Smyrna times., 1876-08-30

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largest In the world, single plates of silvered
glass eighteen feet high and eleven feet
"lde. France, though torn by almost
ceaselesS wars and connections, still knows
how to make some of the most beautiful
and useful articles of commerce. We find
her well represented in Agricultural and
horticultural Halls, where she exhibits the
growing olive and orange trees, silk worms
feeding on the mulberry leaf, tho perfect
fruits and grains of the sunny Mediterra-
mean provinces: wines, brandies, silk goods,
Jewelry, gloves, perfumery and many other
fine and fancy articles.
Stopping a moment at Brazil we find
| dressed hides in which we observe that the
tanning process is very similar to ours.
Saddles with no pommels, straight seats,
sometimes ivory stumps. Hats much like
our own, all styles, from the soft felt to the
stiff high silk, though generally they are
lighter IN weight than ours, and light
colors seem to prevail. Mahogany, lignum-
vitae, rosewood, peruvian bark, gold, silver,
diamonds, plants, india-rubber in various
shapes, and many other products of this
rising southern Empire.
Passing from Brazil back to the centre
you may come upon a unique fountain
there Is pile of rocks and white stones,
and above is a cross of dappled marble, on
which are carved the words: " Ho, every
one that thirsteth ~ Beneath runs and
ripples little stream of water, it looks verv
cool and inviting, but don't drink it. it is
warm and tasteless. But the design is beau
tl1ul, the sentiment is holy, and the ex-
hloltors ought to take away that warm de-
ception and send a stream of cold, refresh
ing, life giving water through it.
A minute more in the American depart.
ment. Stop and glance in those funny
looking glasses, one makes you seven feet
thick and four feet tall, like an old Dutch
burgomaster, and you laugh till the
tears fall. Another stretches you up like
bean pole, long, lean, lank, swinging and
awkward, and you laugh again till you are
tired enough to turn away. Next door u
cutlery firm displays a carving knife
elegantly finished, twelve feet long, and a
fork in proportion. There is case of fine
surgical instruments among which are
patent pluggers and mallets for filling teeth
by electricity, there is a great bank safe,
with doors open, inside, luxurious room
with desk and chairs, an ingenious time
lock which is set to open at certain time,
and cannot be opened second sooner.
We now walk into Tifanys for another
look at the diamonds. That case is worth
in the neighborhood of half million dol.
lars, and is guarded constantly by watch.
ful policeman. That necklace and the
feather and pendants are valued at a hun.
dred and eleven thousand dollars, and the
three unset stones supported on trembling
golden needles are worth three, five and
eight thousand respectively. These stones
are beautiful, but when we become ac-
quainted with fact which the public at
large does not know, they sink into com
paratiVe insigni6cance, and a feeling of
sadness and disappointment comes over us
as we think of what might have been
| This fact is that in the custom house in
this city are lying three millions of dollars
worth of gorgeous jewels, sent from Brazil
and intended for the exhibition, but de-
tanned, hOpelessly detained until the ex.
hibitor can give security to the amount of
six millions that they shall not be sold or
stolen while in this country.
We might walk through Great Britain
and Ireland, Spain, Denmark, Sweden and
Norway, China and Japan, and many other
places, but we cannot this time, the day is
nearly gone. Description seems weak here,
we might write volumes, might fill libraries
and yet the half would not be told. There
is so much here that it is impossible for
working person or a business man to see it
all in the space allowed him ;-only per-
son of elegant leisure can take the three or
four months time necessary to get good
view and satisfactory knowledge of every
article in the buildings; and persons of
elegant leisure have not the interest and
appreciation generally that active, indus
trious workers have.
Being weary with close study in the
buildings we take stroll on the grounds
before leaving. Now the thought arises,
"why so much military display IsShis
bleeding France, trembling between a Re.
public and Commune? Is this war-like
Germany, where half the population are in
the army? Are we at war, that the base of
Georges Hill must be covered with tents of
two thousand soldiers, and still more in
other parts of the park p Yet so it is.
You can go nowhere without meeting the
epaulet and the plume, without hearing
the drum and the fife, tho crash of martial
music and the voice of command. Still, a
regiment on parade, or in battalion drill is
very fine sight, and it may be seen any
afternoon between four and six o'clock.
If you want a splendid view of the entire
grounds, go upin the observatory of Georges
Hill, nearly three hundred feet high. You
have below the whole exhibition, like a
great map, men almost invisible, engines
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