The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-07-18
Opening of the Paris Exposition.

The great French Exposition of 1878
opened on the 1st ct May with Grand
National frte, the first since the days of
the second empire, since the war, since
all those disasters which the French have
expe,ienced since France first 8onned
her Republican robes and parriei the
dagger strokes Of her willy enemies. The
people hailed the day as an emblem of
peace, of future prosperity and their
Justly entitled req ard for past suffering
and much patience. All work was for
hidden. and those ~h' did not care to
wander through the gardens and the
boulevards, spent the day IN contented
idleness looking cut of their windows
upon the hags moving with the breeze
and gazing with friendly expressions on
their peighbors aero 5 the way.
The Exposition was opened with due
ceremony in the presence III the different
representatives If various countries who
appeared with all their importance shin
ing on the breasts Of their coats, many
small men even stage erlng under the
weipht of their decorations. Marshal
MacMahon, in order to give as little
plebeian tone to the affair as possible,
kent the audience and ambassadors wait
ing with princely indifference. Tickets
of invitation we're issued t. the different
Commissioners, to be distributed among
their compatriots, who, however, com
plaiped that the French had kept the
lions share and there were not sufficient
invitations 10 satisfy all their distln-
guished couutrymen. whist some
tickets carried the proprietors to the
very centre of the important hall where
the ceremony was to take place, others
offered admission only to the grounds,
where the visitors stationed themselves
TO see the procession Of grand person
ages as they passed before them. The
crowd was so great that little attention
was paid to the injunctions for the pres
ervation of the greenswards, and the
garden was almost ruined by the tread
of MANY feet. The usual executive abil-
ity of the French seemed on this occa-
sion to be wanting, for considerable con
fusion ensued, and no one was able at the
end of the ceremony to find bis carriage,
and it was only after wandering over
much grouud, through considerable mud
and receiving occasional shower baths
that one care across his vehicle. How
ever. no one felt much inclined to nurse
his anger for everything and everybody
was en- fete.
From every window waved large and
small flag, and very many contained
two, by which it was known that an
other than a Freedman born occupied
the conspicuous apartments. 1t was
astonishing to perceive how very cos
mopolitan the inhabitants of Paris prove
to be, t. find out how many Of ones
compatriDts are away from their native
land, and how Paris. the great city of
which all France is 81 proud, Is sus-
tanned and its glory contributed to by
different representatives ot the various
nations If he earth. These flags pre-
sented m st picturesque effect and Of
tentmes singular contrast, for there
were all C Tors and peculiar designs to
be seen, b t none Of them could surpass
the red, " tie aud blue, particularly
when the sfars would be discerned. All
the windows from the first to the fifth
fight were filed with flowers, which
were a pity accompaniment To the
flag =. and these, with the pleasant faces
pc, ng through the hospitable openings,
pfe,eated very pretty picture. The
Paisians gave strong expression TO their
patriotic sentiments by the purchasing of
fiag, and Lanterns, and so great was the
deu and Tor bunting that merchants
raised the price, and, specializing with
unpatriotic spirit, but with commercial
instinct, on the patriotism Gf Others,
realized quite large sum. When the
bunting gave out, recourse was had to
calico, but that also came to All end, and
many made flags of tissue paper. Early
in the evening there could be seen Chi
nese lanterns taking their place among
the flags and flowers, the preparations
for the evenings illumination. In all
the little ny-streets even, from the attic