OUR EUROPEAN LETTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 1127, 25 June 1867, Page 5

OUR EUROPEAN LETTER.

(FEOSI OUE OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Paris, April 26. the international exhibition. —the evening. The weather, which for the last three weeks had seemed to have been determined to do erervthing to impede the works at (lie Champ de Mars, at last relented for the day of the opening. The Great International Exhibition, which lias occupied the attention not only ot Europe, but of tlie whole world, for at least eighteen month?, was opened on Monday, Ist of April, bv the Emperor and Empress. The unfavourable slate of the health of the young Prince— it ho has not got over the operation performed upon him bj- the celebrated Dr. Nileton— prevented his' accompanying his Imperial parents. The general opinion was that the Empress seemed rather anxidus on t:hc day of the opening, and that she took but little interest in what was going on. The Imperial Commission luul not been chary of its invitations to the Corps in Paiis, and to the friends of the Foreign Commissions. Unfortunately the unfinished state of everything. and the watit of space occasioned by the great number of packing cases stiiil lying about the building, gave the Imperial cortege but little space to traverse, and the absence of any kind of carpeting laid down along the line of niarch, gave the whole thing a very unofficial look. The Building Commission has, from the verv beginning, shown the most ridiculous parsimony, and even at the last hour refused to go to the expense of a little paint and canvas by aid of which the entrance hall might have been made to look a little comfortable. Outside the building, which is now called the Gasomctor by everybody in Paris, the preparations were very effective. A squadron of gendarmerie on horseback kept the line at either end of the bridge of Jena. Trieoloured flags fluttered along the lines of the new Place du Roi de Eome, and gradually a crowd gathered on the central line, which is exactly in the axis of the Exhibition building, a dark mass which gave the most wonderful impression of a countless crowd ; there along the quays on both sides of the river, and on either side of the bridge, but by no means so dense as it seemed to a superficial observer. Almost all the European races were represented at the opening of the Great International Exhibition, latin, Teuton, and Sclavonic. Great cordiality seemed to exist between the members of the diplomatic corps, the Papr.l Nuncio was to be seen in friendly conversation with the Turkish Ambas--oador. The Emperor and Empress were accompanied by M. Rouher, Minister of State; M. de Moustier, Minister for Foreign Affairs ; M. Haussmann, Prefect of the Seine; and M. de Nieuverkerke, the Director of the Fine Arts; and the members of the Commission. Her Majesty the Empress was dressed in a purple brown satin robe, with long trained velTet bonnet to match ; over this she had a black satin cloak with velvet trimmings. The Emperor was in plain morning dress. The Imperial pair having made the grand tour of the building, where the machines and the oi polloi were stationed, they completed their inspection by the shorter circuit of the Fine Arts Gallery, in which were the Diplomatic Body, Senate, Legislative body, and other distinguished personages. The Imperial pair remained at the building about an hour and a-half, returning as they had eome, by the bridge of Jena. The progress made within the last five or six days at the Champ de Mars is really wonderful. The central artery or passage, which is being decorated, is very fine. The stained windows have an admirable effect. Minton's display, and "Wedzwoods, lend much to its embillishment, and the view here is almost grand ; it is the sole approach to anything like a coup d'aU. The illustration blinds in the English department are very good, and the idea is to be congratulated. Some of the machinery, both in the

English and French departments, is already beginningto work, and this will form anextremely interesting part of the exhibition. It is admirably arranged for careful and systematic examination. One cannot but be struck by the enormous progress which France has made in machinery within the last ten or twenty years —they run the English very hard indeed.

THE LUXEMBOURG QUESTION. Biimoiirs of war between Prussia and France are still floating in the air. The pretentions of Prussia on the Duchy of Luxembourg have caused much irritation in France. If Prussia's love? of peace was greater than her ambition, she would avoid everything that could wound the sentiments of honour of a nation so sensitive as the French. But such has not been the conduct of Prussia, although Count Von Bisniark boasts the contrary. Instead of making a bridge of gold for !Napolean he ostentatiously publishes the treaties concluded with the S'outh of Germany, and clamours about the affairs of Luxembourg. It must be supposed that Prussia is sure of victory, as she Is so bold. It must not be forgotten by the arrogant Ilolienzollern that a French fleet carrying troops and moving along the coast requires 200,0' >0 men of Landwehr to watch it. Is it not braggadocio to affect to believe that the defensive power of Prussia is superior to that of France!-' Is not the all powerful needle gun Opposed by competent people, even should it be true that the Chasstbot rifle does not exist in great numbers. Prussia forgets that she is exposed to lose the greater part of what she has gained by Austria's faults and unqualified misfortunes. A certain opinion, which has lately been adopted in this country, is, that Prussia is now invincible; but it might happen that by the opposite of a Waterloo, a complete change might take place in that nation. Even in admitting that the chances of war are against us, will J-ranee, for that reason, be annihilated, and be reduced to perpetual impnissance ? We think, on the contrary, the popular spirit of France, driven to extremity, would use that most terrible arm—military democracy. Does Count Von Bismark wish to assure himself that this spirit, which one day made all the reactionary powers of Europe tremble, is completely extinct in France ? or even does he wish to enchain it should it awake ? That is a most dangerous attempt, which would perhaps end badly. Fire should not bo played with, and Still less an element which might kindle a conflagration throughout the world. It is, indeed, a most unfortunate circumstance that rumours of war should be in circulation just at the present time, when all the world is thinking of making its pilgrimage to the French capital. THE HAM AND GINGEEBEEAD FAIBS IN PAEIF, Both these fairs, held in the neighbourhood of the Place de la Bastile, are two of the great curiosities of the French capital; for the long row of temporary booths knocked up between the Jardin des Plantes and the Place de la Bastile, show to the visitor a collection of hams and Sausages from all parts of the world; hams and sausages sold by inhabitants of every part of Europe. Now we are stopped by the ruddy face of John Bull offering us to inspect the beautiful York hams; a little further on the sons of Westphalia in harsh and jarring accents calls our attention to the Ttohen aehinken or raw ham, so much the delight ot the German student. Bayonne too has a goodly show of jambons, slices of which are almost as transparent as Bohemian glass. The weather THiich has the last few days taken a very-favour-able turning, has attracted thousands to the «am fair ; but this wonderful collection of pigBleat is but little known to the foreigner; the crowds we see at the fair are mostly made up M people from the departments. However, the stranger in the French capital is advised not to seeing this very curious show. The guiger-bread fair is a little further on, and is dually curious.