Middletown transcript., 1869-05-08
9lotes of Trauel,
RecOI;ectioMs of Paris.
HTittenJor the Middietopn Transcript.
No. IL.

10 the traveller, before setting loot on
foreign shores, the monies of the different
nationalities seem chaotic mass but
soon the coins of bronze, copper, silver
and gold, become as familiar as the solid
American gold and silver monies "of the
good old times" when the Constitution
was revered and obeyed.
A few words relative to the money of
France are appropriate at this stage Of our
correspondence.
The coins of France are perfectly simple
and very convenient. The franc is the
unit and it is divided into 100 centimes.
The name sou is given to the oil copper
coins (now bronze) consisting of five CEN
times. 1t is nearly the English half-pen-
ny, and is not very troublesome. Pieces
of two sous, or ten centimes, are also
coined in bronze they are equivalent to
the English penny.
The English sovereign is orth 25
francs, and there is generally small ex-
cess according to the rate of exchange. 1t
is hardly worth consideration. AS the
English pound consists of $40 pence, and
20 francs are equivalent to $50 pieces of
ten centimcs, it is easy to see that the ten
centimc piece cannot be regarded as the
exact equivalent of the English penny It
is worth rather less. The English shil-
ling is equivalent to 1.25 francs, or franc
and quarter, and the fve-franc piece to
four English shillings. If the traveller
lands in England before setting out for
France, he is advised not to change his
English gold or Bank of England notes
into French coins, as the money of Great
Britain passes equally as well as the lat
ter, and generally slight premium will be
realized. But if the tourist aciU 10 so he
is advised to change his English gold or
notes at money changers office, pr bank
ing-house, not at shops. He must not of
course expect to change francs back into
English money without loss.
The usual gold coins in France are the
napoleon of 20 francs GIG shilling gs) the
ten-franc piece (S shillings); and the FIVE
franc piece a shillings). The notes of
the Bank of France are perfectly safe, and
circulate everywhere.
The silver coins are the pieces of FIVE
francs, of two francs, of one franc, the
half franc, and the piece of twenty CEN
times or four sous.
A franc is equal to twenty cents in sill
| YER.
| While discussing money matters a few
words with reference to Passports are de-
manded. Although British subjects and
Americans are admitted into Fra nee and
may travel anywhere without a passport,
this document is still sometimes demanded
on endeayoring to obtain access to some Of
the public monuments not open to the
public, or at times when the general pub
lie is excluded In these cases note ad-
dressed to the Ministers of State, of War,
or of the Interior, the Prefect of the Seine
or Of the Police, is always sufficient to Sc
cure an order Americans are advised to
procure passports before setting out for the
Old World, as they are then prepared for
any emergency. The Secretary Of State,
at Washington, will always send the re-
quired bit of parchment to all applicants,
provided the application is properly en-
dorsed. The cost of the whole thing is
only from So to 81, depending upon the
fees of the notary-public. The Govern
ment only requires the cost of thp parch-
ment.
To pass from the everyday affairs of life
to scenes of solemnity may seem to our
readers sudden transition, but the visitor
sees abroad, as well as ut home, many
things which causes him to feel sad and
contemplative and in the burial places of
Catholic France mournful recollections are
called forth, when we see the poor of Par
is buried in vast trenches, $40 feet long
and IA feet wide, within those beautiful
and artistic cemeteries.
Paris is very remarkable for it, burial
places. OF these there are two varieties,
cemeteries and catacombs. The former
are open, pleasant gardens, samew hat taw-
drily decorated, and often of questionable
taste, but on the whole resorts of consider
able interest. There are the three princi-
pal emeteries-that of the east, the north,
and south. The first is better known as
that of the Peye la Choise, and is gener-
ally visited by strangers. 1t is kind of
park laid out with walks, planted with
shrubs and trees, and adorned with flow
ers. 1t occupies nearly 30 acres, and
commands fine view of Paris. There is
chapel in it which resembles a vast tomb,
and mosque for the use of the Mussul-
mans. Many very remarkable people lie
inferred in this cemetery, and it il crowd
ed with monuments whose taste il not al
WAYS the purest. A jews quarter is no.
ticed, where M'dlle Rachel, the celebrated
tragedienne, lies buried.
Among the more remarkable tombs is
that of Heloise and Abelard reno we'd here
in 1904 from the convent of the P nraclete.
The following names of distinguished per-
sons buried here in this cemetery may be
useful as reference-Arago, Bosio, 0uvier,
Cambaceres, Dupuytren, Fourier, Fould,
Mdme. de Genlis, Gall, Marshal Ney,
Racine, Rothschild, and hosts of others.
This gem of cemetery for its aize, out
strips all others in its artistic effect and
arrangement of flowers, but for extent,
romantic effect and intricate drives and
walks, Greenwood Cemetery, near Brook
| l,.n Tono leland with ;to am onrho air, orf