Meanwhile the Bellepoule goes lumbering along, impeded by calms and gales, but anchored safely off Jamestown on October 8, 1840.  Of course many formalities had to be carried out, so that the exhumation did not commence until the 15th at midnight.  They came upon the coffin at ten in the forenoon, opened it, and found the body well preserved.  Thereon everyone was overcome with emotion.  After the coffin was deposited with profound solemnity and the national flag placed over it, the honours which would have been paid to the Emperor had he been living were paid to his remains on October 18, 1840.

The expedition set sail, and had only been a few days out when the captain of a passing vessel called the Hamburg informed Prince Joinville that war between France and Great Britain was imminent, and two or three days later this was confirmed by circumstantial information to him by a Dutch vessel called the Egmont.  Officers of the two other vessels of the expedition were ordered aboard the Bellepoule, a council of war held, and a determined resistance resolved upon.  The decks were cleared for action, guns were mounted, and every form of princely comfort dispensed with.  The son of Louis Philippe added lustre to the name of Bourbon by the heroic decision that, whatever the fortune of battle might be, he would sink his ship rather than allow the remains of the Emperor to fall into the hands of the British again.  The resolve was worthy of Napoleon himself.

Every precaution was taken to evade capture, but as the information proved to be unfounded, the expedition was not interrupted by hostile cruisers, nor even by contrary winds, and long before it was expected the historic frigate sailed quietly into the harbour of Cherbourg at 5.0 a.m. on November 30, 1840.  She had made the passage from St. Helena in forty-two days.  Then the great and unexampled triumph commenced.

Europe was a second time in mourning, bowing its head in reverence and shame.  Never have there been such universal tokens of condemnation of the captivity and the creatures who engineered it, and never such unequalled joy and homage as were paid to the memory of the great dead.  During the eight days the lying-in-state lasted, more than two hundred thousand people came to the Invalides daily.  Thousands never got within the coveted grounds, yet they came in increasing numbers each successive day, notwithstanding the rigour of the biting weather.

It may be said that the whole world was moved with the desire to show sympathy with this unsurpassed national devotion and worldwide repentance.  His remains are now in the church of the Invalides, where the daily pilgrimage still goes on.  The interest in the victim of the stupidity of the British Administration never flags.  Each day the dead Emperor is canonised, and his prophetic words that posterity would do him justice are being amply fulfilled.