Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-02-09
". I'd. WALLACE.
PECULIARIrrEs OF PARIS

A correspondent Of the Philadelphia Ledger
writing from Paris, in November, 1860, ha,
the following
THE RIVER SEINE.
Here is n fine river, some lS0 miles long, be
tween Paris snd Hsyre, on the ocean, that ii
almost unused. If we had it in America, wha
uses We should make Of it, 1t has a depth o
water equal to, certainly, five feet, up to Paris
yet il Is not used, we may say, for the trans
portation of merchandise.
The Frenchman has some idea of steam
ship, but none at all Of steamboat for navi
eating inland streams with shallow draught o
water. The steamboats, that do ply upon the
Seine get along in the following primitive
way In the center of the river, along nearly
Its whole length, is chsin, moored to hsats a
proper distances. Each steamboat has side
drum-wheel, around which a turn is made o
this chain; and the steam-power is used to wind
the endless chain around the drum and thu
wsTp the boat forward
This being the mode Of river navigation, il
will not surprise any one that the railway car.
ries the merchandise. No wonder fuel is high
in Paris, and manufacturers are 1T disad-
vantage. Wood is chiefly used in families and
its retail price is half a cent pound The
quality Is but middling; 1t is mostly small
sticks of beechwood
Fuel can be eheapened by doing as we do al
New York, viz: having boats to run from the
mines to the port Of consumption without
breaking bulk. The Goals of England and
Belgium are almost on the ocean. Boats OF
proper construction to carry 600 tons can be
made to load at New Castle. for instance, and
thence to go, without breaking bulk, to Paris
The English channel may require, at times, a
center board of large dimensions which can
be provided. In this way only can fuel be
brought to reasonable rates in Paris. 1t may
be mentioned that the Goals of France are far
from this center, and the quality is inferior.
The enterprise Of America is making itself
known on the earth. In Russia we build their
railways; in the Crimea we raise their sunken
vessels; and we provide all Europe with sew
ing machines. 1t would be paying specula-
tion if our people could get concession for
the steam navigation of the Seine.
THE RETIRADEs OF PARIS.
All over Paris, in the greatest profusion,
cOnyeniences are provided for the private re-
TRACY of the Rasser by the way. Along the
curves Of the bOulevards these useful arrange
ments consist of hollow cylinders of iron. The
part towards the street way is open. They af-
ford barely sufficient conceslment. The whole
surface, exclusively, Of the actual retiracy, is
let out to advertisers. The interior, facing
tie person, s,s retlrades, is also used by med
ical advertisers Of a certain selection. In
other parts of Paris, wherever a corner can be
made, land a three inch projection Of one wall
beyond another is considered a corner,) it is
arranged with of-fows for the purpose. You
can scarcely 60 three squares in any direction
and not find one Of some SORT There was, to
our eye, at fret, an indelicate exposure in all
this. But We have got used to it, and Ii no
longer ofends. At first it does seem out of all
propriety that women are ever brushing up, as
they must do on narrow pavements, against
men 80 circumstanced. But as they don't
mind ii at all, neither do We, after like train
ing Of habit. Indeed, all their statuary is open
to similar remarks.
WaI Ioa1r ,tit it,,&so L. u
as so essential to hsalsh, and so demanded by
a reasonable regard to decency, as viewed
from another aspect, that We may appeal to our
American city governments to say If they are
not behind the age and behind the reasonable
performance of their duty to the public in
omitting all provision for this purpose.
Cabinets (d'nis3Hce) are also numerous all
over Paris. These are kept in the neatest or
der, and are frequented, as occasion urges by
both sexes. They are always in charge of
women.
1t is in very few things that we can learn
from Europe. We are generally ahead. But
when we find anything that can be comme need
and We trust the service well intended will
cover any unavoidable exposure if separable
from the description. sel
PORTABLE GAS.
There is 3 company which finds extensive
business In Paris supplying to families movable
gas arrangements Their large wagons are
freighted with numerous cast iron jars, holding
gas, forced in. A flexible pipe is attached to
the customers receiver, which is replenished
from the wagon. 1t is common in Paris to light
shops and all halls with gas, direct But few
apartments are fitted with pipes and fixtures
for gas This popularity gives business to the
Portable Company. The price of gas direct
from the works, is S8 per 1000 cubic feet, the
price in New York is only 50 per 1000 feet,
and one is amazed how literally 1t is used in
the street lamps, and in shops and places OF
amusement.
rNsALTED BUTTER THE BEST.
We boast of butter in Pbiladelpha; but il
Is better made on the continent 1t is rarely
you find butter not presentable. 1t is al
ways made without salt; hence the necessity
of working all milky particles out of it,
The result is, that'it is always like putty
and that il keeps sweet much longer than
ours. Philadelphia butter is justly cele-
brated for its delicate richness of flavor du.
ring grass time. But in two or three days il
Is ancient. We fad that when salt is applied
Ms occasion demands at the table, it is quite
the same as when originally worked in II
persons OF delicate organs would order theiI
butter made withou. salt, and corresponding.
ly better worked, they would find it an i'm.
provement. But Americans are apt to like il
unsalted after a training. Nobody in Europe
would eat butter salted. As the Turks look on
sugar and cream, as exactly spoiiipg the fine
bitter Of coffee, 60 do people in Europe look or
the salt Of butter as its destruction. f.-ss i