The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-05-16
THE PARIS EXPOSITION.
The Opening Ceremonies OF Frances Great
show.


ton began ut $50 O'Clock in the after
noon, at which time it was showery, but
ut three o'clock the sun was shining
brightly. The crowd was immense and
enthusiastic in spite of the intervals of
rain during the proceedings. Cries were
everywhere heard of Z" Vive la Repub-
lque" and +" V1ve la France" Among
those present were the Prince of Wales,
Don Francois d'Assise, father of the
king Of Spain; the Due d'Aosta, brother
of the king of Italy and the ex-King of
Spain; Prince Frederic, Grown Prince of
Denmark; the Prince of Orange, heir
apparent to the throne of the Neither
lands, and Prince Henry of Holland.
Escorts of honor had been sent at one
o'clock to the hotels of the Presidents of
the Senate and Chamber of Deputies
and to those of the Princes who were in
Paris to represent their respective Gov
ernments, to conduct thom to the exhi-
bition building.
The Marshal arrived at the Trocadero
in the state caraiage, escorted by his
military household, troops being drawn
along the route from the Elysee. On
his arrival at the Trocadero President
MacMahon presented to th' ir royal
highnesses all the ministers, the officials
connected with the exhibition, and
several other distinguished personages.
On reaching the platform, M. Teisser-
enc de Bort, Minister of Agriculture and
Commerce, welcomed the Marshal, and
delivered an address to the effect that
the idea of holding an exhibition sug-
gested itself the day after the de6nitive
concentration of the Republic. Repub-
ican government thus gave stamp to the
tendencies and aims which it wished to
assign to its efforts, and testified its faith
in the stability and fecundity of the in
stitutions it had founded and its conf
dence in the sympathies OF foreign gov
ernments. He thanked the foreign
countries which had SO magnifcently re-
sponded to the appeal of France, sent
their art treasures and manufactures
here, and now crowned their courtesy
by honoring the opening of the enter
prise with the presence OF the most illus
trious citizens and best loved princes.
The Exhibition was proof Of native
vigor which would make it's mark upon
the history ct the Republic. In the Ex-
hibition visitors would see that France,
reassured in regard to the future, had
taken fresh flight by the revival of her
activity and energy, and labored more
ardently than ever to multiply the crea-
tion which honor her artisans, embellish
the life of her people, and multiply the
benefits Of civilization to the honor and
glory of humanity.
President Mac Mahon said: "I desire
to join in the sentiments expressed by
the Minister of Commerce. I offer nv
nrr1.0f lot
result achieved, and of which I am
happy to have the whole world as wit
ness. We have also to thank the foreign
nations for so completely responding to
the appeal of France. In the name of
the Republic, declare the Exhibition
opened"
One hundred and one rounds from the
guns at the Invalides, on Mount Vale
rien, and on an island in the Seine, fol-
lowed the announcement. At the same
time two military bands struck up, all
the fountains played, and soldiers sta
toned by the f1agstaffs hoisted the flags
OF all nations on the roofs of the two
palaces and the annexes.
The Marshal turned to M. Krantz, the
organizer of the Exhibition, and con-
graduated him on the auspicious OPEN
ing of the grand enterprise.
The Marshal then reascended to the
Trocadero Palace, the procession reform
ing behind him, and, after completing
the round of the building, crossed the
River Seine to the Champ de Mars.
Troops were drawn up on and near the
bridge. The terrace of the Champ de
Mars Palace was occupied by Senators,
Deputies, the Council of State, magis-
trates, academicians. the military staff,
and the French Commissioners.
AS the Presidential procession, includ-
Princes, diplomats, and other distin-
guished guests, reached the front of the
Palace of the Champ de Mars, the scene
was extremely picturesque. The State
bodies in full uniform, councillors and
magistrates in their robes, and the diff
ferent bodies of the Institute and the
Legion of Honor, together with the
Senators, Deputies, clergy, and minor
officials and deputatiOns from the army
in full uniform fell in with the Presi-
dental cortege and moved through the
East Indian Hall into the grand central
nave of the palace, passing in rapid re-
view the various foreign sections, and
exchanging salutes with each Commits
sioner, who stood in front of their re-
spec i've sections. The procession then
passed into the art galleries-thence into
the French section, which occupies one
entire side of the palace. Alter the
usual courtesies, the President and party
left by the Avenue Rapp gate and re-
turned to the Elysee.
Every available space in the palace,
as we'll as the lawn in front and out
lying buildings, was densely crowded,
notwithstanding the fact that admission
was solely by invitation. Shortly before
two o'clock sudden and violent thunder
storm came up, creating considerable
movement among the spectators, but it
lasted only a few minutes, and before
the arrival of the Presidential paaty the
sun was shining again brilliantly.
After the formal declaration of the
opening, and just as the cortege, headed
by President AacMahon and the Prince
of Wales, moved from the gallery of the
palace into the open space, where long
line of troops stood at present arms,
large drops of rain began to fall and
umbrellas and overcoats for a moment
hid the gorgeous uniforms and decora-
tions of the princes and dignataries
forming the procession from the view
of spectators. The rainfall, however,
lasted only a few moments, and the
march over the Bridge of lena to the
buildings in the Champ de Mars was con-
tinued without further inconvenience.
AS the President, at the head of the
aorta0a ,,oaca1 throne oh tho Exbihition