The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-15

PARIS. April 6.-The Official Inaugural
ton of the Universal Exposition begins IN
the immense hall Of fetes upon the Champ
de Mars, April II, and Easter Sunday
will be the first day of general admission
to the public, and the monumental
.iGrande Porte of entrance, with its triple
arch. admitting 1.040 people every minute,
or g., 400 per hour. will be taxed to its
utmost capacity. This great display of the
worlds products, worthy crown CT the eX-
piring century, will surpass in number and
variety, all previous exhibitions of an in
ternational character. The official cata-
logue fills twenty-eight o. thirty volumes,
while that of the Paris Exposition Of 1889
filled but nine volumes. The number of
exhibitors who will remain with the great
show, from start to finish, will surpass
sevsnty-six thousand and. including those
who will make temporary displays. the in
tending exhibitors will not fall short CT
one hundred Thousand. OF the seventy-siS
thousand or more furnishing Permanent
exhibits, France and her coionIes supply
forty thousand, the remainder being di-
vided up among foreign countries.
The space devoted to expos. ticn purposes
dero, and their approaches, the Quai dor
say, the Esplanade of the Inva.ides, the
Quai de la Conference, the Cours-l -Reine,
the ground formerly occupied by the Paiais
de IIndustrie and the land adjaeent to 1t,
altogether covering a superficial area of
about one million and eighty thousand
square metres, that is to say. some TWO
hundred and sixteen acres. This estimate
does not include the space occupied b. the
annex to the exposition at NIncennes,
where are 20 be shown the automobiles,
agricultural products, particularly OF the
United States and Great b. itain. Germany,
and other countries; a notable exhibit of
American lumber and other features of in
terest. Neither does it include the ex-
hibits of means of transportation, which
cover considerable space.
OF the million and more square metres
of ground, mentioned above as devoted
TO the main exposition, four hundred and
sixty thousand square metres are covered
by buildings. In a comparison with for
mer years, il appears that this exposition
OF 1900 covers twenty-siX more acres Of
ground than did that of 1889, and it is
just six times the size of the first Uni
versal Exposition of 1856.
The principal entrance to the exposi-
ton, known as the Porte Monumentale, "
rises maiestically at the entrance of the
Cours-la- Refine and about five hundred
feet from the Egyptian obelisk of the
Place de la Concorde, known to all for
mer visitors as the most spacious and
beautiful place in Paris, and one OF the
most superb in the world. This imposing
entrance structure rises to a height of
about one hundred and thirty feet, and is
surmounted by golden cupola. Open
on three sides. through spacious arch
ways, the front arch is fanked on either
side by lofty minarets, bearing on their
submits powerful electric light projectors,
which will cast flashing radiance far
and wide.
Inside the triple arch, and along the
whole facade, The coloIed enameled cas-
ings and polychrome tints of this Te-
markable architectural work of NJ. Binet
will rival the palaces of the Arabian
Nights, through the dazzling radiance of
incandescent lights, thus set
ting forth its Oriental, or fairy-like SPLEEN
dor.
After entering, the visitor admires the
exquisite gardens that surround the first
buildings reached, buildings that are
destined to outlast the exposition and
which are worthy to remain as a me-
mortal of this consummatiol of the labor
and thought of six years.
The Petit and Grand Palaces.
The first, on the right hand, is the Petit
Palais. richly ornamented and bearing,
above and at the entrance, fine groups of
statuary. The front facade is particularly
effective, with its long rows of beautiful
columns. At the close of the exposition
the Petit Palais becomes the property of
the city of Paris. In view of this acquis
ton, the municipal council voted 2O,000000
francs for exposition purposes. During
the progress of the fair this building will
contain a retrospective exhibition of
French art, from the earliest times to the
year 1900. There will be here a depart
meut OF sculpture. showing the work of
Jean Gonjon, Hondon, Couston, Clodion.
Carpeaux. Rude, etc The painters of the
former French school will also tie repre-
scented, Largilliere. Vatican. Fragonard,
lie Main brothers. Boucher, Gro5 Troyon,
de MELVILLE, Corot, and other articles
of decorative art. tapestries, hangings,
carved wood and wrought metal. and even
relics of prehistoric times will be repre-
scented here. and the building will finally
be converted into a municipal musee. In
designing this building NJ. Girault, the
prchitecs, sought to bring it into general
harmony with the Place de la Concords
and the Hotel des Invalides.
Facing the Petit Palais is the Grand
Palsis. a noble structure. its principal
facade upon the Avenue Nicolas II. in the
Roman style. Other parts OF the building
are purely renaissance, or of the order Of
the Louis XIII or XIV period while some
of its features recall the Chateau of Yer
saillas. The Grand Palais is devoted TO the
centennial exposition of painting and
sculpture and to 1.e00 works of contempt
rary masters. Consequently it offers a
comprehensive study of the artistic prog
ress OF the nineteenth century. After the
close of the Exposition the Grand Palais
will shelter the annual Salon; the Con-
cours Hippique and other exhibitions will
be given here. II supplants the cd Palais
ne fIndustrie. removed to make room for
these buildings. more worthy of perma-
hence. This Grand Palais was erected from
plans approved by architects sifted out
from two competitions. Between the
Grand and Petit Palaces runs new ave-
nue. ninety metres wide, which, crossing
the Seine by the new and famous bridge,
Alexandra Ill" extends from the Champs
Elysees TO the Esplanade des Inyalides.
The cornerstone of this bridge Alexandra
III. was laid by the Car Nicolas II at the
time of his memorable visit 10 Paris, in
the autumn of 1896.
Having crossed the Seine the visitor ap-
proaehes the palaces Of National Indus
tries. on either side OF the Esplanade OF
The Inralides. They are similar by motives
OF architecture and, in their circular pOT-
ticos, forming two pavilions of entrance.
With their pilasters. their balconies. and
the sculptures of their arches. these pavil-
ions present a very beautiful aspect. Be
yond the porticos are magnificent terraces.
from where the view extends upon the
gardens. This double series of palaces is
devoted te the decoration and furnish
ing of public buildings and OF dwellings. |
which constitute Group Mi from class &c |
10 class 49,, and to divers industries, !
which latter constitutes Group XIV from |