The Express.
London, England, 1867-04-03 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 3, 1867.

THE OPENING

OP
THE PARIS EXHIBITION OF 1867.

(Box OUR hPECIM, CORRESPONDZNY.)
PARIS, MONDAY EYZNING.
. _

Paris, astir betimes always, was exceedingly
',antitank to-day, and wore more than her usual
holiday look. Nothing can be gayer and prettier
than Paris en fife on a cloudless spring day.
Laughing, brightly attired crowds gradually filled
up all the broad avenues leading to the Punt
d rens. The Place do la Concorde and the Quays
were packed, and flags floated everywhere above
the crowds. The l'arisians were in the best spirits.
Every bourgeois rose, I have no doubt, rubbing his
hands with delight that the opening of the golden
season had come at last. The backwardness of the
season marred a little the grand effects of the
packed Place do la Concorde and Quays, and the
crowded Champs Elys6es, as it left undeveloped
the full beauties of the Exhibition park.
The effect of the main way, under the
splendid green canopy to the Exhibition
as approached from the Pont de Jafna was not
grand; but the burnished gateway blazed in the
sunlight, and the eye was led along the cool vista
made by the bee-bespangled drapery direct to the
opening to the main transept. I need not describe
the block of carriages and crowds. The paving of
the Avenue Rapp was finished only last night, and
all was disorganization there until to-day. For-
tunately my pink card, admitting me to the scene
of the important part of theceremonial, led me to the
eastern or Sulfren entrance,where there was crowd-
ing enough, but crowding of a gentle and quiet
kind. The way into the building by this entrance
affords the most unfavourable impression of it, for
on both aides there are merely shops and space
to let.

The opening ceremony was of the simplest ima-
ginable description. Thu Emperor and Empress
drove to the building in an open caleche, and in
their cali:cho passed under the green canopy to the
main doorway, where they were met by the Impe-
rial Commission, headed by M. Le Play. All
officials not in uniform were in evening dress. The
Emperor wore evening dress, with the Grand
Cordon of the Legion ; and the Empress, a purple
satin tarn—which, by the 'ray, was colourless with
dust before her Majesty had accomplished the tour
of the Machinery Gallery. The beautiful weather
gave a lively air to the scene. The Exhibition de-
rived all the advantage it was possible to derive
from weather; but the unfinished places obtruded
their unsightly cases everywhere upon the eye.
The great functionaries of state attended, covered
with decorations; the Fine Art Galleries
were filled with ladies in brilliant toi-
lettes ; there were plenty of strange figures—
Persians, Egyptians, Japanese, and Chinamen ;
the Academicians appeared in their green em-
broidered coats ; our redcoats were to be seen at
the English staircase commanding a few Sappers ;
and the Imperial progress round the building was
marked by hearty cheering, especially in the
Britishaection. But, with all the spring weather,
the brilliant uniforms and dresses, the Hags and
bands, &c., the opening of the Great Exhibition
of 1867 must be described as a very tame affair
indeed. On all sides the feeling was against the
opening of an unfinished place. It was understood
that the Emperor himself went reluctantly through
the ceremony. His Majesty appeared with nogreat
company of guests; he was nut e ven in state apparel.
He had been advised that the balance of argument
was is, favour of a punctual opening, and he
yielded—but he wisely abstained from drawing
kingly guests to it. In truth, this Exhibition will
be, in many respects, beyond compare with any
that have preceded it. It is now, however, only a
vast undertaking in progress in every part. The
Exhibition is in the hands of workmen. The
packing-cases lie thick, and unopened in many
departments. There are exhibiting nations that
have not yet received any of their goods. In
short, albeit the utmost was done, and cleverly
done, to cover the unfinished parts the impression
remains that the ceremony of to-day is merely a
form which could not, unfortunately, be avoided.
His Majesty, on reaching the part of the
gallery where the English Commissioners and
conspicuous visitors were grouped, talked for s
few minutes with Lord Houghton and Mr. Cole.
The British cheers from the crowds in the Machi-
nery Gallery were vehement, and appeared to de-
light the Imperial party. The Emperor looked
well, but walked heavily, leaning upon a stout
stick. There were about sixteen English jurors
in the gallery, fronted by six Royal Commissioners,
Lord Houghton, Sir William Gordon, the Pro-
vost of Edinburgh, Mr. E. M. Ward, R.A., the
Hon. Thomas D'Arcy McGee, Chief Commissioner
for Canada, the Mayor of Limerick, &c. At the
foot of the staircase of the gallery, by the English
department, were the English Sappers and two
men-of-war's men of her Majesty's gunboat Dasher,
who are here in charge of the Admiralty models.
In the procession was the venerable Baron
James de Rothschild, covered with orders ; and
followed by a servant carrying a chair.
The French ministers in the procession were :
the Ministers of Agriculture and Commerce, the
Minister of State, the Prefect of the Seine, the
Minister for War, M. le Comte de Nienwekerke,
ii the Duke de Basano. The Countess of Aguado
was in attendance on the Empress.
The pleasantest impression the Empress carried
away from to-day's ceremony was, I will venture
to assert, the lusty cheers which greeted her as
she issued from the English picture saloon, and
passed out to the carriage. An enthusiastic
British exhibitor cried, as the Imperial party were
passing out of the vestibule, " Ono cheer more for
the Empress," and the Empress Eugenie departed
all smiles.

There were about 37,000 persons present. The
number of season-tickets sold is under 8,000.

Directly the opening ceremony was at an end the
crowd began to fade away, and before six o'clock
the palace and grounds were quieter than they have
been for weeks past. The French lighthouse showed
the Parisians the whereabouts of the great Exhibi-
tion of 1867 in the evening ; and, in Paris, there
were a few illuminations.

atm.—The Patric, of the 31st March, says :
"The Moniteur confirms, in accordance with the despatches
of the Bth March, the news which we gave, viz. that General
Geffmrd, President of the Haytian republic, hadcompletely
Pact down the movement that had taken place at Port-au•
rince. We may add, from other news received dated
the 11th of the same month, that President Geffrard had
convoked the chambers for the 15th March ; and that the
new ministry formed by him had been accepted by the
country, which enjoyed complete tranquillity.'
DESPATCH OP AMERICAN MAILS.—SORTFIAMP-
ToN, APRIL 2.—The North German Loyd steamship
Deutschland, Captain Wessels, sailed hence at 2 o'clock
thi* afternoon with the German, French, and English
mails/ 75 cabin and a full complement of steerage pas-
sengers, and • large cargo, including jewellery from
Havre, value 1,200/. The steamers of this line now leave
here on Tuesdays instead of Wednesdays., as heretofore,
under contract with the United States government, the
Deutschland being the first departure ander the new
arrangement.

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. —The prepara-
tions for the approaching show of this society at Bury St.
Edmund's are making active progress. The Great Eastern
Railway Company have about 50 men at work laying down
additional sidings and providing other accommodations. A
loading dock is to be provided on the ground adjoining the
railway, so that cattle and implements m►y be delivered
upon the show field. Near the centre of the ground, and
along the line of a former footpath leading to the railway,
the erection of a line of buildings has been commenced,
the materials for which arrived shortly after the close of
the Plymouth show in D 165, and which have since been
stowed away. These buildings comprise the offices of the
directors, the council, and the stewards, also the veteri-
nary office, and acconinoxiation for the men having eharge
of stock, who are required to sleep on the ground. The
main entrance is to be on the west side of the field nearest
Eutgate-street.