New-York tribune., 1878-05-02
TIE AMERICAN DEPARTMENT.


GREAT DISADVANTAGES To BTGIN wTH-ENERGY
THAT HAS OVERCOME THIN sHoRTNEss or
TIME AID OF Monty THE MAIN DITFfCULTTEs--
OUTLINES OF THE AMERICAN DUuDING-NOTEs
on THE CONTEMPLATED DIsPLAY-COMPARIsoy
OF ITwITH THOSE OF OTHER NATIONS.
iFeoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNF.I
PARIS April 1.-THE American section does not
eseem much less forward in essential particulars
than the British, aud this is high praise when Won
consider the difficulties against which our people
have had to struggle. lttook a long time 10 make
up our minds that we would come here at all. am
not gong single step into the history of that
tr0versy. Ny business Is with to-day, not yeSter-
day. 1t is enough to say that our English friends
had begun their preparations fifteen months before
Congress resolved that the United States shouli DO
represented at Paris. Six months before the adop-
tion of that resolution the British catalogue Of
hibitors had been completed, and later applicants
for space were refused. The English Commission
were in possession of their offices IN Paris months
before sir. Mccormick, the Chief Of our Commits
sion, arrived upon the ground. They have had al
most unlimited funds, and the steady support of the
one man in England who can make anything 90 in
which he chooses to take an interest-the Prince OF
Wales. Our whole appropriation would not cover
the cost of what the English have spent IN sheer
luxury and though this sort of lavish ont
practical part of the work, it does. Ii suits
the Englishman. He likes to do things on
large SCALE especially where n Prince is
ceIned. 1t pleases him to think that the Prince
really cares for matter affecting the interests Of
trade and business and the loyal creature in return
takes as good care as ne knows how of his royal
patron. and is hattered TO think that the Heir
Apparent to the British Crown will be more splen-
didly lodged than anybody else. And he goes 10
work with immense zeal under the conviction that
the Princes eye is upon him; that he. Jones or
Smith, may be so immeasurably fortunate as to
obtain q glance from the royal eye or word
of approval from royal lips. The Briton,
moreover. is next door neghb0r 10 Paris.
The American was 5000 miles away. The
Briton, being early on the ground, could make his
contract, at leisure and on reasonable terms. The
American came in at the eleventh hour, when the
Frenchman had his hands full. and has paid somo
20 per extra out of his scanty store for that
reason alone; and in some cases has had go with
ont what he wanted because the extOrtiOn was too
great Take q single instance. When Mr.. Petit
planned the American headquarters on the main
avenue, he left small vacant space on either end
for garden, mainly for economys sake, the build
ing being able TO accommodate the staff without
taking in all the available ground. week OF two
since Mr. Mccormick thought he would cover in one
of these gardens with glass, and SO get an extra
room for the of American visitors. Mr.. Petit,
our archtect-in-chief estimated the cost at 5000,
but when the plans submitted 10 the contractor
who is putting up the whole building, that en-
terprising gentleman demanded $2,2oo Tor the )oo.
He was probably surprised hear in return that the
sum was larger than the Commission could afford,
and that the plan had been abandoned.
think it, therefore, creditable to our people that
they are so nearly abreas: of the English in their
preparations could add TO my catalogue of difii-
culties encountered and surmounted, bat they may
all be included under of two heads-shortncss Of
time and shortness of money. 1t may be said that
the whole work has been done in about four months.
and it looks If quite four months work remained