New-York tribune., 1900-05-06
PARIS.
FRENCH VIEWS OF THE BOER MISSION
TO THE UNITED STATES
TESTING THE SAFETY OF EXHIBITION
sTRUCTURES-AMERIC IN
THE ART SHOWS

Copyright; 1900: BY The New-York Tribune.l
lBY CABLE THE TRIBUNE.1
Paris. May 5.-The departure of the Boer mis-
sion for New-York to-day is the topic of dis
cussion in the Paris papers, The consensus Of
opinion is that the mission will prove failure.
The 'Matin" which from the outbreak of the
has been vigorous defender of the Beers.
declares editorially: The Beers have not OBJ
tanned the faintest promise of support in Eu-
rope VIII they have any better luck on the
other side of the Atlantic? We afraid not.
1t seems pretty clear now that their reception
in the United States will cause them bitter dis
Illusions
In the Figaro" NJ. ]. Vilfrey says: There is
doubt that If majority of the electors or
the United States should demand pledges in
favor of the Beers from Mr. Mckinley a con-
dtion Of his reelection those pledges would
not be refused; but there is always the same
question. What would be their practical value?
1t will cost Mr. Mckinley nothing to lavish
assurances of sympathy, but as for putting the
American fleet at the disposal of the South
African Republics, the Washington Cabinet will
not think of any such thing at present, and the
future reserves no such good luck for them.
In the "Siecle" NJ Yves Guyot says When the
Boer delegates say that the Americans fought to
defend their just rights and obtain their liberty
they themselves proclaim the rights of the Out
landers; and they protest against the oppres-
sion and spoliation inflicted upon them for the
last ten years by the Government of Pretoria"
In the journal des Debats' NJ. Alcide Ebray
writes: Suppose President Mckinley should
end by Offering his mediation would not Eng
land reject it? In that could not the United
States enforce it? That would mean war by
sea and by land the side of Canada. The
United States is too practical a country to sac
rifice its interests to a matter of sentiment"
Notwithstanding the delightful spring weather.
there is decrease in the number of visitors to
the Exposition, the daily average during the
present week being $4,000, against 100000
last week. OF these about so per cent free
admissions. This is attributed to the backward
condition of the show generally, especially the
inadequate electric power and lighting the
left or south side of the Seine; partly also to
last Sundays footbridge accident, although
sponsibiliy for that catastrophe is officially laid
upon the architect of the footbridge, who or
dered the scaffolding removed without making
his intention known to the authorities. Experts
are undecided about the cause of the collapse.
The builders of the bridge say that it was due
to a shifting of the SOIL owing to the eXcava-
tions for the drainage works. The Government
engineers. on the contrary maintain that the
trench dug the foundations of the bridge
unaltered position Of the structure proved that
no shifting could have occurred. The cause will
probably forever remain undecided question.
but the public is chiefly concerned to know what
safeguards provided against future disas-
ters.
1t will be a relief to intending American Wis
itors to learn that thorough testing operations
now being carried out on the numerous bridges
of the Exposition are entirely satisfactory. None
of the structures tried have been found want
ing; no sinking or bending of uprights hori
zontal supports occurred in any instance. The
test consists in placing weight of one thousand
kilogrammes each square metre of the sur
face. certain number of bridges still remain
to be submitted to the new series of trials hav-
ing so far undergone only the first test applied
before the opening of the Exposition. which con-
sisted in the disposal Of layers of gravel on the
surfaces up to the weight of five hundred kilo-
grammes a square metre.
In regard to fire. it is satisfactory to learn that
all the plugs of the Exposition premises are in
spected al o'clock every morning to insure the
supply of water being always ready and the
pumping machinery constantly in full working
trim.
The two palaces IN the Champs Elysees. with
their centennial decennial and present year pro-
ductions of the artistic brains of France and
other countries at present by far the most
attractive features of the Exposition. Mr..
Cauldwell the American Art Commissioner. is
to be congratulated for the fairness and i'm
partiality shown by the Hanging Committee,
over which he presides. and his success in
curing one of the two most prominent panels
in the courtyard of the Grand Palais for the
United States In this has been placed a
production of Mr.. st. Gaudens's Boston Shaw
Memorial. Americans have good to be
thair CHI in no rt 1pna tn1nn
which attracts visitors than that of any
other foreign nation, and is most highly COM
mented upon by French critics.
Americans also have large share in the
awards accorded yesterday in the Salon in the
Place de Breteuil. In painting third class
medals have been given to Mr.. Dwight Boyden,
Of Boston, a pupil of Boulanger. for his New
England landscape. End Of a Rainy Day" and
to Miss Mary Sheppard Green. of New-York, a
pupil of Collin. for her Regard Fugitif." Hon
orable mentions accorded to Miss Antoinette
Parsons of New-York, a pupil Of Merson, for
her Family of Dutch Fishing FOLK to Miss
Betty Newman. of Cincinnati, a pupil of Ben
jamin Constant for her portrait of Miss Gowdy
daughter of the American Consul General at
Paris, and to MIR. Frank Russell Green, of Chi
cago, a pupil of Barillot, for his lie Sor en-
Holande."
In the sculpture department honorable men
ton is secured by Miss Clara Curtis Huxley. of
Palmyra N Y, for her charming bronze statue
of the infant Mercury sleeping.
Among the well known Americans who are
frequent visitors to the art departments of the
Exposition are Mrs. Potter Palmer Mrs NJ w
Livingston, the Misses Livingston Mr. and Mrs
Peli Haggerty Mr. William K. Vanderbilt Mrs
Ferdinand Peck and her daughters Mrs Sims
and Miss Peck, and General and Mrs Lucius
Warren.
Among the passengers on the ST Paul from