New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-09
THE PARIS EXHIBITION.


PARIS, April 2J.-It is at last admitted that the
opening ceremony of the Exhibition cannot be held
in the Sale dos F6tes of the TrocaderO which was
specially designed for the purpose. This seems to
be the result of conference, yesterday between
the Minister Of Agriculture and the Chief Commits
sioner, NJ Krantz To everybody except the officials
whose credit is at stake it has long been plain that
some compromise must be agreed on. There has
been party in favor of pOstponing the
opening but the objections to this are
too welghty to be overcome. To mention only
one, it would be a surprise of the most
disagrocabe kind to the strangers who are at this
moment in Paris, on their way here, or whose ar
rangements for the journey are made. All Europe
would ring with Inconsistencies and complaints.
The whole future of the Exhibition would be en-
dangcred Paris itself would be cxaspcrated. be-
heye thore is still some talk of going through the
ceremony on the day fixed, and then closing the
building for ten days to give time for bringing the
preparations INTO a condition Of something like de-
cent compile But is idle to indulge IN spec
ulatiOns on the subject. If | mention them, 1t Is
as part Of the history Of the Exhibition and as ono
illustration of the various periods of doubt and
agony which those concerned in it have to pass
through.
Still less am disposed to keep record of the
successive stages Of incompleteness which are dis
grounds from time to time. must presume that
your real interest in the matter will begin when the
Exhibition is substantially perfect. Yet there are
features and incidents which mark something more
than transient conditions, about which word or
two may be in season. l mentioned some days ago
the discovery of something like n combination
| among the French workncn to prolong instead of
hasten their work, believing rs they did that
there would 10. might be, nothing more for them
to do when tins at an end. The contractors
and commissioners thought they had found means
TO battle this conspiracy, which was very seriously
delaying operations of all kinds. From what |
could see on my last visit to the Champ
de Mars and the TroCad6f6, two days ago,
| should say that the men were stlll
having their own way. and doing the
minimum of work in the maximum of time. In
some of the foreign sections, notably The English,
the men were working with will; bat they were
Englishmen hear on all hands that the English
worllmen who have been brought over here have
shown no disposition TO fTatcruizc with thc French
in ldlcuc,s. The class feeling which is supposed 10
be all-powcru in these days, has proved, in this
case and for the moment at least, much less niucn
tal with them than the old sentiment Of nationality.
The rooted English belief rooted since the days of
the Black Prince ar earlier, that one Euclishman
is as good rs three Frcuchmnn, survives and shows
itself in novel forms. The workman Of to-day Is
no longer anxious 10 prove his superiority
by thrashing three of ms hereditary
enemies He prefers to prove 1t by
doing three times rs much work. have heard a
curious proof of the fact that apart from patriotic
ambition and acquired skin, the actual physical
capacity and vgor of the Engli,hman are superior
to those of the Frcnchman. When the great
Northern Railway Of France was built it was not
built by Frenchmcn. English nayvies were in-
ported for the purpose ; and wherever the Roths-
chlds who are the largest owners Of this road
have had control over n new line, they have made
il a condition that the laborcrs the men who did
the digging and carrying, should be English. 1t
cheaper TO bring them from England than TO
employ men on the spot, though at less rate OF
wages than the imported Englishmen required.
Brassoy and other great contractors have done the
same thing.
The work done inside tho Exposition binding is
of very different quality from grading railways, yet
the rule has held good. My men would wear their
fingers Off" said an English exhibitor. rather than
not bo ahead of the French" All their fingers seem
to be in good preservation. but they have beaten
the French in the most brilliant style. told you
the other day that Mr.. CunIie Owen had been
offering to help our Sir. Pickering with his bclatcd
engine. hear since that the English are lending
hand not To III only but u half the foreign sections
plain reason for their ability to do this is that they
work all day instead Of half the day. They have
not been tormented with the notion that their
bread-wnninc would end with the completion of
the Exhibition. They have not adopted any French
notions AT all. In England. where have had any
personal experience of the nottingham. he did not
seem TO me in danger Of lnjurng his constitution by
over-exerion. But he certainly improves wonder
fully when you put him side by side with the
Frcnchman.
Did you ever watch party of French workbench
The day begins for them nominally at o'clock,
which is earlier must admit, than my own Obscr-
walton Of them begins. An early-rising friend de
scribcs them as usually arriving the scene from
six to halfpast Tho first thing they do is to sit
down on some convenient stone or bench, and have
talk. Pipes come out, and are leisurey lighted,
and tobacco is great promoter Of conversation.
Presently arrives a comrade with newspaper,
which he unOlds and reads aloud; the performance
being much cnlivcnod aud protracted by continual
comment, and followed by general discussion by
the company. All this may last an hour at the end
Of winch coats are laid aside and the blouse put on
aud tools picked up and good stroke
Of work is done till breakfast Ii is the late
French breakfast which IL responsible for good
part of their dawdling. Mr.. Petit thinks this
tom has put back work in the American section
than any other one cause Breakfast IL a sOIcmnity
with all classes with the laborng man hardly less
than with his betters, if betters he have. Perhaps
he goes TO a cafe for it; perhaps it comes out of
handkerchief and is eaten on the thumb in either
case the ceremony is begun aud carried on and con-
cluded with every circumstance of lesurcly de
liberation. There Is at least as much talk as eating
for the Frenchman Is temperate in diet aud in drink
aud takes All hour to dispose Of a meal which an
EnglishmaG would dispatch in five minutes; asking
for more rs soon as il was devourcd. Then another
pipe and more talk then "a stroll back TO work then