The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-20
The French Omcial Reports on the
Philadelphia Exhibition.

This heavy volume of nearly six hundred
ample pages, just received from Paris, con-
tains the official reports of the French Com
missioners General and Of the French men,
bers of the various international juries who
served at our Centennial Exhibition. These
reports are nineteen in all; one general, re-
lating to the Exhibition as u whole, and
eighteen special, dealing with various
branches of art and production. 1t is inter-
esting to know the deliberate opinion
Of intelligent European judges on
the state of the industrial and lib
eral arts in the United States, and prob
ably no judges are better qualified or more
disposed to be fair than those sent by
France It is impossible to notice in detail
the vast mass of their observations and we
can touch on only few points of interest.
And, first. as to points of complaint and
criticism. The French Commissioners
strongly reprobate the narrow protective
policy of the United States which prevented
the sale in this country of any con-
siderable part of the French produc-
tons sent hither. When withdrawn
from the Exhibition they had to be re-
packed und reshipped to France, owing
to our high duties If Congress had relaxed
the revenue laws in favor of foreign articles
exhibited their sale at moderate prices
would have been real benefit to the pur-
chasers and greater benefit to the country
by retaining in it instructive specimens Of
the most advanced state Of various European
productions. Another ground Of complaint
is the appeals permitted from its awards
of the international juries to a re-
vising committee composed wholly of
Americans, thus depriving the Exhibition
Of it's professed international charac-
ter. A third subject of criticism is
the great profusion of goods of the
same kinds introduced by the American ex-
hibitors, making the affair hugo bazaar
rather than IN exposition Of American prog
ress in the arts of production. But in spite
of these drawbacks it is conceded that the
exhibition was very striking proof of the
rank attained by our country in industrial
development
1t is apparent throughout these reports
that enlightened European observers are
compelled to admit that the United
States have become formidable rival
of the most advanced European pro-
ducers "If," says one Of these reports,
'from superior point Of view, we
ought to rejoice in the new forces which are
elaborated in this grand and admirable
atelier for the extension of civilizing power
in the world, we ought also to be seized
with jealousy and fear for, just as the tra-
ditional equilibrium of political powers has
undergone grave changes, SO the equilib-
rum of industrial forces appears menaced
by the brilliant entrSe en- scene Of the Amer
lean Republic" 1t would be easy, if we
had space for quotations, to verify this
general judgment by many partic-
ular tributes to our surprising prog
ress in various arts. In relation to
chemical products, for example, it is said in
one Of the reports that eve are permitted,
us we said at the beginning of this report, to
attest once more the remarkable develop
ment of the industry Of the United States
We do not hesitate to say that this progress,
so rapid in manufacturing production. has
appeared to us. as to other members Of the
Jury, to constitute the most interesting and
Mt least the most Characteristic fact of this Ex-
position" OF course what we have said is
but meagre account of this bulky volume.
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