St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-04-26
The Great Exhibition.
LETTER FROM ''CARLEroN" TO TIE Bos-
TON JOURNAL.

| iO-' W. It-N<Ai-'
PARIS, April l, 1867.
The great Exposition, the display Of
goods from every country, though incom-
plete, was opened to-day by the emperor
and empress OF France 1t was intended
by the imperial commission that the oc-
casion should be one of the grandest pa
geants of modern times, and invitations
were sent to every European court to be
present Favorable replies were received
from many royal personages. The Prince
OF W ales was expected, also the king OF
Portugal, the king of Holland, the sons
of Victor Emanuel. Rooms in some OF
the hotels were engaged for the royal
guests but few days ago the imperial
commission were under the necessity of
informing their expectant and expected
guests that the pageant would not take
place.
This was not necessary from the fact
that 1t was found impossible to have the
exhibition in decent order by to-day.
The work has been delayed some by bad
weather, but the failure is mainly due to
the want OF capacity in the imperial
commission. The head of the commits
sion, am informed. is not the man for
the place. lie is reported to be narrow
minded, and tenacious of his opinions.
He has insisted on the carrying out of
arbitrary rules till many of the exhibit
ors have been ready TO turn away in dis
gust, and to Withdraw wholly from the
exhibition. \
TIE Bu Hiding.
The hour fixed for the arrival of the
emperor at the exhibition grounds is two
O'Clock ; let us therefore improve the
hours OF the morning in taking IA general
look at the building and the surround
ingS. We drive to the northwest sec
ton Of the city, along the northern bank
of the Seine, IN company with thousands
who are moving in the same direction.
We may cross at any OF the bridges, but
the Grand entrance is at the lowest bridge
OF all-the jena bridge. 1t is mag
niticcnt stone structure with three arches.
At our right hand, as we walk north
west are thousands OF worhmcn smooth
ing down the hillside, laying ont streets,
grading parks, tearing down old houses,
and transforming this section of the city
into a a paradise. Before crossing the
bridge, We may, by ascending the hill,
obtain q birds eye view OF the exhibition
building and the surrounding grounds.
1t stands on the level plain of the
Champs de Mars, on the spot where Ma
poleon the First held Iii, last review
where the veterans Of an hundred battle
fields and the youth Of France, taken
from their homes by that last cruel con-
scription, passed in solid column before
the emperor, returned suddenly from his
exile at Eiba, and on lis way 10 Water
loo. Looking at the building from the
hill it does not seem so much like 4 gas
omctcr, but rather like a circular rail-
road station. The walls of the outer
circle are ot wrought iron those Of tie
inner circles of brick and stone. The
outer circle is twice the width and twice
the hight of the inner circles, forming
grand nave, if such Il term can be ap-
piled to Il circular building light, airy,
and in everything except the circular
form, well adapted to display of ma
chincry.
a square cdifce would have been
better, but the architect, by adopting a
series OF circles, thought TO have better
classification OF products than could be
obtained by any other plan. In the as
signment Of space TO. the nations lie cut
the circles from centre to circumference
j Ist as you cut 4 pie. BY this method
he designed TO have each nation sepa-
rate, and yet the products of each ma
ton, the same in kind, would be group
ed together. BY walking inward, from
the outside to the centre, you would see
the products OF Il nation, and walking
round a circle, you would see the pro-
ducts of all nations in that circle.
Going down near to tie building and
walking TO the centre, we find a garden
with fountains, fsh-ponds, hower-beds,
shrubs and trees. As the circles are
numbered from the centre we must go
back again to view them in order.
The first or inner circle is devoted TO
paintings and sculpture, including the
first five classes enumerated in the cata-
logue-paintings in oil, designs, sculp-
ture, medals, models of architecture, en-
cravings and Autographs. In the second
class We find what the French term 'liio-
eral arts but why liberal l am unable to
say. They give six classes, numbered
from 6 to l3 in the catalogue, TO this cir
cle-printing, paper articles of all kinds,
designs made by plastic process, photog-
raphy, musical Instruments also in
struments of medicine, surgery and sci
ence generally. The distinguishing fea-
ture of the circle will be the musical in
struments-pianos and parlor organs
In the accompanying plan it is put down
as the musical circle.
In the third circle we find thirteen
classcs-furniture, glass, porcelain, car
pets, upholstery, wall paper, cutlery,
jewelry, clocks, watches, lamps, perfum-
cry, and all housekeeping furniture.
The fourth circle has also IL classes,
numbered from q to 39-cotton, linen,
wool and silk goods, shawls, bonnets,
clothing OF all kinds also toys and
knick-nacks.
The fifth circle contains : classes,
numbered from 40 to 46-articles from
mines, forests and fields, and the sea.
, Reaching the outer circle we come to
the machinery of all nations. This cir
Gle is wide and high, lighted all around
, by immense windows. In the centre is
an iron platform, raised about II feet
from the ground, which answers the