opinion the store would). - ~ BURN UP LIKE TINDER in the event of a fire occurring similar to those of Chicago and Boston, The reason he adduced was that the iron tubes which constitute the walls are too holiow, and when sufficiently heated would only serve as fire conductors and would eventually destroy more than they would save, The same can be said of numerous other store edifices which adorn Broadway. They are pleasing to the eye, and the owners flatter thems¢lves they are se- cure against conflagration; but let ‘the trial of fire come and this delusion will be scattered to the winds. It is #. matter of surprise that 80 many buildings of a non-tire- proof character should be yearly erected in our midst. If greater care was exercised in the choice ot materials and a little more money spent there would be less necessity for insurance offices and fewer causes for financial panic, “THE BUILDING OF THE FUTURE: what in your opinion should it consist of?” was the question propounded a day or two ago toa practical builder, ‘In my opinion,”’ he said, “the outer walls should be of brick; we have no material which can be properly called fireproof but brick; pat it in an oven and it won't burn; it will last jonger than stone and iron, and can be constructed into a firmer wall. In the inside of the gE I wonld make the party walls at least four inches thicker. The great mistake made in Boston was the thinness of their walls. No law required architects to make them more than eight inches thick, and the consequence was that the fire, which might have been withstood had they been strong enough, spread with ease. They should be so built that ALL SOUND SHOULD BE DEADENED, so that when they would be struck they would give back noecho. The ceilings of houses should be also deadened. I have known instances of fires in which the flames failed to penetrate to the second floor solely on account of the deaden- ing of the ceilings. ‘Then [ would furnish all the windows with iron shutters, which would, in my | opinion, be the greatest preventive against fire that could be desired. Take, for instance, a street like Church street; itis narrow and covered with spacious stores, in which immense quantities | of combustible materials are kept. Few, if any, | of these stores are provided with Iron shutters, and | in the event ol a great conflagration the flames | | would penetrate from window to window and | building to building and engulf the whole street | almost simultancousiy. I would, of all things, have | iron stutters erected there, and that right soon, if we are not to have a repetition of Chicago and Boston. In the last place, in erecting a fire- proof building, | would pay particular attention to | the rool, Ifwe are to have a Mansard at all, of which I qnestion the utility, | would construct it after the French models, of materials which would not catch tire, and abolish the ornamental wood | work, which at the present time constitutes the main features of those roofs. With build | gs like what J have just sketched, | walis of brick, party walls ef sufficient | strength, ceilings deadened, tron shutters on all the windows and a fireproof roof, it would be utterly impossible, in my opinion, for an extended | conflagration to oc 1 be practicable to meet all | It would not, of course, these requirements in the ERECTION OF DWELLING HOUSES, but much conld be done in the way of rendering Wem much securer ff the proper means were used. | In the lower parts of the city, where are {| the abodes of poverty, and upon the centres of commerce, & sweeping reforma- tion is absolutely necessary to insure the safety of both, The tenement houses, which are jeft to divide among the stockholders, As they are perfectly solvent no receiver will be called in, and the affairs will be wound up by the present officers. This action on the part of the Market had a depressing effect upon insurance men, all of whom speak in the highest terms of Mr. Taylor, the President, Who has devoted many years to a | verte that 1s crippled by this last great catas- | trophe. | The impression gains strength in insurance cir- cles (hat other « panies will have the same exp rience as the Market. Seve which are in tempo- | rary embarrassment have so far becn unable to inane the directors to come to time. The Seer tary ol the Corn Exchange, which betore tie fire had but a xwa!l surplus, reports that the directors | have resolved npon an assessment, and they hope fo be successiu) m securiag about $50,000 to in- erease their assets, The question of Mansard roofs stfil excites un- derwriters to a great extent. The Commi Rates of the Rourd of Underwriters have F te the Executive Commitiee a new schedule of rates which, to use the language of Mr. Miller, of the committee, il adopted “will make it to the jnterest of owners of irame Mansards to remove them en- tirely.”’ The old rate was ten cents per hundred | dollars for Mansard roof buildings, and fifty cents | addtrienal if they were of frame, which were classed second rate, Jt is understood that the rates ommended are doubi¢e the old rates, or about $1 c | , tr this schedule be adopted owners of Mansards | | Wil find that the insurance premium will make a jarge hole in their receipts for rent, and the same rate of mecrease enters into the | coutents of such buildings. <Aiter the reception of the report of the Committee on Rates esterday the Executive Committee held a meet. | ng and passed resolutions in favor of the increase { o! fifty per cent in insurance rates for Mansaxds of tyame and fiity per cent on the contents, The rates on first class Mansards, it is believed, will be fixed at one per cent for building and one per cent for contents, The impertance of the proposed increase will be seen when it is recollected that a building valued at $100,000, with a frame Mansard, will cost bed per year to insure, and one with a fireproof ansard $1,000 per year. It is generally believed that in the meeting o/ the underwriters on Wednes- day next the proposed increase wili meet with much opposition on the part of some members, and may be defeated, ‘There were no further suspensions reported yes- terday, The question of a receiver for the Interna- tional has been finaliy settled. Mr. Camerden, ap- pointed by Judge Platt, of Brooklyn, on the appli- cation of H. M. Bixby, has been discharged, and the appointment of Mr, Shade by Judge Fancher, of this city, confirmed, ‘The directors of the Merchants’, of Providence, held a meeting on Thursday and maae good the deficit caused by their Boston losses, They will continue business as usualy | er $100 on all frame Mansards of a certain height. | pi | conflagrations or such fires as threaten serious con- the standing disgrace of the city mnst be entirely rooted out or else constructed upon safer models before the city.can be pronounced gale. As stated before, it would be impracticable to make these structures fireproo!; but something could be done to have better fire-cscapes, stronger wails and jess overcrowding, It is evident from the war that is being waged that the Mansard is doomed, at least in some oj its forms. Onr merchants are seriously alarmed at the faie of Boston and Chicago, Another such dis- aster and the insnrance companies will be swamped and the business interests of the country severely impaired, The parties interested are beginning to e this fact, and it they do not sit down in fan- ecurity when the present excitement has passed away a thorough overhauling of our build- ings may be expected and @ great calamity ren- dered impossible, eaban tooo against fire are also sought to be improved by the Fire Department since the calam- ity of Boston, os may appear on reading the follow- ing letter, which was sent yesterday to Commis- sioner Van Nort by President Hitchman :— HEADQUARTERS FIRE DEPARTMENT, | New York, Noy, 15, 1872. Hon. Groner M, Van NORT, Commissioner of Pub- lic Work Drak St ave you any maps !n the Depart- Ment of Public Works showing the streets through h the Croton mains pipes are laid, the supply diverging therefrom and the stop-cecks or ShUT-off$ connected therewith 7 It so, can this department be farnished with a copy or copies of such maps with a view of having them lithographed and placed in the various engine and hook and jadder company quarters? Further, cannot an arrangement be made between this department and that under your direction by which the supply of water can be diverted, so as to give an additional quantity in a given direction in case of need at extensive sequences, by temporarily cutting off the supply from other portions of the city remove: ger? Again, cannot the number of h, ineased and this department kept advised as to the location of all new hydrants? An early reply will obi ours trul; WILLIAM TLTCHMAN FIRE AND WATER, The Aqacous Supplics of Great Cities and How Best They Can be Used in Cases of Great Conflagrations—Proper and Improper Bullding Mater1als—Dis- cussion at a Mecting of the Polytechnic Association Last Evening. The members of the Polytechnic Association held @ meeting last evening at the Goover Union, IY President. commencing at half-past seven o'clock, The President, 6 D. ‘Tillman, occupied the chair, Tho lecture room was crowded, princt- pally by the oldest members of the organization, Tie most entertaining part of the evening’s business was a brief, commonplace but interesting lecture by Mr, William McAlpine, civil (late tate) engineer, who has recently re- ceived authorization to prove the sources of the Danube, His lecture was o1 J water and its powerful agency ey tert over the epposice elemenut—tire, The sources of water he attributed to evapora‘ion and the con- densation of the atmesphere, Me then went ou to show how necessary it was ior every large city to have A SUPERABUNDANT SUPPLY OF WATLR, and particularly large cities like New York, He gave a plan of the manner in which he tuought large water pipes could be most feasibly and protit- ably constructed for the benefit of Lhe city, so as to be able to render requisite assistance in case of the breaking out of a fire like that which latcty occurred in Boston. He would have engines fixed along the North and East Rivers, of three or four hundred horse power, which, in case of emergency, wouid be able to send sait water through tho fresh water pipes in certain disicts of the city. He advocated the construe- tion of water pipes of twice the present size, and showed how the combined power of both tie fire and water engines would eilectually put an end to conflagration, r, Adolph Ott read a paper explaining THY COMPOSITION OF LIME, SAND AND GRANITB STONKS, and recommended for fireproof bulldings brick in preference to either, A iull discussion of the causes of the Boston and Chicago firea was then entered into, in which many of tho members took a Voie The meeting was adjourned at ten o'clock RELIEF FOR THE HUB. Meeting of the Committee of the Ch ber of Commerco, The committee appointed at the meeting held in the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce to take measures for the relief of the sufferers by the Bos- ton fire met yesterday. There were present Wa, E, Dodge, Ckairman; Samuel D. Babcock, Horace B. Claflin, S. B. Chittenden, Wm, H, Guion, Fred- erick $. Winston, Jacob Wendell and J, Pierpont Morgan. The Chairman read the following resoiu- tion, adopted at a meeting held tn Boston on the ‘14th inst. :— Resolved, That the committea in behalf of tho citizens of Boston return anost sincere thanks to their fellow citi- zens in all parts of the U sympathy which they have lamity, and for the friendly they have made, and that these friendly oilers be and they are hereby gratefully accepted. Whereupon it was unanimously Resolved, That the secretaries be directed to prepat subscription books for Immediate circulation, for the Dose of raising a fund for the benefit of needy sufferer tho fire in Boston, Resolved, That Mr. J. Piorpont Morgan, 53 Exchange place, be appointed Treasurer of the committe. SALT WATER AND FIRE. tendered at this time of ca offers of pecuniary aid which Suggestions from Commodore Levy. To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:— The city of New York is surrounded with an in- exhaustible supply of water; why should i¢ not be provided with a sufficient quantity to meet ang emergency that may occur at almost any moment? area thought and questiou asked by property hold- ers, who are ready to pay for it at a legitimate cost, This is not the first time that I have brought this important subject before our City Fathers, I did so as early a3 1835, after the great fire at that date. Ihave since done so on several occasions; but I am sorry to say our City Fathers would, not heed my advice. It is to be hoped that ow, after the last confagrations, some action will be taken by then, Should they not do 802 petition will be made to the coming Legislature to obtain a charter, by our citizens, to build the required reservoirs for the city and lay the mains and pipes and plugs in the streets, and to tax the property holders, each one, $5 per year for every twenty-five feet front of their property, so that the company can pay seven per cent interest on their loan and pay all their em- Ployé’s rents, &c., and keep their works in order. ‘The surplus that may be over shall go into a sinking fund, after making a dividend, to be agreed on, to the stockholders. The remaining sum shall be appropriated towards paying off our city debt. To make this a perfect success, there should be two reservoirs built, one on the East and the other on the North River, on the most elevated land, to be purchased at a fair valuation by acommittee to be appointed from among our most respectable citizens residing in this city, to prevent any exorbitant prices being paid and to prevent traud. The reservoirs to be supplied by poweriul steam engines, the main and all other pipes to be of extra thickness and made of iron. ‘These pipes should ali be coated on the inside a Spanish composition of lime and tallow, &c., which would prevent their rust in the inside and outside and last forages. The fire plugs should each have from four to six outlets or attachments for the hose, with a main pipe of six to eight inches in diameter. Then any fire plug would supply an engine, without using her suction, thereby saving one-halt of the steam engine’s power and giving her one-half more force to operate on her stream, which is now lost to her by using her suction. During the time re- quired to build the reservoirs temporary force pumps, worked by steam, can be erected at differ- ent points on our rivers, the small pipes can be laid for immediate use from these pumps on lines east and west of the city, and when the main pipes are laid they can all be used, so that there will be no loss to the city or covey With this supply of salt water our city can be ope perfectly clean and healthy, all our stables and vehicles can oe cleansed with salt water and all water closets can | be supplied with it, thereby economizing our iresh water tosuch a degree that asuficient supply can be had in all of our houses, so that many of them which now only have it up to the second floor would have it higher up. Many persons think and argue that the city of New York has an inexhausti- ble supply of fresh water sufficient for all purposes and demands, This is a mistake. It may be suf- ficient for a few years yet, but when our suburban county of Westchester becomes more accesible by quick transit then the population will increase, manufactories will spring up and the streains that now supply New York city will be consumed and the want of fresh weter willbe glarmingly felt. [¢ igawall known (3é¢ that W Sur Giicx transit™ comes into operation New Yorkers who now have to live on the low lands of New Jersey and Long Island will fly to the healthy and rich soil of Westchester county, the flower of our State, where malaria and mosquitoes are not known, and the rich milk and honey flows. New York now in its infancy; the city is about twelve miles long; in twenty-five years it will be double that distance and about three millions of | bls and, with the will of the Almighty, will one of the finest cities in the world, Now, fel- low citizens, let us put our shoulders to the wheel; let us incite our City Fathers to do their duty and supply our city with an abundance of salt water, which our Heavenly Father has provided us with, to protect our homes and resides, and from that all-deyouring element fire—that good servant but a bad master. To work! Time once lost never re- turns. . P. LEVY. Fresh Water and Fire. To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:— What do you think of the following plan of put- ting out fires in New York city? Build three or four towers, at convenient distances, along the backbone of Manhattan Island, high enough and of capacity enough to contain a large supply of water; then let there be a main pipe strong enough to withstand the pressure of water from’ the towers laid the whole length of the island; let there be pumping engines con- nected with the most northern tower, and pipes laid far enough up the Hudson River to avoid old Father Neptune. We should then have fresh water without using the Croton. Let there be (say at every other block) a hydrant and suficient hose kept to supply that section of tue city, By this means no engines or horses” wouid be réquired, but when an alarm was sounded the firemen only would have to answer the call. But, str, besides putting out fires this system would supply public fountains and could be used for sprinkling the streets in the Summer season by attaching sprinkleis to the nozzles of the hose. With all these advantages this system would pay for itselfin time. Don't you think so, Mr, Editor? LOSSES BY THE BOSTON FIRE. The Boston Advertiser enumerates among the heaviest losers in real estate by the late confla~ gration the following:—Sears estate, upward of $500,000; H. H. Hunnewell, (for self and as trustee), over $330,000; | Messrs, Faxam Brothers, in the vicinity of $250,000, and the Simmons estate in the vicinity of $300,000. The valuation of the he block on Pear! street, numbered from 69 to 95, owned by E. Brooks, Was $205,000, but 1t cannot be replaced for any such money. Harvard College is a loser to the amount of about $150,000, and $150,000 will not make the los@ of Mr. William B. Spooner good, pes, F. Weld’s loss will reach upwards of $150,000; Mr. James M, Beebe's, $175,000; Daniel Denny's heirs, $180,000; T. Tence’s heirs, $120,000 ; Mary and ‘Ann W ward Wiggle vlesworth, $80,000; Bd’ worth, $175,000; BE. B. Phillips, $225,000; Nathan Mathews, 000; Jacob Sleeper, $85,000; Luther Park's heirs, $68,000; Charles O. Rogers’ heirs, $80,000; Stephen Dow, $63,000; Axel Dearborn, $55,000; William Gray, $100,000; Liber ty Square Warchouse Corporation, $95,000; Levi L, Towety $60,000; Gardner Brewer, $75,000; Torrey estate, $60,000; L, M, Standish, $60,000; Edward Craft's heirs, $80,000; James H. Beal, $40,000; Wright & Whitman, $80,000; Charles Merriam's heirs, Nieres§ William Sohier and L, Saltonstall, trustees, $110)