Show SHRINE 16 napoleons last dwelling place falling failing to pieces after visit to st 81 helena traveler says memorial to emperor la is sad ly neglected and annual grants begrudged paris A feeling of strong action has hs been arouse aroused dhere here by tho the facts that have just been made public as to the deplorable condition into which napoleons last place and tomb at st helena has fallen in a volume entitled after the emi em peor ors death the well known historian albart Cal caouet luet prints a vivid description of 0 these landmarks of french history which were acquired by the government from england in n 1858 for and vigorously combats the movement now on foot to reduce it not cut off entirely the tha annual grants for their support I 1 one would imagine lie he was visiting IL a shooting shelter tor for we sale he writes all the doors are open in the first room where napoleon died Is a small altar painted blue and opposite it Is a bust of the emperor A wooden balustrade marks the exact spot where he drew his last breath all the other rooms are absolutely empty everything that could be removed having been carried away long ago by foreigners is as souvenirs ones one experiences a feeling of desolation and poignant sa sadness driess the emperors house only just remains standing anding et on itil ita old beams very soon the violent winds with torrential rains will have their way with it the superficial repairs and the coat or two of paint and even the new wall papers put on in 1911 will not compensate for the crumbling foundations and ruined walls the present caretaker who Is at least a man of good intentions wrote to me recently t 1 I am endeavoring to stay up the old house to enable lt it to keep ee standing stan diba a few years longer napoleons tomb in the valley of geraniums continues M cahouet is as sheltered as the Long longwood woodhouse house is exposed but the guardians continual vigilance Is necessary to prevent the surrounding farmers from pasturing their cattle in the valley which Is the property of the french government his efforts to have the tomb respected keep him in constant conflict with other residents of the island the present keeper of the domain has to insist strongly every year in bis letters s home on the necessity tor for X where the conqueror died money mcney in order to obtain the credits which enable him to keep tho the tomb to in decent order but who troubles about this in france asks cachet in conclusion occasionally at long intervals the government asks the commander of one of our At atlantic lanile squadrons to stop at st helena and visit longwood and the tomb A report in a few lines arrives at paris and is quickly filed away As a matter of fact both the house and tho the sepulcher aro are now thought a useless burden on the budget of foreign affairs to the extent of 1800 annually 1200 for tho the caretakers salary and GOO for the expenses of upkeep and of the watchman attempts are being made to reduce this amount and in a few yea years retime time when teho old house tumbles down the tha french sentinel will be withdrawn from longwood in that way the ruined hovel and the empty tomb will be definitely abandoned |