New-York tribune., 1900-12-02
PARIS.
AMERICAN COAL IN FRANCE-REJANE
IN A NEW PLAY
A FRENCH LITERARY CRITIC SOON TO
VISIT AMERICA-MR. ZUG OF CHICAGO.
ON sPURIOU sAPHAELs.


GcOpyr,sht 1900: b, r. a,sv-York Trsbune,l
IBT cABIE TO THE TRIBUNE.l
Paris. Dec. l-Paris papers this morning pub
tished telegrams from PittsbDrg announcing
contracts for large shipments Of American coal
10 French ports. During a recent visit 10 Mar
settles I made inquiries OF leading members Of
The Marseilles Chamber Of Commerce, repre-
Fentatives OF the Paris, Lyons and MsrseiIles
Railway. representatives Of the Transatlantique
and the Messa geries Navigation Companies and
of certain coal firms as to the prospect Of Amer
1csn coal being able 10 compete with the Eng
lsh product in the French markets. The
sensus of opinion expressed was unfavorable
chiefly on account Of the enormous difference in
the normal freight rates TO Marseilles from the
United States and from England These are
20 shillings from America, as against only
shlngs from England or Wales. On the
other hand. experts at Marseilles said that the
quality Of American coal was perfectly salts
factory as regards calorifc power, percentage of
ash. etc. The difficulty lies in the small size
and friability OF American coal, which is not
adapted TO CRATES 10 the furnaces Of French
steamships, British Peninsular and Oriental ships
or 20 the French-ItaIian steamships, which can
use only the large Cardiff coal The agents Of the
Peninsular and Oriental Line say that they have
had two consgnments Of five hundred tons each
direct from Newport News. and that American
coal cannot compete permanently with Welsh
coal. for the reasons already given. The Amerf-
can Consul al Marsees expressed confidence
that there waE future for American coal in
Marsees provided American merchants would
take pains TO study the French market care
fully before shipping large quantities The pre-
vailing opinion is that MarseiIles at present is
overstocked with American coal
or L e hair dozen theatrical productions this
week there are two new piays which call for
special comment. "Sylvie ou la Curieuse
glamour a vaudeville OF, strictly speaking, a
Et1dy Of feminine psychology, in four acts, by
Abe Hermant author Of La Meute" la Car
Tiere" and Les Transatlantiques was success
fully brought out at the Vaudeville Theatre
with the principal character admirably played
by RejaEe. "Sylvie," which like ''Zsza." was
written expressly for Rejane. serves as a turn
ing pedestal upon which the popular actress
poses for three hours every night displaying
herself fun face, half face and profile reveal
.nE her Tepertory Of sly glances. suggestive
winks, pouting lips, ironic sensuality, boulevard
eamnere and all the consummate tricks Of her
art The scene is laid between the years 1883 and
Isle thereby embracing three picturesque peri
DDS. those OF Louis XVI the Revolution and
the Empire which give glorious opportunities
cinemstograph there are living pictures OF
Lancret and Greuze; there are Marshals OF the
Empire and Napoleonic colonels who seem 10
have stepped forth from the canvases OF Meis-
Eonier or Detaille. The central figure Of this
glittering embroidery is the wanton. perverse
married courtesan, Sylve, Ia Curieuse d'Anour
product Of the Age OF Reason OF the free
sentimentnlity OF Jean Jacques Rousseau and OF
the Pare aux Cerfs. Action is completely sac-,-
feed 70 impassive anatomical character dissec-
tion OF animal passion; very audacious things
very prettily said, tickled the palates Of the
oilettsnte audience OF the first night Reisns
absolutely revels m the ooquettish triyiali,ies
arc dainty touches by which the author vainly
strives 10 make the heroine's meretricious sen.
sualIty interesting. Those who pretend that ths
French stage Is entering upon its decadencs cite
Hermants latest production as an example. II
IS merely an adroit dovetailing in footlight for,
OF the anecdotal libertinsge OF Cassarova and
OF similar eighteenth century memoirs. thera ar,
not three passages IN the whole play that ris,
20 the Level Of true dramatic art In this In
stance, as on other occasions Rejane has sue
oeeded IN making Parisisns believe a Dad ola,
10 be good; moreover IN Paris there is a spe
cialiy educated pleasure seeking eoterie largely
OF cosmopolitan composition, which Graves fo
caviare and devilled frogs where the genuin,
public demands roast chicken ana outlets Thi
partially accounts for the ephemeral success o
sylvie," play which would be a dead failur,
IN New-fork Nevertheless, Abel Hermant'
latest and boldest effort supplies ample materia
Tor discussion. II is distinctly new develop
ment or that category OF fashionable comedy