Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-07-12
PARIS LETTER.


ThOasand LItEte French Soldiers In
Nice UnIforms-SplendId Gilt Edged
CaVAlry-The Man on Horseback
and His Brilliant SuIte-The EXPOsi-
tfOn Likely 90 Prove Financial Sue
eess-What Ie Cost and What It Will
Bring Many international Cam
gresses-Streets Lighted by EIeCtrIeI-
~.
From our Regular Correspondent
Yesterday Americans in Paris were able
to see pageant, common enough in Eu-
rope, but, such as happily cannot be seen
on our side of the Atlantic. Sixty thou
sand troops, cavalry, infantry, and artil-
lery, were reviewed at the Bois de Bologne,
a large park just without the walls of the
city. 1t was an impressive spectacle both
on account of the large number in line and
the excellence of the drill and equipment.
Further than this but little can be said in
praise. The men were not fine specimens
physically. With here and there an ex-
eeptional individual, the infantry would
be called little men in America, and, if, as
is urged by military theorists, the success
of military operations in the future will
depend much upon the intelligence Of the
common soldier-judging from appear
ances, France has little prospect of re-
achieving her lost prestige. It may have
been all in the eye, but it was impossible
70 look at those long columns of neatly
dressed, red psntslooned, blue coated, lit
tie soldiers, without imagining signs of
the deficient moral, mental and physical
stamina that enabled the PruSsians to hurl
them with such ease from the Rhine upon
the city of Paris. They would not do it
with the same ease to day, because there is
much serious determination in these sol
diers, with all their French eonceit. They
explain their defeat upon the theory that
they were sold out by their Generals, and
when we remember that Bazains surrender
ed $50, 900 men without the first attempt
to cut his way through, there would seem
to be some plauslbility in their explana-
ton. The French Cavalry about Paris,
are fine looking picked men, splendidly
mounted, wearing brass helmets, and
breast plates and high top boots. They
are armed with heavy sabres; but do not
think there is any doubt that Sheridan's
or Wade Hampton's cavalry armed with
Spencer rifles, could overthrow twice their
number of these men. If the issue de-
pended on square charge, of course the
American cavalry would be worsted. But
with the long range repeating rife, many
saddle would be emptied and many a
horse disabled before these glittering fell
lows could get within sabre length. The
Marshal President was very CONSPICUOUS
at the review, surrounded by brilliant
staff. He makes pretty good appearance
on horseback, though his face is rather
weak, his stomach a little large, and his
legs somewhat slim. Mcmahon is not very
popular in Paris, but thousands Of people
stood in the Champs Elysee and along the
Boulevard des Italiens to see him return
from the review. Finally he came in
large open carriage drawn at smart trot
by four black horses, the two near horses
being ridden by postillions IN glove fitting
jackets, white glove fitting pantaloons,
and high top boots. Two horsemen uni
formed like the pOstillions trotted behind
the carriage.
Notwithstanding the large number of
people that left the city to attend the re-
view, there was no diminution of the
crowd that went to the exhibition, which,
considering the impulse that will have been
given to commerce and industry, and the
consequent development of public wealth,
may henceforward be considered COM
plete success. The total expense of con-
strueting and preparing the Exhibition
amounts to As, 800, 900 fr. 1t is estimated |
that the receipts will reach 81, 500 900 fr.,
so that the final diicit will be 10000, 900 |
fr. 1t must be remembered that the en-
terprise will increase the income derived |
from the indirect taxes. The Government |
expects an excess of revenue of 1O,0O0,- |
900 fr., but it is probable that this sum
will be below the reality.
The International Congress of Agricul-
ture has closed and it will be followed by |
series of other international congresses that
will be held in the Trocaders palace in the
following order: Congress for the unfit
cation of the numbering of cottons. Con-
gress of charitable and providence insti-
tutions. Congress of demography. Con-
gress Of ethographic sciences. Congress
for the study and improvement Of means
of transport. Congress of architecture.
Congress for the discussion of sanitary
measures. Congress of civil engineers.
Congress of AnthrOpological science. Con-
gresS of commerce and industry. Con-
gress of meteorology. Congress of geolo-
gy. Congress for the discussion of patents,
trademarks, labels, etc.
The feasibility of lighting streets by
electricity is having very thorough test
in Paris at present. For more than |
month the Avenue de l'Opera has been IL |
Illuminated in this way, and thousands of
promenadsrs are nightly attracted by the
beautiful white light that makes the gas
lamp appear like 8 tallow candle. The
effect of the light is not comparable to any
other that 1 have seen; it is luminous and
steady, something like the light of the full
moon, but brighter. These lamps on the
avenue are placed about three times as far
from each other as it is customary to place
gas lamps, and the illumination / would
guess is at least four times as powerful.
The electric lights have been adopted in
some theatres. A thing that recommends
them for warm weather is that they gene