The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-03-26

d0nwe, 70 the end OF the chapter.
Such is a BRET but faint picture Of the Bowrss,
or Change of Paris, which may be considered
the centre ofthe moneyed operations ofEurope. II
is vast institution, born and brought up in the
midst of modern civilization, and now regulating
and controlling governments, dynasties, kiLgs'
princes, parties, factions, fashion, society, re-
lgon manners and follies of all kinds, and sizes.
The Bourse of Paris consists of fifty or sixty
broker, or agents de chawgs, each OF whom give
from five to eight hundred thousand francs for
the privilege of entering. In connection with the
Rotbchilds. and few other large capitalists
they are the richest persons in Paris, or on the
continent In fact, they are the modern and
civilized nobility of Europe. There are few-a
very few, of the old nobLese of old France, who
have considerable estates, but the day and gen.
Grafton ofthese antique christian barons. are pass
ing away, fast the waters of the turbid Seine
under my window, are now rushing on to the sea.
The finest dinners, the greatest routes, the most
splendid balls the most recherche soire<s are now al
lowed to be given by the financial or moneyed class
Of society-the financial barons. Not even the en-
tertainments Of the foreign ambassadors, or those
ofthe Due de NemoMrs the future regent of France,
are considered more choice, more splendid,
more fashionable, than those of the great fnan-
ciers-particularly the Rothchilds, and some
others. Yet the financial lords and barons have
two sets of society-those of their customers who
bank with them, compose the cheap circle;
those of the dipomasts, princes and great equals,
form the higher priced select circle ofacquaint
ance. The first are called the one-eight percent
balls, or the half percent soirfes or the three
eights-per-cents dinners, according to the rate
charged the guests in the final liquidation Of their
cash accounts. The American bankers parties
are called the halfper cent balls, and are consid-
cred cheap and efficient instrument of trade, as
well as of hospitality and fashion.
The present condition of the Bourss is not so
excited as it was about year ago. The amount
Of transactions in fancy stocks, or railway shares,
was then probably double or quadruple what it
is at this moment Probably, then, about ten
thousand eager spectators were daily trying to
shave each other, and to get rich suddenly by tho
exercise of their wits. Now only five thousand
can be seen daily The present tide of stock-job-
ing was frst introduced into the Paris Bourss by
spectators from England, Belgium, and Ger
many. The French make good soldiers, good
dancing masters, good surgeons, good ora
tors, good actors, good saints, good philoso-
pliers, good tailors but they are but Indifferent
lerable Rnanciers Nearly all the best bankers Of
Paris are foreigners Germans principally, with
the Rothchilds at their head, and a hundred and
fifty thousand of all creeds at their tail The Eng
lish and Germans introduced the first excitement
in railway stock.jobbing, on the Paris Bourse,
and many ;were the poor Frenchmen, from the
peer to the penny-a-liner, who were caught in the
mania, and entirely sript of everytt ing in the
world, except theirsns; their sentiment, and their
last pair OF breeches. 1t is supposed, and has
been stated in the Chamber of Deputies, that the
English and German spectators took away last
year, the sum of $780, OOOO 900 or 900 900 francs
in the differences in railway and other shares
One English stockjobber was mentioned to me,
who came over from London, last summer, with
ESQ., and in six weeks bagged $4,000.
Another great source OF speculation in Paris,
has been the sudden rise of real estate in certain
quarters slRce the revolution of 80 Many have
got rich in New York, by similar plan 1t is
stated that the Rothchilds made alone, by this
mode Of speculation, about three millions of francs
in a few weeks. An American broker, formerly
known in Wall street, ten or fifteen years ago. but
who has been living here since, has made con-
siderable fortune by speculations in real estate
here, and now occupies the position in fashiona-
BILE society here, by his soirfes, which Col. Thorne
formerly did in the Fdubourg st. Germaine. In
fact, the system of getting into the highest fashion,
able society here, is very simple and very scien-
tifc. 1t is just as easy as getting mutton-chop
cooked for franc, and two sous to the gaycon-
cash down always. Take splendid hotel, fill it
with fine furniture attentive servants, and capital
cooks. Give a carte blanche to any Of the stray
duch oft s.ff bo
old or new regime, who are floating about in all
directions here, and you can at once create
fashionable circle of the first quality and highest
pretensions You have nothing to do but to pay
up and be laughed alto settle the bills every
week, and be ridiculed by those whe visit you
and all is as easy as going to sthe devil. / have
had several propositions made to me by kind Pa
risians, to enter upon such an expen nent, but
politely declined the intended honor, and pre-
ferred going to the devil in my own way, and at a
cheaper price, besides enjoying the laugh and
the ridicue on my side. This is a funny place,
to say the least oft.
The rich men, here, are very numerous, but
have seen no catalogue Of them, as we have in
New York. The firm of Rohchild is estimated
at SIG, 600, 900, eighty millions OF francs but
there are some even richer. This is the estima-
ton on change, but how accurate it is, no one
can tell on this side OF the grave. shrewd
philosophers believe, that all the leading financers
of Europe, are living on credit, as much as the
various governments, kirgs and princes are
they say that their real property consists only OF
houses and furniture-that all the rest is credit,
without capital or real money. The aggregate
public debt Of Europe, is about five thousand
millions of dollars, the annual interest on which
IS about two hundred and fifty millions OF dollars.
This latter sum is taken yearly from the industry
ofthe working classes, in the shape of taxes, and
paid away to the fund holders, who are nearly all
idle, refined, luxurious In addition to this
vast drain On industry there is the vast class OF
government officers from sovereign down to SOL
der, who also live in idleness, and consume near