THE PARIS EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11367, 9 May 1900, Page 6

THE PARIS EXHIBITION.

STORY OF THE OPENING DAY.

Paris, April 14. The Paris Exhibition was opened to-day. The most favourable weather conditions provailed, and innumerable bright-coloured domes and minarets glistened in tho sunshine. Paris was early astir with people wending their way toward tho Elysoe and in the direction of tho Exposition in the hope of witnessing tho Presidential procession at some part of its journey. All the public buildings and numberless private houses were decorated with flags, chiefly the tri-oolour. The neighbourhood of the Exposition was especially gay with bunting, while most of tho pavilions themselves were surmounted with floating banners. , Within the Exposition grounds this morning all was bustle am j animation in a supremo effort to clear away all unsightly obstacles in order to leave an unobstructed road ami an external appearance of completeness or the Presidential party in its passage through the grounds. The finishing touches were hastily given the magnificent Salle des l'etes.

I resident Lonbot, as he stood in the Presidential tribune, surrounded by the members of the Cabinet and his household, opened the Exposition with the words: "I declare the Exposition of 1900 open." Thus was tho Paris Exposition, designed to celebrate the world's entry into the new century, inaugurated, and shouts of "Vivo Loubot ■ and "Vive la Ropubliquo" rose from his 4000 hearers and silk hats were waved in the air. Tho crowds outside the hall took up the cheering and the Exposition was opon. The spectacle in the Salle des Fetes «ivas brilliant with colour and illumination. The immense circus-shaped hall is decorated with magnificent frescoes, representing allegorical subjects by famous French artists, and its stained-glass cupola bears superb designs by Hermann and Goodwin. It formed a beautiful setting for to-day's ceremony. Every inch of the floor space was crowded by an assemblage representative of French arts, letters and sciences, and including tho loading military, naval, and political men of France. It was mainly an evening-dress gathering, but with the task characteristic of the French nation, brilliant uniforms of soldiers, the diplomatic corps and Republican Guards wero so interspersed among tho gathering that, with massoa of pretty spring toilets of the ladies, of whom there wore almost as many as men present, tho scone was particularly bright and effective. Moreover, the light radiated down through the stained glass of tho dome-shaped roof in streams which illuminated tho living mass below and gavo varied tints to oven the prosaic starched eliirt fronts.

President Loubot left the Rlysoo in an open four-horse landau, escorted by a detachment of cuirassiers, The Presidential procession was composed of five landaus, headed by the famous outrider, Montjarrat. By the sido of President Loubot sat Primo Milliliter Waldock-Roussoau, and their progress through the Champs Elyseo and across the Invalidcs Bridge to the Avenue la Motto was hailed with continuous cheering from the great crowd which was massed along tho route.

On alighting, the President was immediately surrounded by tho Ministers, M. Miilorand, Minister of Commerce, stood at

the entrance to receive :, him, around M. Millerand S being grouped . CommissionerGonoralPicard and other high'deposition officials. President Loubet shook hands with •Mi Millerand, and .then; turning ;to . Picard said ho would be happy to sign his dcroration of the grand cross of the Legion of Honour. President Loubet then saluted the committees and entered the hall through the hrong of more than 40,000 people that formed a sea of human faces all turned toward the door. As a salute of artillery announced the iroMdent's arrival, there was a moment of expectant silence, then the heavy red plush cushions covering the door were thrown aside and the President, in evening dress and wearing the broad red igsigma of the Legion ot t Honour across his breast, stepped into tho : tribune, which had been temporarily eroctea for to-day's ceremony, the Presidential g» • lory which is to serve for all later ceremonies . not yet being ready. At the same msU n ■ an orchestra, composed of musicians of the ; famed Republican Guard struck up the " Marseillaise." Tim whole assembly uncovered and remained bareheaded during ho remainder of tho proceedings. Before he strains of Franco's stirring national J.rnu had died away a mighty cry arose of Vivo Loubet; vivo la Republiquo; vivo la Sdont Loubet stood in the front of tho tribune with M. Waldeck-Rousseau, M. Deschancl (President of the Chamber of DepuS. and M. Deleave (Minister for Foreign Affairs), and all of the Ministers, except the Marquis de Gallifet, Minister for War, who was absent because of indisposition. Grouped behind him were a number of nchly-uniformeil official* The acclamations were still echoins through tho alcoves and galleries when • President Loubet and the Ministers resumed their scats, and M Millerand began his speech formally handing over the Exposition to tho chief of State. , . l „„,... n M. Millerand said, in part:— The tmio will come when other voices more authoritative than mine will make tho inventory of tho artistic treasures enclosed in these edifices. I will limit my ambition to recalling 1 how in a hundred years the faco of the ma--1 terial world has been renewed. Words fail mo to express the grandeur and extent of this economical revolution under our hand. We have seen the forces of nature subdued and disciplined. Steam and electricity, reduced to the role of occult servants, have transformed tho conditions of existence. Machinery has become the queen of the world. Installed in power in our factories, constructed of iron and steel, sho has replaced by slow but continuous invasion the workers of flesh and bone, of whom she makes auxiliaries. What a change in human relations! Distances diminish to the point of disappearing. In a few hours are devoured distances which were formerly only accomplished at the price of days and great fatigue. The telephone brings to our ears words and every tone of a friend's voice, separated from us by hundreds of miles. "The intensity and tho power of life— of deatli itself— before tho victorious marching human soul. Tho genius of a Pasteur, puro benefactor of humanity, whose {dory is not overcast by any shadow, increases a hundredfold the power of surgery and of medicine. Tho malady, seized at its origin airl isolated, Ceases, and there appears on the horizon tho happy period when the epidemics which ravaged cities and decimated • peoples will no longer be anything but terrifying memories and legends of the past. Thus does science multiply with admirable prodigality the means which such places at the disposal of man to bend the exterior forces to her laws or guarantee him against their hostility." M. Millerand's address was received with rounds of applause, which attained a veritable roar at its conclusion. President Loubet then arose and delivered an address, which was also warmly cheered. He said in part: "In inviting tho Goveijnments and the peoples to make us a synthesis of human work, | tho French Republic had not only in mind to institute competition of visible marvels, and to renew on the banks of the Seine tho ancient renown of elegance and courteous hospitality. Our ambition is more lofty; it soars infinitely above tho brilliance of transitory fetes, and does not confine itself, whatever patriotic satisfacton wo may experience to-day, to the gratification of our self-love or self-interest. France wished to give a striking contribution to the establishment of concord between the nations. She has the consciousness of working for tho good of the world at the conclusion of this noble century, in which the victory over error and hatred was all incomplete, but which beoucaths to us a living faith in progress." President Loubet then spoke of the admirable spectacle that the Exposition afforded of mind disciplining- tho forces of nature, and of the support foreign Governments had lent Franco in accomplishing the great work. In conclusion President Loubet said: — " Gentlemen, this work of harmony, peace, and prowess, however ephemeral its outward show, will not have been in vain; the peaceful meeting of the Governments of the world will not remain sterile. lam convinced that, thanks to tho persevering affirmation of certain generous thoughts with which the expiring century has resounded, the 20th century will witness a little more fraternity and less misery, and that ere long, perhaps, we shall have accomplished an important step in the slow evolution of the work toward the happiness of man." This peroration, delivered with fervour, evoked an outburst of cheering. When the cheering had subsided President Loubet said: — It is under these auspices and in this hope that I declare open the Exposition of 1300.

A round of cheers lasting several minutes greeted the conclusion of his discourse. M. Waldcck-Rousseau was, up to the Inst moment expected to sneak, but he dunged his mind, and when President Loubet concluded he remained seated. The orchestra then rendered Saint Safins' "Hymn to Victor Hugo," and President Loubet descended from the tribune.

A detachment of Republican Guards then filed in and lined the passage across the hall to the errand staircase at tho opposite side on which was ranged a double line of Republican Guards. The President mado his way across the hall amid renewed cheering, ascended the staircase of honour, and entered the reception hall, where, the ceremony of presentation of foreign commissioners was gone through with. The President and bis party then proceeded on a tour of tho grounds.

A brief stop was made in the gallery of the agricultural building, whero the President secured his first view of the interior of any of the Exposition buildings. Tho outlook across the vast area was disappointing, in that he ground-space was filled with debris and the installation of exhibits barely under way Passing through the interior of tho structure, tho Salon d'Honneur was inspected, and the party emerged into the open air in the Champs do Mars.

From the top of tho broad stretch of ground the sight was an inspiring and brilbant one. Soldiers lined both sides of the railroad saluting the Presidential party as passed. Military band, stationed at close intervals made the echoes of tho "Marseiljaiso reverberate from building to building while the crowds which lined tho walks hack of the soldiers waved hands, handkerchiefs, and hats as President Loubet passed along. Here and there some raised cries of J ivo Loubet!" and " Vivc lo Republique!" Ihe bridge d Jena was crossed, and a tho other end gayly festooned barges awaited. lo the booming of cannon and the cheers of the .spectators, President Loubot, tho .Ministers, and diplomatic corps and distinguished gues , embarked, and, preceded by l*T» Tm ta £, start , ed "i 1 tlle Seine to ward the bridge Alexander 111. Though the right bank of the Seine contained many inores ting structures, those in the Presidential barges gave most attention to the left Dank, along which are the buildings of the various nations Each nation had made an effort to outdo ho others in the homage paid the Presidential barge as it steamed''slow y along. Before each national pavilion the Legation staffs had gathered with their

President Loubet stood in tho stern watching interestedly the architectural accomPltthmonts winch the countries of th world bad presented as portions of their exhibit At the United States pavilion many guests were assembled, and they cheered whifo tho Stars and Str.pos were dipped on on" nV pole, and the French tricolour was lowS from another At tho Alexander Brißhe President declared tho structure officially opened, and then, landing, the party nro ffojWoS ra tte .Nicholas to / i,° *° of tllo Chi "»PS 1 o mini pi l ?, Mrriagcs wcro t! *en to end and Lli" 8 /' 1 ,. ccro,non 3- ™to an end, and the crowds dispersed to their homes.