New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-09
BIOGRAPHIES AT VENICE.
CONGRESS AND EN
TTION.

FXPOSITION-A CHINESE APOIHLoSiS VI MA'NO
POLo-OPENING EXERCISES OF THE CoNdl'Ess
NOTED SCIENTISTS IN ATTENDANcE-HLUNll-
NATION OF ST. MARKs-THE ONE UNPLEAs-
ANT INCIDENT OF THE OCCASION.
GFBoM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRlBUNEl
V,.,rCP Seut ia Congress" at Venice, be u
gathered for what purpose 1t may, must always
he a pleasant and pretty thing. l rencmuer'
and was present at, the memorable Scientilc
Congress IN 1S47, when Europe was heaying III Ihe
throes of political parturiton. and tie scientific
character of the gathering was only too trahsp'-
rentlv blind for hiding political purposes asail'ed
for fine sake of throwing dust in the eyes OF the
Austrian notice. Then we all talked treason. But
Austrio indeed il Wise to take no notice, TIL Inc
Prince of Canine. a republican Ronaparte, puSneh
his aud9citv so far 20 appear at the congress Ill
the dress of Roman volunteer Ihat was i
little more than Aus TIA, anxious ana uneasy u
she was could stand; and he was escorted 10 n'
frontier Well, we'll, Times are changed since
then But If our geographical talk on INC
rroscnt occasion advance geographical science one
te,tb os much rs our talk tlon contributed TO
chance the politicll geography of Europe. orr
rosopt - Congress may congratulate itself on not
having met in vain ] don't think that we ere
orito On animated rs we wcrr in 1910 IL can
surely bc that am some five and thirty years
older. No! no! Sober sciences does not make tho
blood dance as political passion does Hes",S' We
did deal of dining together IN those daFs. INC VI
Cong-e,s-holding which the croeraphers seem
entirely 10 ignore. In rTqrric We are all e&ceileh,
GOOD friends. And if the "6 Iolliecr lnlVersai-
Theodolil (irma Schneider in WIcnl bel der Map
pirnnq Vcrwendet," feel any jealousy OF the great
English or rather Indian ThcodolItr' Inc largest
i'm the world which has been nj WORN i'rly y''''
in the great Indian survey and IN, measured more
a.. Tool ID
trianqalation,-if. / say, the German instrument
feel any jealousy Of the huge London-madc empe
ror of its tribe no expression of the feeling can
mar our good-frllowship.
have said Indian rather than English be-
cause this superb instrument, rs well a. the whole
Of the exhibit Of which II makes part has boon sent
by the care and at the cost of the Indian Govern
ment The truth is that England woul make u very
noor op2rarancc indeed at the Congress, were II
not for what the Indian Government aud the
Commissioner, appointed by it have done. lho
English Government. when urged on the SUBJECT
considered that the utmost il was justified by tbs
state of English finances in doing for the object IN
view wa, to grant ElOo-one hundred pounds -
which il sent 10 the Nicr-C Consul here bidding MN
arrange and display the maps sent out hy inc
Admiralty But after the display OF c'"sraph'ca'
KNOWLEDGE exhibited to the world lay Sir Charles
DIX" IN his I'IUiIN is III til' la''' va N''''
the Bav OF BIscrta and the capacities Of IFS harhor
If is hardly 70 be expected that the Government OF
which he forms a prominent ornament 'h'u.u S"'"
much interest in geography!
The Commissioners appointed to represent her
Britannia NIa'c.ty's Government at the Congress
are Lord Abcrdarc. Sir Henry Lnyard. the Right
Uouoral lr John Ball. General Sir Henry Thriller
and Colonel Charles Thomas llaig, Of the Royal
Engineers. who all serve England upon THIS occa-
sion for the love of her and of science; not q
bawbee being forthcoming toward their expenses
The Indian Government is represented most c'i-
GENTLY by Sir Henry Thriller whose name Is well
known in connection with that colossal work. tho
survey Of the Indian Empire. 10y Colonel lag. and
Captain Baird. both also distinguished by the part
they have taken in that great work.
The Indian exhibit is one of the most important
and interesting in the whole Exposition; and with
the Italians generally England gets tho credit OF H.
rs the separate nature Of the TWO Governments Is
not understood We're il not FOR what ha, been
done los its big dependency Eagaud would cnt "A
poor figure indeed II is true that the specimens Of
the English Ordnance maps are the most beautiful
examples Of the mechanical part Of the arr 81 map
making that are to bee seen at tie Exposition; and
those who are acquainted with them know that m
other respects they are equally excellent. Ent
this il little indeed IN comparison with what with
her resources ENGLAND might have done. one
thing England has -cnt-only indirectly ILLUSTRATING
geography it is tfur.-whrh mention for the sake
OF a little personal anccdotr connected with u. on
the tables IN The English department are exhibited
a series of the magniic"ntly printed works and
fac-simile copies from ancient charters. which hav"
been published under the supcrntcnicncc of the
Master OF the Rolls. Among these there is q very
superb copy of Doomsday Book" and upon thi,
| 81 nf Nap'r4 yyheu lac. visited the
Exposition. pounccd Immediately. he "spol'cd'
it in an instant. and evidently knew an about the
history and nature of thc volume.
Naturally. it is difficult to render an Eyhibtiou
the object of which is the illustration Of geographic
cal science in any degree attractive or amusing to
that rather peculiarly disposed entity, the general
public" Scientific instruments may he stared at If
they have n great many wheels. strange shapes and
are very complicated But at the best they cannot
much interest those who absolutely ignorant OF
the objects and uses of them. Ancient and cur Gus
geographical books and maps can hardly interest
even adopts where thckly scattered tickets remind
yon that it is strictly forbidden to touch them!
Some of the exhibitors, however Franco especially,
have stretched point with n view to amusing the
public. 1t can hardly be considered altogether ger
name TO the proper objects of the Congress to eX-
hibir as France does perfect liie-sle model of a
Breton cottage with its inmates. A traveller in
Britanny would vainly seek such costumes Mt the
present day; but | can testify as an eyewitness
that plenty such to be some forty years
ago and that those exhibited are in every respect
correct. They do not all belong 10 the same
locality. But then the inmates OF the dwelling
may be supposed TO he receiving guests. The
Italians have hit upon something which the gen
eral public TO consider almost interesting.
and which really is not ont of place in the exhibit
ton of n Geographical Congress. This is Chinese
idol, life-szc the exact model Of which the
Chinese believe, and immemoral tradition asserts.
20 be the likeness of Marco Polo the celebrated
Venetian traveller and explorer If it he So il must
be said that the great Venetian geogaphcr was