The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-18 00:00:00

THE

'E TE.

PARIS, August 16.
The national festival commenced at Paris this
year long before the official hour. So enormcus
tide of visitors flossed in on Saturday by all the
railways, that all the principal thoroughfares were
soon thronged with strangers, and the good people
of the capital, seeirg the vast influx, and perceiving
that the weather was delightful and without the
slightest chance of breakicg, determined to respond
to the eagerness of the new corners by anticipating
their usual preparations, and hanging out their flags
and decorations at once.
On Sunday the preparations were very nearly
completed, and the general plan could be easily
judged of even in the minor details. The public
amusements in the Esplanade of the Invalides and
the Place du Trone were nearly the same as in pre-
ceding years, but the principal points of the orna-
mental jets were in the Champs Elysees and the
Place de la Concorde. Round the Obelisk was
erected a square portico, pierced by five ar-
cades on each of its fronts, richly decorated, and On
which streams of gas would display at the proper
times the most curious arabesques. Two gardens
were formed on the part occupied by the two four].
taina in the centre. The surface was undulated
and covered with green turf, and which by abun.
dant watering retained a considerable portion of
its freshness. Upwards of 25,000 plants, most of
them in bloom, were distributed in different clumps.
Long festoons of ground glass globes ran round the
artificial garden—five white to one crimson—and
similar lines encircled the whole of the vast place.
Clusters of similar globes were arranged about the
fountains, whilst all tiP the Champs Elysees to the
Rond-Point corresponding festoons of globes ex-
tended their long lines at each side, broken at
regular intervals by tall pillars surmounted by
clusters to match. The effect was exceedingly pretty
by day—what then ought it to be when one blaze
of brilliancy at night ?
The shows were open on the esplanade during the
whole of Sunday, and in the evening all seemed to
receive a very satisfactory amount of patronage.
Vast crowds continued to throng the streets all day,
and at night the various theatres were crowded.
Bat at last the great day itself arrived, and like
its predecessors, Sunday and Saturday, was marked
with exceptionally fine weather, a refreshing breeze
tempering the heat of an ardent sun. As is usual,
the fete was announced yesterday at six in the
morning by a salvo from the cannon of the Inva-
lides, intimating that the proceedings had then
commenced. As on the two days before the rail-
ways were again pouring in their stream of visitors,
so that at last the hotels could scarcely accommo•
date the numbers who presented themselves. His
Majesty, since his accession to the throne, has in-
variably made the first act of his fete a distribution
from his privy purse of alms and provisions to the
necessitous and aged in the several arrondissements
of Paris. That act of kind-hearted charity was not
departed from on the present occasion, and some
thousands of poor parsons were enabled to connect
their feeling of personal gratification with the
national festival. The troops in the various bar-
racks also received an additional allowance of wine,
and all, except those strictly necessary for the
military service of the day, were allowed to leave
their quarters and enjoy the general amuse-
ments. Another custom of the day is the visit of
the soldiers of the First Empire in uniform to the
Place Vendome, and the renewal by them of the
crowns of immortelles which are placed on the rail.
ings round the column in the centre. Every wreath
and ornament had been removed on the Sunday
afternoon, but by ten yesterday net only were ne w
ones substituted, but long festoons of laurel hung
from the pedestal of the pillar itself. The old men
then proceeded to the Hotel des Invalides to attend
Divine service.
A little before eleven the tricoloured flag was
seen to float from the centre pavilion of the
Tuileries, intimating that their Majesties and the
Prince Imperial had arrived from Saint Cloud.
They at once received the congratulations of the
Prince and Princesses of the Imperial family,
the Ministers, Members of the Privy Council,
Marshals, Admirals, and persons attached to the
Imperial households. At noon took place in the
chapel of the palace Divine service, followed by a
Te Deum, in presence of the Court and of all the
persona who had been admitted to pay their re-
spects to the Emperor. The singers of the Imperial
Court executed the Kyrie, the Gloria, the 0 Sala-
taris of Auber, and othenipiecesotisacred music. At
one a solemn mess was celebrated at the Cathedral
of Notre Dame, in presence of deputations from the
Senate, Council of State, Legislative Body, the civil
and military authorities, and a crowded congrega-
tion. Similar services were performed in the other
churches of Paris, for the day has this particularity,
that it is not only the national fete of rejoicing for
the Emperor's well-beieg, but the Church festival
of the Assumption, always held in peculiar venera-
tion.

At the same hour that the more serious portion of
the population were offering up thanksgiving in
the places of religious worship, vast crowds were
entering the various theatres, in all of which gra-
tuitous performances were to be given. The Grand
Opera and the Theatre Frangais were, as usual, the
great centres of attraction, and many determined
amateurs, generally lads and young men, spent the
night close to the entrance of both theatres, singing
choruses and otherwise wiling away the time.
Early in the morning the crowd had increased tre-
mendously, and when the hour for opening the doors
arrival twice as many were present as the houses
could contain. Almost similar anxiety was displayed
for the other theatres, but in no instance was there
any disturbance, and when once the crowd had
taken their places, no audience in Europe could
conduct thera'.elves with greater propriety. As is
customary when the performance is exclusi .rely for
the gratification of the people, the most popular
pieces for the moment, or the best of the standing
reperto:re were given.

During the day crowds thronged the garden of
the 'raj!cries, the Place de la Concorde, and the
Champs Elyeers, where all the preparations were
now complete, with the exception of the coloured
lamps for the illuminations, which hundreds of
workmen were occupied in arranging up to the last
moment. Lofty flagstaff" gave their streamers to
the wind, the waters were playing from the various
fountains, and all looked bright and gay in the sun.
shine. As a matter of course, the Esplanade of the
Invalidea received a visit, and there the scene of
animated amusement was at its height. Two large
theatres for pantomime were erected near the hotel,
playing alternately, and two others lower down,
near the river, were devoted to rope dancing, feats
of strength, and displays of activity. All the lower
Part of the vast esplanade was occupied with the
travelling exhibitions and shows which are seen at
fairs, and were even better attended than on the
preceding day. There were in the afternoon boat
races on the Seine between the Pont-d'Alma and
the Pont-dlena, a spectacle which attracted a large
concourse of spectators. Great as was the crowd
assembled to witness the preparations of the fete in
the neighbourhood of the Champs Elsyees and the
river, the concourse of spectators was perhaps even
m_hvedensein the neighbourhood of the Barriers du
lme, where theatres in the open air, mats-de-
cocagne, and other amusements were prepared.
The Emperor and the Empress, in the course of
the afternoon, proceeded in an open caleche without
escort through the two principal scenes of amuse-
ment, the east and the west of Paris. On approach-
ing the Barriere du Trone the crowd became so
dense that the carriage had to pays at the slowest
walking pace, and the cheers Were tremendous—in
fact the workmen of that district the whole time
touched the carriage, and Were almost in contact
with their Majesties at either side. The Emperor
and Empress afterwards passed through the Espla-
nade des Invalided, and if somewhat leas familiarly
received, were just as loudly cheered. Their Majes-
ties returned to the Tuileries to dinner.
In the course of the day the following public mo-
numents were inaugurated :--TheMairie of the 11th
arrondissement, Place du Prince EugAne ; the Cam-
pana Galleries of Antiquities in the Pavillon Denon,
at the Louvre ; the chimes of St. Germain l'Auxer-
rois ; the new poultry market at the Halles Cen.
trales; the three boulevards, Hausmann, Josephine,