The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-23
FAlR LESSONS FROM FRANCE.
How National Expeditions Begin and
What They AIavo Produced.

would pause long enoughin their pallopinu
pace to consider the vast interests that are
to be stimulated by the Chicago exposition,
there would be less adverse criticism Of its
methods and profounder sense of the
great importance of tho undertaking. I'm
til 1851, when the Crystal palace was erect
ed in Hyde park, London, few among even
the most progressive of English producers
appreciated the enormous benefits that
were destined to result from an aggrega-
ton Of the worlds products. They con-
ceived themselves too wealthy and too SUI
perior to be in need of any such encourage
ment to the prevailing industries. Yet the
advantages of these national exhibitions
have since been fully realized, and the in
dustrial display has become periodical.
Germany, Austria and Spain, Piedmont
and Portugal, France, Russia, Italy, Hol-
land and Denmark each in turn among the
nations of Europe has been animated by this
spirit of rivalry.
1t is not generally known, however, that
the world is indebted to France as the orig
inal promoter of national industrial exhibit
lions. Hence it will be interestingto sketch
with a running pen the outline of their his
tory.
For two years prior to 1907 the manufac-
ture of gobelin tapestry, sevres china and
the savonnerfe carpets was in state of
great depression The workshops were de-
serted, the artisans in starving condition,
though the warehouses were full of the re-
suits of their labors, and no commercial EN-
terprise came to relieve the general embar-
rassmens. In this emergency the minister
of the interior conceived the idea of collect
ing i'll one large exhibition these and other
objects of national industry and possibly
give stimulus to trade
The chateau Of Ct Cloud VINO
atcd to the purpose. The walls of every
department were hung with the finest
tapestry, the floors were covered with SUI
peru carpets that rivaled those of Turkey,
the saloons were enriched by exquisite pic
lures, and the chamber of Mars was con-
verified into Il receptacle for the most beau
tiful porcelains. Foreigners flocked to
Paris before the day fixed for public admis-
sion, and many purchases were made, but
on the very morning when the doors were
to have been opened the walls of the city
were placarded with n decree of the drec-
tory for the expulsion of the nobility. The
chateau was given into the custody of
company of dragons, and so for the time
being ended the scheme that had progressed
so we'll
Fairly in the following year, however
Q'9s), the prescription having been re-
moved, another exposition was arranged,
this time the collection consisting of rich
furniture and marguerite, clocks and
watches, richly bound books, silks from
Lyons, flowers and historical pictures,
showing that in banishng the aristocracy
from Paris the government had banished
the chief patrons of French manufacture
Nevertheless the exhibition was attractive
On the return of Napoleon from his Ital-
ian campaign he caused to be erected "a
nf fry.
arragned GO porticoes filled with objects of
use or of beauty. 1t excited the greatest
enthusiasm throughout the country. For
the first time the merits of the exhibitors
were 1ntrustcd to the decision of jury dis
tinguished in science and art. The names
OF some of the manufacturers on that occa-
sion are now of European reputation.
So complete was the success that it was
determined to have annual expositions, and
it is said of Napoleon that he was prouder
OF his title as member of the institute
thnn of that of the first consul. He visited
the great workshops of Paris, Rouen, Lyons,
Milan, Brussels, Liege and Aix-la Chapelle,
stimulating all to progress and distributing
rewards.
The second official exposition took place
in the quadrangle of the Louvre under ele-
CANT portcoes erected for the occasion Two
hundred and twenty competitors were pres
ent, and 90 gold, silver and bronze medals
were awarded.
The third exposition took place in 1902,
the number of competitors being again
doubled. The fourth exposition in 1906
showed the marvellous Improvement that
had been made in textile fabrics, silks, laces,
shawls, etc The Manufacture of iron by
the MD of coke instead of charcoal and of
steel by an improved process, thus giving
tools to the workman and arms to the sol
dicr, and the transferring of ornaments
from copper plates to the surface of porce-
lain were also among the ingenious devel-
opmcnts of this period
An interval of 13 years occurred between
the fourth and fifth eXpositions, during
which it was seen thar much improvement
had been made i'll iron work and the orna-
mental designs of metals. At the sixth expo
sition in 1923 model of the first French sus-
pension bridge was shown, and in the new
methods of construction Il fresh impulse
was given to civil engineering rs a profes-
sion.
Four years afterward the seventh exposi-
ton demonstrated the influence that steam
rs motive power was beginning to exert
on manufactures. Lower prices prevailed
for many productions, and home consump-
ton was increased, together with a very
considerable export trade. Cotton printing
was now adapted to cheap goods, silk man
ufacture was improved, machinery was APP
piled to the making of paper in great
lengths, so that the wall papers of EnglaL.I
were rivaled in point OF superior taste and
economy. The staining and painting of
glass was revi-ed by modern chemistry
The eighth exhibition, which took place
in 1894, and those that followed continued
to illustrate the steady progress in almost
every department OF. manufacture.
Again the influence of these great exposi-
tons-and it is IL point that no American
should lose sight OF ut the present time
was manifest in the increase of large engi-
neerinR firms and the enlargement of mo.