The New York herald., 1867-04-24

The catalogue Of the French Exhibition, Of
which an English copy has just reached us.
makes formidable volume. II Is fuller In its
classiHcationA than that Of the London Exhibi-
ton; but it would seem to rs, from . cursory ex.
animation Of them, that this fulness is obtained
at an expense Of space which the character q,
the articles exhibited hardly compensates for.
We could have wished, for example, that II
place Of the immense amount Of room accorded
to ordinary agricultural products, there had
been more given to works Of art and architeo-
tural designs. Group number one, which y
composed mainly Of art models, occupies
but eleven pages for all Of the countries
exhibiting. We know that this limitation
of space was not occasioned by insufaciency
Of contributions; for in the case of this country
great dissatisfaction has been manifested in re-
gard to the exclusion Of works that would have
been credit to US. When we mention that
room could not be found for specimen picture
Of such an artist as De Haas, 1t will be adj
mitted that but very poor discretion has been
exercised in the arrangement Of this depart
ment If portion of the wall room devoted
in group number two to Photographic speci-
mems had been allocated to purely fine art
purposes, q much more satisfactory show OF
pictures from the different continental and
American schools would have been secured.
Photographic specimens have become posi4
tive nuisances in these industrial exhibitions.
Only firms that confne themselves to purely
mechanical results that contribute them. Those
which combine with them artistic features Of
high character will not exh ibit in a special
classification. They choose either to have q
place in the fine art department, or none at
all. This is why, we presume, we miss the
names of Mr.. Brady and others of our leading
American photographers from the catalogue.
In group three classification of clocks and
watches) we notice with regret the absence OF
specimens of branch of American manufac-
ture which, although only of comparatively
recent birth among US, is already producing
results Of the most satisfactory character. The.
watches manufactured BY the Waltham Com
pany are certainly, SO Ear as strength, dura-
bility and excellence as timekeepers are con-
cerned, as good as anything produced by the
French or Swiss manufacturers.
In nearly all the other groups where we
expected to find large display Of American
products, because we excel in those particu-
lar branches, there is to be noticed Q similar
absence of well known names. Our leading
manufacturers seem to have taken but little
interest in the Exhibition; and II we were
familiar enough with those Of other countries
TO enable US to analyze the List properly We
would probably find that the same Indifference
exists abroad. Where there ID Q noticeable
amplifcation over the catalogues Of former
exhibitions Is in the contributions from the
Asiatic countries. These, however, are made
up Of such few articles that they do not COM
pensate for the deficiencies In the European
departments, which we were led to expect
would be unusually opulent in contributions.
Altogether, the catalogue bears out the i'm
pressions of disappointment derived from the.
first inspection of the building 1t justiies US
in pronouncing the Emperor's "pet project'
a magnificent failure.