The New York herald., 1878-10-22
PARIS EXPOSITION.
Marshal MacMahon Distributes the
Prizes Awarded.
A GRAND CEREMONY
Magnificent Scenes in the Pal
ace of Industry.
AMERICAS URELS S.
Our Citizens Decorated with
the Legion Of Honor.
HOMAGE TO INDUSTRY.
Princes, Prelates and Diplomats
Attend the Fete.
Our Citizens Decorated with
the Legion Of Honor.
HOMAGE TO INDUSTRY.
Princes, Prelates and Diplomats
Attend the Fete.
IMPERIALISM VERSUS REPUBLICANIsM
lBx CABLE TO THE HERALD.1

lBx CABLE TO THE HERALD
PARIS, Oct. 81, 1878.
The last great official act in connection
with the Exposition Universelle, the distri-
button of awards, took place to-day at the
Palais d'Industrie. Preparations for this
event have occupied several months, and
the result was magnificent and imposing.
The great glass rooted nave, usually de-
voted to the purposes of winter gar
den, was converted into vast hall, with
boarded floor, carpeted with crimson and
otherwise decorated with oil that taste
characteristic of the French. The eye was
completely satisfied by all the conditions
Of the great spectacle, with the vastness Of
The proportions. with the brilliant but
harmonious color, perfect and softly sub
dued by light, and with the careful adapta-
lion of the decorations and devices to the
occasion.
ADMIRABLE ARRANGEMENTS.
Nothing could be more admirable than
The arrangements. Each ticket bore on its
face the number Of the section and number
Of the seat TO which the holder was as
signed, while on the reverse side was q dia-
gram of the palace indicating the entrance
to each section. The dais or central plat
form for the President of the Republic and
square nearest the Place de Ia Concorde.
At an elevation Of twenty feet was the plat
form containing sixty seats for the Chief
Executive, foreign princes, diplomats,
Presidents and Bureaux of the two cham
bers of the Legislature, special Ambassa-
dors, Ministers and Projects Of the Seine,
Chief of Police and subordinate Cabinet
officers.
PLACES ron DISTINGUISH PERSONS.
The staircase leading to this platform was
banked by two enormous pedestals. deco
rated with various trophies Of industry and
science. At each side were beautifully dec-
grated boxes, or stalls, specially set apart
for the wives of President MacMahon, of
Cabinet Ministers and Of members of the
Diplomatic Corps. In space separating
the "seats of honor" from the loges of the
Indies were chairs for the regular Foreign
Ambassadors, Foreign Commissioners, the
General Commission (French) Of the Expo
sition and Council of the Legion of Honor.
Rising gradually, tier above tier, the
seats reached the first gallery, which runs
around the building. On both sides of the
stage and in front of il, in the first gallery,
were large number of boxes for ladies.
On the benches reaching up from the seats
Of honor to the gallery were places for the
Council of State, the magistracy, munich
pal councillors, Deputies, Senators and
members Of the Bar.
ARTISTIC DIVISION OF SPACE.
In front of the dais were 5000 seats for
the lucky persons who had obtained prizes,
these seats being formed in two immense
squares, separated from the other portion
OF the nave by wide passage, beyond
which again were places for the thousand
jurors. Beyond the Jurors was an inclined
plane, with seats for 5000 spectators,
raised so that every person could distinctly
see everything that transpired on the dais.
This, however, was only small portion Of
The accommodation which French ingenuity
had devised ont Of the space at command.
Rows of seats rose one above the other to
the first story on both sides Of the nave,
and others were erected above these again
as high as the substantial pillars that sup
port the roof. At the end of the nave md
facing the chair of the President were
boxes for about one thousand. BY ranging
Ieats up toward the roof from all sides and
by judicious division Of the galleries seats
were provided for about twenty-five thou
sand persons. very numerous orchestra,
aided by chorus of several hundred male
and female voices, occupied seats in the
nave nearly in front of the President
A MAGNIFICENT SIGHT.
Notwithstanding the vast number of
tickets issued there was no crowding, no
confusion. Within the hall 1t was like q