The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-05-06
European Correspo,de,.o
PARIS, April 10, 1867

TO the Editor Of the Press: ~ @00''
Promptly at the appointed time the G,o,+
Exhibition was formally opened. 1t i, neceseo-
ry to say formally opened,-because the Emo
sition is even now far from complete, vet tbe
only formality about it was royal procession
on the first of Apri', which, starting from the
Tuileries, marched through the crowds of pee
pie to the Champs de Mars and, after short
ramble within the Exhibition grounds among
boxes, rubbish and some of the more nearly
hnisned parts, returned. 1t was not consider
eu prudent for the President of the Exposition
. iihce Napoleon, a lad just turned of twelve,
~ accompany the party, because the oy has
su,iorihS Tor some time with an abcess on
-. ,rsh, ana ride and walk OF two bours
n' iunio ms TEMPER and cause his n1rss
sonio 'rouoie. The French Journals of tho
next day published that the Efnperor and F.
press were In good humor durinr the ,vl,o,o
ceremony.
1t is no fault Of American exbih,,o,, A..
the United States department is so much ba.
hindhand. Where the blame lies cannot to1,
The verdict of great number of our conn.
trymen is that the chief Commissioner is NOT
equal to the occasion. Many and bitter are tina
complaints against him. He, in turn throws
the blamo upon the poor arrangements of the
Imperial Commission and uuon our Govern
ment for not appropriatng more money. II
any one thinks 1t a duty to be vexel on account
OF this seemingly unnecessary tardiness, let
him bear in mind the old Latin maxim, in
medic fatissiniis IBIS, and distribute his vitu-
perations all around. That the tho arrange
ments OF the Imperial Commission are stupid
and designed to extort as many francs as Dog
sible from every one who has the misfortune TO
be in Paris at this time Is beyond the shadow
Of doubt 1t is true, also, doubt NOT than
the original appropriation by Congress was in
sufficient. But should any one say that the
United States might have been moro ablv
represented, could not deny the asscrtion.-
Still, l would not go as far as many A,nsri-
cans; would not demand his resignation. nor
petition home authorities for his removal.
wish to be understood at this point No actual
steps have been taken, so far "a aIn asare. to
ask for his removal, but occasional Indignation
meetings have been held and many curse
has been hurled at his devoted head
Those who have required assistance in pre-
pairing articles for exhibition, have been an
noyed in the extreme by the French workrnen.
The strike Of these natives retarded progress
greatly, and after they commenced labor again
they were ineffably indifferent to threats or
inducements, working when they felt like it
playing when they took the notion One poor
American who was in haste to get his machine
in readiness, employed several French labor
tot -, s.,I
when they coolly began to play at checkers af-
ter a short time spent in lazily bungling about
the machinel Another, profting by what ho
had seen, went to work himself, but searched
in vain for q hammer, a wrench, or q hsndsaw.
1t may be in place 10 state that the tools of the
French appear to us exceedingly clumsy and
inconvenent, while good old-fashioned ham
msr or carpenters saw seem to be unknown
In France. just here let ME mention, as an
instance of the exaeting disposition of the I'm
perial Commission and to illustrate the olum-
siness Of some French machines that the en-
gine which 1t is decreed must be the one to
furnish power to the machines in the Am,ri-
can department is a clumsy, noisy and poor
French affair, while the beautiful, nolseless
and powerful American Corliss engine, sltuat-
ed right beside 1t, must be idle.
As before stated, the Exposition lacks much
Of completion, but enough Is ready to warrant
one in saying that when quite finished it viii
be little world Of interest and beauty. If
body can, then, go inside the palace, as it ia
called, forgetting his hotel bill and the innu-
merable unnecessary and extortionate bills
which he has suffered or must encounter he can
aoa fIxrf xfr,a4 hi L. Al.
surrounded as he is by a wilderness Of beauty.
All kinds of products and manufactures of all
civilized nations will be artistically displayed.
At that time 1t will be well worth while to visit
Paris spite of the inevitable congestion which
will sieze the visitors bank account. No ono
must think of "dong" the Exposition in one
day That length of time would be insufficient
to obtain cursory glance. A week would not
exhaust this mammoth fair, and one could in
terest himself an indefinite npmbor of months.
spending the whole time in admiring what is
there displayed. The day when the last pre-
paratory stroke shall be made and the last
touch Of paint applied is in the uncertain fu-
ture. But let those who wish to see tie Expo
sition Universelle in all its glory delay coming
until the first of June. On other accounts,
Paris will be unusually interesting to visit at
this time. With an eye to tho desires of tho
visiting world expected, and perhaps to the
internal revenue of the city, the Emperor has
decreed that from the first OF April TO the first
Of November, all the palaces shall be open to
visitors under certain regulations. This is an
unusual privilege, because most Of the palaces
are accessible at other times only when unoo-
cupied. and many of the museums locked UP
by great roll of rod tape.
A few words about the interior arrangements
Of the Exhibition Palace. The great building
has three roofs, two of glass, 80 that there ia
plenty Of light. The general plan of the house
is elliptical. Inside, the goods are displayed in
seven concentric ellptical galleries, respective.
ly for history OF wolk, works OF fine art, raw
materials required for art, movable articles of
the furniture kind, articles of clothing, raw
materials Tor manufactures and the gallery for
machinery. The inside of the covered prone.
made extending around the outside Of the
building is occupied by restaurants where a
rich man may dine. Tho Palace is distributed
to tho nations in slices, cut from the centre to
the outside. France and her colonies havo
nearly half commencing on the left of the
principal entrance. Then come in order tho
portions allotted to Holland, Belgium, Prussia,
other German States, Switzerland, Spain,
Portugal, Greece, Denmark, Sweden, Norway.
Russia, Italy, Rome, Roman States, Turkey,
Egypt, China, Siam, Japan, Persia, United
States, South and Central America, Great
Britain and Colonies What the arrangement
of the grounds outside will be cannot say, as
much will be re-arranged from the original
plan, and even If could tell it could not be
well understood in relation to the building. It
is sufficient to mention that each nation will
have plot of land to lay out In gardens or on
which to build other houses.
Let me conclude by adding, in the way of
advice to those intending to make pilgrim
age to this Mecca during the year-it will be
pilgrimage in many respeots-brins moro
money than you think you can possibly use,
and-don't wear your old clothes thinking to
buy new ones cheap. ALPaEUs.
4 Sad Caao.
. George Alfred Townsend, of the Cincinnati
Gazette, in describing the passengers in his
voyage across the Atlantic, says:
d "Rut the nantral ffoura of Tho shin IA an old