New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-17
EXHIBITIONS OF THE PAST.
GRADUAL GROWTH-IS THIS
THE LAST ONE?
Paris. May 20.

The LAST ONE?
Paris May %
In the opinion of many people we'll qualified to
judge the Exposition of 1900 will probably be
the last Of those immense international fairs
which have for so long period found home n
France. They have lasted in France for over
one hundred years. The first goes back to 1873;
but these exhibitions were merely French and
1t is only since 1882 that foreigners have been
admitted
The earliest French exhibition was installed in
the Champ de Mars in 179S. when there were 10
exhibitors; it lasted only three days for they
We're troublOus and stirring times The next in
1901, established in the Louvre lasted six days
so that exhibitors were more fortunate than
nowadays-they were allowed to rest on the sew
enth day. The following year the show took
place again at the Louvre, and it lasted one day
longer. After this came an interval Of four
years; the exhibition migrated to the EspIanade
des Invalides, where il lasted twenty-four days
EXHIBITIONS DURING THE REVOLUTION.
During that period known in France as the
Restoraton-that is to say, from the downfall of
Napoleon in 1915 TO the downfall of Charles Y
in 1S30-there were three exhibitions all at the
Louvre: in 1915. which lasted thirty-fve
days; one in 1893 of fifty days, and, finally the
third in 1929, which kept open for two full
months Public taste for these shows evidently
increased, for the duration Of each successive
exhibition exceeded the preceding. The three
exhibitions that took place during Louis Phil
ipDe's reign also lasted two months each
The Place de la Concorde with its sad memo
ries of Louis XVI Marie Antoinette and the
Terror was the scene of the next show in 1884.
when 2,447 exhibitors had stands allotted to
them in galleries or pavilions which We're erected
on the right and left of the Obelisk Of Luxor
between the TuilerIes' gardens and the Champs
Elysees. The fair transported to the
Champs Elysees carre AIarigny in 1899 That
years show was rendered remarkable by the
first exhibition of apparatus, invented by one
CUTLER, a stage carpenter at the Varieties thea
tire, supposed TO guarantee theatres against fire.
or as the report stated: THE fire would be ex-
unguished in less than a minute" A marvellous
invention Of that nature is still vainIy sought
after.
In 1s4+ another exhibition was held on the
same site, ana royalty was preparing new
Industrial Show when Louis Philippe
oyrrthrown in 1913. The republic opened the
bequeathed show as a national exhibition. Tous-
set. the Minister of Commerce, wanted it 10 be
international, but the different boards of trade
having declared against it, Frenchmen alone
were permitted to exhibit
ENGLAND OPENS HERS TO FOREIGNERS.
Two years later. in 1851, the English applied
the system advocated by ToUsset to the first
international exhibition held in London with
such complete success that the next Paris
hibIrion Of 1875 was decided upon as interna-
tionaI and universal The same designation
held good for the following show in 1867.
\ new exhibition took place in 1878 in the
Champ de Mars and extended 10 the Trocadero
Palace built FOR the occasion. Germany took no
part in it. The chief attraction that year was
a large captive balloon il the Place du Car
rousel containing twenty-five thousand cubic
yards Of gas
In 1889 the exhibition celebrated the centenary
of the French Revolution; for that reason ma
lions governed by kings refused to take any
official part in it; their abstention did not, how
ever. seem to diminish its financial success. It's
great attraction was the Ei1eI Tower-sUiu one
Of the chief sights Of Paris Its other attrac-
lions, almost great as the tower itself. We're
the Gallery Of Machines, stu standing, and the
street OF Cairo with its eXotcs donkeys and &C.
centric dances.
Finally the present Exhibition OF 1900 with its
moving Sidewalk, It's street Of national pavIons
and its electrical palace. appliances, iAumlna-
Between the London International Exhibition
Of 1851 and the Universal Exhibition of Paris,
1900, many have taken place in other countries:
London QS62), Vienna Qoi3), Philadelphia
0ST6) sydney GSTg), Melbourne 0SSD, Amster-
dam GSS3) Antwerp (lSS51 Barcelona QSSS),
Moscow QS9D, Chicago QS9:0. Berlin 1880,
Budapest 1896. Nuremberg 1880, Mini Nov
gorod 1896, Geneva 1880, Brussels QS9O and
Como OSJ9.
Among all these countries and capitals Paris
would seem TO possess the gift of attracting
the greatest number Of visitors. Twenty-slX
million to the 1889 Worlds Fair, and it
is believed that this number viii be far ex-
ceeded this year.
WHAT THE FUTURE MAY BRING FORTH.
After so many and such varied shows is it
probable that these gigantic efforts at interna-
tional competition viii cease? Many desire it,
and economists supply copious and excellent
ton
1t IS quite possible that exhibitions like those
OF the past or the scale Of the present VIII
not again be attempted and that few people
viii regret them, but It Is certain that indus
trial and commerciaI fairs viii arise from their
ashes under new forms in order meet with
the real needs OF the different countries. As
a proof the present Worlds Fair is barely
opened The packing cases are not all
packed and many OF the show cases are still
empty; YET TWO other French exhibitions are
already announced: one at Hanoi in 1901 the
other at Milan in 1902 The one at Milan viii
be entirely French, since only French indus
trial and commercial men Will he allowed 10
exhibit curious anomaly in foreign coun-
try.
What can be said of the Hanoi exhibition?
It Is far enough away at any rate and the
voyage TO the place may form the greatest at
traction. Comparatively few particulars are
known, although one rumOr is taking a definite
form, 10 the effect that Messrs. Mounet-Sully
and Coquen cadet viii go there accompanied
by dozen or so artists, some newspaper men
and regular caravan Of Deputies and Sena-
tors What are they going TO do there?
c. I. B.
EXPOSITION VISITORS WARNED.