The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-28 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 28, 1866.

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(PROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, THURSDIT EVINING.

Another journalists' duel I M. F. Sarcey,
well-known pungent writer, published a few lines
in the Opinion Nationale on Sunday about the ;
Liberte and the way it is managed by M. Emile de
Girardin, which moved all the staff of that journal
from their propriety, except its case-hardened ,
redaeteur-en-ehef. M. Sarcey said that all the
writing in the Liberti amounted to nothing more
than pot-house conversation. M. de Girardin's
lieutenants felt themselves insulted collectively by '
this criticism, and drew lots to decide which of
them should send a challenge to M. Sarcey. The ,
lot fell upon M. Pessard. He sent two
of his colleagues, M. Clement Duvernois
and M. Arthur de Fonvielle to throw down the
gauntlet. M. Sarcey selected as his friends MM.
Tripier and Malespine, of the Opinion Nationale.
The latter for a long time contended that no cams
beili was made out, Wawa 31..da.Sarpcjaarl
attacked only M. de Girardin, and his system of
journalism, and had never meant to insult the
writers in the Liberti. M. Pessard, however, as
representing the Libertf, not being satisfied with
this explanation, a meeting was arranged to take
place at Vincennes. When the parties were upon
the ground, and swords in their hands, one of
M. Saroey's seconds cried out that M.Peasard must
be considered as fighting on behalf of M. de Girar-
din. Thereupon a row ensued, followed by what
in French is called votes de fait, in English " fisti-
cuffs," and the duel was abandoned. M. de Girar_
din writes to the Evenement that he disapproved of
this duel, but that his subordinates, "who are
young," do not agree with him. He disapproves
of duelling in all cases whatsoever, and wishes to
God that he had always been of the same opinion.
This is in allusion to the regretable fact of his
early life that ho killed Armand Carrel in a duel.
Apartments have been taken at Biarritz for
Count de Namara on Sept. 30.
Garibaldi, instead of going to Caprera, as had
been announced, is in Florence, and intends to ap-
pear in his place in parliament at the opening of
the session.

The Bourse was depressed to-day, but without
any known reason unless the oscillations induced by
the approaching settlement. Bente fell 20c. for
cash and 17ic. for account, closing at 69fr. 40c. and
69fr. 47ec. Italian fell 55c., and Mobilier, 6fr. 25c.
Credit Fonder rose sfr. There were speculative
dealings in Mexican funds, at an advance, the
opinion being general that the Emperor will make
the Corps Legislatif do something on behalf of
paper, which, though now principally in the hands
of speculators who bought it at a low rate, was
originally taken by people deluded by representa-
tions of the French executive, which, though most
improperly made, can scarcely be altogether repu-
diated without great damage to the prestige of the
imperial government.

THE UNIVERSAL EXHIBITION OF 1867.

(PROW OUR SPICIAL common:min%)

Engliah exhibitors will learn with satisfaction
that an international club is to be established at
once for the convenience of mercantile men next
winter, spring and summer. It is called The Ren-
dezvous—an excellent name, understandable by
men of all nations. Its provisional offices are on
the Boulevard des Italiens, at the Librairie Centrale.
It appears to be designed on the most liberal and
sensible scale. In its rooms will be found the
newspapers of all nations ; the latest telegrams ;
interpreters ; every kind of mercantile information;
an exchange ; lista of the rooms to let in every part
of Paris ; an agency for exhibitors who cannot
attend to their own goods in the Exhibition; and it
will be an address to which all visitors to Paris
can have their letters or parcels forwarded. The
want of such an institution as this was severely
felt in 1855, and again in 1862. There is a vast
wooden structure rising to the west of the Exhibi-
tion buildings, which is to be a club also • but this
isless of a commercial nature than The Rendezvous,
while it is far more expensive.
Now that the imperial circular has been ma-
ssaged, and that peace has been thoroughly
misokied Amos, - -se-- -ism* •-tell&elise—erzbi
bition of 1867 shall have been brought
to a happy conclusion to the glory of Franoe,
there appears to be fresh vigour thrown
into the scene in and about the Champ de Mars.
The waterworks have been pushed forward, so that
an idea can be formed of the rocky bed from which
the river is to flow through the French park ; an
ornamental chimney is finished ; the framework of
the Arts Gallery is all up ; the colonnade of the
central garden is complete ; and whole galleries
are glazed, and appear to be ready for the work of
" installation." This progress has not been
achieved, I am sorry to say, without divers acci-
dents to prove the need of the little building to
the east of the works marked "Ambulance." One
poor fellow fell from some scaffolding last week,
and was killed on the spot. These misfortunes
among the workmen serve to remind me that the
imperial commission appear most determined to
make the Exhibition of 1867 of the utmost advan-
tage to the working classes of all nations. I am
told that a special section of the Exhibition will be
devoted to a collection of plans, models, and re-
ports of all the establishments in the world in
which the sick poor are treated, as hos-
pitals, asylums, dispensaries, infirmaries, sic.
Did M. Hinson, the indefatigable and
enlightened director of the Assistance Publique of
Paris, carry away from London models of our
workhouse infirmaries] It is to be hoped that he
has spared us this humiliation. He has so much
to show on his own part that is admirable (his
maisous de sectfurs, for instance) that we should, in-
-1 deed, have cause to be ashamed of our dens for sick
pauperism. But I will return to this most impor-
-1 tent subject when the lists of establishments and
the commissioners' complete plan shall be before
me. The working men of the two countries are
already on the alert ; and the French papers men-
tion with satisfaction the fact that English working
men have already formed a committee, under in-
fluential auspices, for organising excursions to
Paris on a great scale next summer. The com-
mittee, before making their arrangements, should
, weigh well the plan and scope of the Exhibition.
It will be impossible to see all of it, with any pro-
fit to the spectator, in two or three days. Let me
give them a fact. The path of the Exhibition is
seventy-four kilometres long. It is so long that I
hear already of a speculation for establishing
." correspondences " of Bath chairs, on the Paris
omnibus system, that will carry the visitor over
the building, and through the many mazes of the
park.
But there are reasons good and true why the
English workman as well as the English wagepayer
should afford to spend many days in the Champ de
Mars next year. For the first time working men
are to have their just place in an International Ex-
hibition of Industry. 1 don't know anything that
would give the student of social science a better
idea of the progress society has made since the
first Napoleon was Emperor than the plan of the
imperial commissioners, which brings together the
workmen of the various nations of Europe. The
savage jealousies between workmen, which made
the French weaver hate the English weaver, and
the English ironworker despise the French iron-
worker, have disappeared. Twenty years ago
French manufacturers would not permit English
manufactures to be exhibited in their country—ten
years ago French workmen met English workmen
with an angry feeling—and now they are to sit
shoulder to shoulder, and enter into an amicable
contest of skill and taste. Each may freely examine
the tools of the other. There will be no secrets,
no barriers. This is a mighty stretch forward from
the days of the old and surly corporations.
Around and about them will be every form of
economy and of social improvement which civilisa-
tion has realised for the benefit of the many. In
the galleries of the Exhibition will be seen the im-
provements in the arts and sciences and in in-
dustry which have been made since 1855 and 1862
the harvest of skill, and wisdom, and genius which
the world has lately gathered ; but in the new
phases of this Universal Exhibition will be found—

The later harvest of a longer year!

Institutions which have grown at the aloe's pace ;
new schemes for a better life ; the dreams of the
visionary, it may be, here and there ; but on many
sides noble plans and thoughts, through which the
world of to-morrow may be made better than the
world of to-day. It would seem that the British
mind has been sorely perplexed by the imperial
commissioners' announcement that they intend to
distribute ten prizes of 4001. each, " in favour of
the persons, establishments, or localities which, by
a special organization, or special institutions, have
developed a spirit of harmony among all thoee co-
operating in the same work, and have provided for
the material, moral, and intellectual well-being of
the workmen." It appears to me that there
can be no real difficulty in understanding
the scope or meaning of this offer. Sal-
taire may compete with Mulhausen. The
Familistry will enter the lists. MM. Delius,
Korchlin, Titus Salt, and others may cross swords.
Builders of great co-operative institutions have
their place in the lists. I see you have an Indus-
trial Partnership of Tailors set on foot ; they may
come confidently with their new-fashioned goose.
Architects of model lodging-houses, socialists of
every complexion, inventors of abodes of bliss,
and contrivers of dead level lives for all, may com-
pete. There are only ten prizes, but there are
twenty " honourable mentions." This is not all.
There is one gigar tic prize—to be given to " the
person, establishment, or locality, distinguished
under this head by a very exceptional superiority."
There is not much time to be lost. He who would
send in a plan of harmonious and comfortable life
for masters and men must bestir himself, for no
claimant will be admitted after October 31.

As important as the sections which deal with the
improvement and the comfort of the working
classes is that in which the food of all nations is
to be spread, and compared, and eaten. Cheap
food will come under discussion. The chemists
and physiologists will hold tough debates about
carbon and nitrogen, and the origin of muscular
force. The English workman will see how unwise
he is in limiting his food substances ; how wasteful
his kitchen is ; how he leaves good meat in the
field and by the hedge row. In every way does he
turn his wage to bad account. Many of the " in-
stitutions" represented in the Exhibition will show
him how he buys in the dearest market ; how his
cupboard is poorl7 lined because his marketing is
bad ; how his wife throws carbon and nitrogen
away ; how, in short, he might with a little know-
ledge and some care be a much richer and happier
man than he is, without receiving one farthing