THE DEATH OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1453, 31 March 1873, Page 4

THE DEATH OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON.

At a quarter to eleven on January 9, the Emperor Napoleon died of the malady., from which he had suffered more or less for several years. "The story of the.Em^ peror's death may be briefly told, and we need only go back to Jannary 8 to begin, the narrative. , At eleven o'clock that night the medical men paid a visit to the Emperor. They found him sleeping soundly, giving no indication of any approaching change. Three hours later— at 2 a.m. on January 9 — he was visited by Dr Conneau, who has stood on very intimate terms with the Imperial Family for many years, and who was satisfied with his Majesty's condition. At 4 a.m. Baron Corvisart visited the apartment of the Emperor; and at 6 a.m. Sir Henry Thompson saw his Majesty, who wasjn a sound sleep, better in health than on* the previous* night, and with the pulse between 80 and 84. Janu^ryJ9 had jbeen fixed to perform another operation ; Mr Clover wa3 in attendance, ready to administer chloroform ; and it was decided at a quarter to ten, after all the medical men had again visited his Majesty and had expressed their satisfaction at his condition, to operate at noon.. At the hour named— namely, 9.45 a.m.,.thelocal symptoms had improved, and the.'lmperial Household fondly believed that a very favorable change had set in ; but when Sir Henry Thompson made another visit to his Majesty at 25 minutes after ten o'clock he observed signs of sinking, the heart's action suddenly failed, and the Emperor survived only 20 minutes. So utterly unexpected was this fatal termination that the Empress, and indeed , all the household, were overwhelmed by the severity of the blow which had so suddenly and rapidly fallen upon them. The Prince Imperial saw his . father for the last time on January 6 ; he had been at Chislehurst from the previous Saturday until that day, when he returned to his studies •at the Royal Military Academy, cheered by the then state of the Emperor's health. As soon as the unfavorable change set in the young Prince was sent for, but, owing to the rapidity with which dissolution Occurred, he was too late to see his father before he died. At a quarter-past 11, while the Prince was at drill with the cadet company on the parade at the Royal Military Academy, a carriage and pair, in which was Count Clary, drove up in great haste. He instantly stacked his rifle, and entering the carriage, drove off rapidly to Chislehurst. When the Empress was informed of. the change that had taken place for the worse, her Majesty at once repaired to the bedside of her husband ;but ne did not appear to recognise her — he was ninking rapidly, notwithstanding the small doses of brandy which were ordered to be given him, and which had produced a momentary reaction. The Empress at once sent for the Abbe Goddard, the parish priest of Chislehurst, who arrived a few minutes afterwards and administered the last Sacrament to his Majesty. The Empress, the Duke de Bassano, Viscount Clary, Count Davillier, M. Pietri, and Madame Lebreton were kneeling by the bedside, and nothing could be heard in . the room but the prayers of the priest, . and the sobbing of those present. The religious ceremony terminated — during which the Emperor appeared to give some signs of consciousness — the Empress approached the bedside and embraced the Emperor. The patient then made signs that he wished to give his last kiss to his devoted wife, after which he made a slight movement, heaved two sighs, and expired,. The Empress, hitherto vertessy-^c£im, could no longer restrain Jjer feelings ; she uttered a cry of angiliah and despair, and fell fainting on-a chair ; her Majesty was obliged, shortly afterwards, to be removed tojter own apartment. The Empresfteehducted the Prince io the bedside 01 his dead father ; he kissed him several times, and placed upou his breast (as the Abbe Goddard and the Empress had done previously) a small spray of box. The Prince was greatly affected. When at length he was induced to leave the room, he inquired of M. Davillier the circumstances connected with his father'a death. His Majesty's principal equerry explained all to the young Prince, who continued throughout to weep most bitterly. Death took place by failure of the circulation, and was attributable to the general constitutional state of the patient. The disease of the kidneys of which this state was the expression was of such a.nature, and so advanced that it would in any case have shortly determined a fatal result. The Empress Eugenie's first night of widowhood was terrible ; no entreaties could prevent her from proceeding several times to the mortuary chamber, where a sister of the order of the Dames de Bon Secours was in waiting, and spending many hours inprayer beside the inanimate form of her husband. In the morning her Majesty was more composed. As for the Prince Imperial, his silent grief was inexpressibly saddening. To those who ventured to address him he replied, " What could I tell you ?" All the world knows the deep affection which existed between the Emperor and his son. One of the greatest consolations experienced by the Empress was caused by the receipt of a long letter from her Majesty Queen Victoria. The Queen also transmitted a telegram to the Prince Imperial.