The Express.
London, England, 1855-04-02 00:00:00

THE PARIS

01 TEM DAILY mrws.)
PARIS, 1/LAsca 30.
GENERAL PROGRESS.
I went over the Paleis de l'lndastrie and the
building on the Copra la Reim; yesterday, to note
the progress made during the last ten days. la the
Palais de rlndustrie, the stalls on the ground•llom
are nearly completed ; and the wood-work for the
prominent objects of the great hall is in a fixing
state. The great western painted window is alit-.
most unfortunately—approaching completion. The
imposition is identical with that of the great satin
window: the subject it is meant to illustrate is h.
yard me. The artist has left so much to the lone.
nation, that he will find few people, I fear, rare%
of appreciating him. The central figure is the
France of the eastern window—nearly washed oat.
But the figure to which I gave my hearty attention
is the tortuous bearer of the cornucopia, from
which the articles of Paris are abundantly falling.
I am informed that there has been a N.
done idea of taking these two painted windows
away and replacing them with ground glass. Co,
tainly a crowd of Parisian gamins armed with stout,
would be able to make the most acceptable cox.

UNIVERSAL EIRIBITION.

(71,0 X SZE

mentary on these works. The visitor, turning briskly
from the window', is now able to conjure up a hilt
idea of the effect obtainable in the Peale de Pk.
dustrie. Nearly alt the stalls are built; the outline
of the principal objects of the central hall are pertly
defined; and it may now bejairly declared that from
the five•galleries the general effect will be magical,
It will not be so perplexing, so bewildering u that
which confused the visitor when he first stepped ietc,
the nave of the Great Exhibition of 1861 ; but it le
be more harmonious, more pleasing, more imp*
sive. It will not astonish so much by the extent of
space over which the eye will range, as by the fair
proportions, the happy tints, and the flowing kale
that will combine to realise a single but most imp,*
sive picture. It will be fiydenham Palace reduced,
rearranged, concentrated, and having gained by each
process.
As regards exhibitors' progress, I may remark that
there are now enormous piles of packing cues is
every part of the building—save in the galleries,
whisk remain still unoccupied, but marked out with
broad ochre lines. On the ground floor the French
space.is everywhere encumbered with bales of goods,
especially near whereElbceuf and other manufactunag
towns are marked upon the counters. The Tristan end
of the building is open for the reception of goods ;and
here is the busiest scene of the Exhibition. The
student curious to be informed on the processes of
packing adopted by various nations might hem in.
dulge his taste. Long cases packed is straw, that
look like contributions of mummies; infinitesimal
packages, recommended to the particular cars of
particularly careless people, as a rule, viz., exhibi.
tion porters; soft bales of textile fabrics; ixesign.
meats of brittle manufactures, with the side you are
requested to keep uppermost most obligingly turned
undermost ; five or six cannon of heavy calibre;
all grouped in the most picturesque confusion,
and enlivened by groups of ineffectually active
porters, in very new glazed caps, made up a
scene which reminded me of the preparatory days
of our Great Exhibition. All this confusion is, I
suppose, inseparable from an exhibition. Exhibitors
break through rnles—direct their goods improperly—
arrive too late at night, or too early in the morn.
ing—want special exceptions made to general regale-
tinee—find fault with the position of their space—
bosoms unnecessarily excited when their contribu-
tions approach the building—and send commissioners
eying about in despair at their exacting demand'
and their petty jealousies. It is highly satisfactory,
seder these apparently inevitable circumstances, to
know that England is the most forward of all foreign
contributors. The English space is crammed with
bales and cases of goods, and directly French work.
men have completed their orders for stall work, &e.,
these bales and cases will be emptied. I remarked
also that from Tuscany, Florence, &v., the contrite.
tions have arrived in considerable quantities. Bsi•
gium too has already sent many packages. The
American space is quite unoccupied at present, cad
informed will be but indifferently occupied in

the end.
In the long machinery gallery on the Cour is
Rein., the western end is still without flooring, sad
crowds of masons, engineers, and carpenters am
busily at work erecting the heavy machinery. At
the eastern end, where the machinery not in moths
and the agricultural implements are to be placed, two
galleries are being constructed, lightly, upon an iron
framework, to afford additional space. This work
proceeds slowly, however. Where there is one work-
man there should be ten. At the central entrance,
where the authorities are receiving contributions, the
Invalids, who appear to be on duty, confidently ex-
pros a belief that the machinery will not be ready
or the lit of May ; policemen wander calmly about
watching the heavy packages as they are rolled wow
the gallery, or fiercely asking some intruder what he
wants. In the midst of all this, the plasterers are
hard at work under the gateway, forming earthen
designs for decoration—protruding their white has
heen the scaffolding to watch the entry of visitors cc
SeteThis gallery will be the moat remarkable part
Exhibition.
In the Champs Elysees workmen are very hay.
Where fountains are to play and flowers scent the
air is still a most uninviting wilderness. Men axe
sifting earth destined to receive the flowers of all
nations; masons are building the rough outline of
fountain basins; Parisian specimens of the Kleiner,
cutting roads in all directions; and crowds are col-
lected about the doorways of the Exhibition buildings
to catch glimees of the interior as the busy officials
hasten in or out. On all sides rises the cry, "It
cannot be ready on the Ist of May "—a cry which
pursued the Commissioners of the Great Exhibition
of 1851 as they went to their daily work. My be-
lief, after a careful examination of late progress, Is,
that the Parisian Universal Exhibition will be is
advanced on the let of May as the Great Exhibition
was advanced on the Ist of May,lBsl. Many stalls,
on the opening day, will be unoccupied ; much will
have to be hidden by happily disposed drapery, ke
the opening ceremony—still, a fine effect will he
ready, to enchant the visitors of all nations.
I have just been informed that one of the promi-
nent objects in the grand hall of the Palais de LlD-
dustrie will be a Pharr or lighthouse. The basement
of this building is to be deoorated with pier
figures, representing various seaports, upon which
the indefatigable Gerdme is now engaged, and which
he has promised to complete within a few days. Beek
figure bears an oar, upon which the arms of a sec
port are emblazoned. These allegories, like those of
the provincial towns upon the Place de la Concorde,
are unsatisfactory ornaments. An allegory that cur
not be understood without a catalogue is as poor 11
thing as a joke that requires explanation.
Reports already fly about Paris that the Fine Art
Anise have been very severe, and that the French
motion of the Fine Art galleries will exhibit, not
the rising talent of France, but the genius that has
soared its highest, and is even on its decline. Mean-
while, Ingres is said by some to have space almost
limitless, and to be determined to fill it. Even deco-
rative paintings are said to have been cut from the
walls of public buildings to swell this artist's glop'.
I join heartily my sympathy to the general feeling
which condemns this assumption of pre-eminence--
not only for its excessive vanity, but also for the
wrong it inflicts upon younger, and, perhaps, betted
men. Among the artists whose contributions are sal
to be rejected, I may mention Dubrioe, the
painter of the Seven Cardinal Sine. His sine
shall
rat in his own hands!

Tax PA= ExIIIBMON.—CONTRIBOTIONS noN
WIIMIIIIIIIII Heim.—Daring the last few days works.*
ham bees engaged in removing the stained glue from
of the lower eespartmetta of the large window st tat
bedew of Westminster Hall, for the pupas of beitltruia.
WIWI to Pula as simian of Birmisgbas
manufacture of stained glass, at the forthcoming Isidtton
of the Works of 'Autry of ail Nations. The "Ir. I
spoon in Me window ham bees filled up with Wl=
which, hem the body of the hell, bays a mast llnorn
4 ansesisob