DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.33567#0189
93
of eight months before the rising Nile floated the vessel. Almost immediately on top of that, three
months were thrown away waiting for an opportunity to cross the Rosetta bar, and fully two more in
Alexandria waiting for fair weather before putting to sea. The worst delays, however, did not take
place in Egypt. On the banks of the busy Seine the ebb and flow of waters was no more generous
than in Thebes, and the " Luxor/' floated over the bed prepared on the ramp at the Pont de la
Concorde on the 23d of December, was not left high and dry enough for operations until the following
August. The delay resulting from the neglect in not selecting a suitable pedestal in time was touched
upon above ; for twenty-two months the monolith lay untouched, while its pedestal was being quarried,
transported, and put in place. Surely those forty-two months lost cannot be laid reproachfully at the
door of the officer who was merely given a suitable vessel, some spars and ropes, and told to go to
Thebes and bring the Needle home and erect it again. Nor is it perhaps necessary to invite attention
to the unadvanced state of the mechanical arts in that day as compared to the present time when steam,
hydraulic and electric power are regarded as mere journeymen laborers.
The cost of the undertaking was apparently very great, though the exact figures are not known.
The total expenditure is said to have been about two and a half millions of francs, or %5oo,ooo ; in
that, are included the expenses of Baron Taylors mission, the maintenance of a numerous personnel,
and the purchase, quarrying, and transport of an immense pedestal.
Regard being had for all the circumstances, the verdict of even the present rapid day must be that
M. LeBas reflected honor on his country and his profession and richly deserved the meed of praise
bestowed upon him at the time. On the 1 ith of November he received the following letter from the
Minister of the Interior.
SlR: The erection of the Luxor obelisk has met with unanimous approval from the King and the public.
It is with genuine satisfaction that I send you my congratulations on the success of this important operation.
A medal having been struck to commemorate the event, I send you two copies of it, one in silver, and one
in bronze.
I have the honor to announce to you at the same time that I have decided to allow you, as indemnity for
your cares in the prosecution of the work, the sum of 4,000 francs.
I have not forgotten, sir, the favorable mention you made of persons engaged in this work under your
direction; gratuities in proportion to their services are granted them as follows:
To M. Lepage, Second Inspector, .
" M. Heurteloup, First Inspector,
" M. Labrie, Carpenter's mate,
" M. Dacheux, Boatswain's mate,
1,500 francs.
1,000 "
300 "
300 "
To M. Card, Storekeeper,
" M. Morel, Boatswain's mate,
" M. Masqueron, Boatswain's mate,
" M. Monot, Carpenter's mate,
300 francs.
200 "
200 "
200 "
I request that you will acquaint them with the fact of these sums having been awarded, and notify them
that the payments will be ordered immediately.
Receive, &c.,
(Signed) GASPARIN.
M. Lepage was further rewarded by being decorated with the cross of the Legion of Honor.
Nor did official recognition of M. LeBas' services end with the small donation mentioned in M.
de Gasparin's letter. The king appointed him Director of the Naval Museum, which, together with the
riband of the Legion of Honor conferred some time before, constituted a lasting memorial of his
success.
For a record of this obelisk see remaining obelisk at Luxor, chapter vi. The original
pedestal that was left at Luxor, where it now remains, was sculptured in very high relief with figures
of eight months before the rising Nile floated the vessel. Almost immediately on top of that, three
months were thrown away waiting for an opportunity to cross the Rosetta bar, and fully two more in
Alexandria waiting for fair weather before putting to sea. The worst delays, however, did not take
place in Egypt. On the banks of the busy Seine the ebb and flow of waters was no more generous
than in Thebes, and the " Luxor/' floated over the bed prepared on the ramp at the Pont de la
Concorde on the 23d of December, was not left high and dry enough for operations until the following
August. The delay resulting from the neglect in not selecting a suitable pedestal in time was touched
upon above ; for twenty-two months the monolith lay untouched, while its pedestal was being quarried,
transported, and put in place. Surely those forty-two months lost cannot be laid reproachfully at the
door of the officer who was merely given a suitable vessel, some spars and ropes, and told to go to
Thebes and bring the Needle home and erect it again. Nor is it perhaps necessary to invite attention
to the unadvanced state of the mechanical arts in that day as compared to the present time when steam,
hydraulic and electric power are regarded as mere journeymen laborers.
The cost of the undertaking was apparently very great, though the exact figures are not known.
The total expenditure is said to have been about two and a half millions of francs, or %5oo,ooo ; in
that, are included the expenses of Baron Taylors mission, the maintenance of a numerous personnel,
and the purchase, quarrying, and transport of an immense pedestal.
Regard being had for all the circumstances, the verdict of even the present rapid day must be that
M. LeBas reflected honor on his country and his profession and richly deserved the meed of praise
bestowed upon him at the time. On the 1 ith of November he received the following letter from the
Minister of the Interior.
SlR: The erection of the Luxor obelisk has met with unanimous approval from the King and the public.
It is with genuine satisfaction that I send you my congratulations on the success of this important operation.
A medal having been struck to commemorate the event, I send you two copies of it, one in silver, and one
in bronze.
I have the honor to announce to you at the same time that I have decided to allow you, as indemnity for
your cares in the prosecution of the work, the sum of 4,000 francs.
I have not forgotten, sir, the favorable mention you made of persons engaged in this work under your
direction; gratuities in proportion to their services are granted them as follows:
To M. Lepage, Second Inspector, .
" M. Heurteloup, First Inspector,
" M. Labrie, Carpenter's mate,
" M. Dacheux, Boatswain's mate,
1,500 francs.
1,000 "
300 "
300 "
To M. Card, Storekeeper,
" M. Morel, Boatswain's mate,
" M. Masqueron, Boatswain's mate,
" M. Monot, Carpenter's mate,
300 francs.
200 "
200 "
200 "
I request that you will acquaint them with the fact of these sums having been awarded, and notify them
that the payments will be ordered immediately.
Receive, &c.,
(Signed) GASPARIN.
M. Lepage was further rewarded by being decorated with the cross of the Legion of Honor.
Nor did official recognition of M. LeBas' services end with the small donation mentioned in M.
de Gasparin's letter. The king appointed him Director of the Naval Museum, which, together with the
riband of the Legion of Honor conferred some time before, constituted a lasting memorial of his
success.
For a record of this obelisk see remaining obelisk at Luxor, chapter vi. The original
pedestal that was left at Luxor, where it now remains, was sculptured in very high relief with figures