OPENING OF THE GREAT FRENCH EXPOSITION.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 21, 10 June 1867, Page 135

OPENING OF THE GREAT FRENCH EXPOSITION.

The Great Universal Exposition was formally opened on the Ist April. The day was observed as a holiday by the entire population of Paris. The mdinraoth building was magnificently decorated with flags. The doors were opened at 11 o’clock in the morning, and by the time of the Emperor’s arrival there were 5000 persons present. Outside, along the banks of the river Seine, and on all the hills and roads for miles around Paris; at least 1000 people had assembled. The weather - was excellent. All nationalities were represented—Turks, Japanese, Africans,' Chinese, Germans, Prussians, Italians, Ausirians, Englishmen, Australians, Americans, Russians, Persians,' Spaniards, Frenchmen,—who severally greeted the Emperor as he passed along with the Empress on his arm in the different styles peculiar to their several countries. The Exposition will not be in “ full blast” until May. Everthing connected with it at present is in a state of incompleteness, and it looks very much as if the Emperor had so much on his mind of late as not to be able to give to the Exposition the attention which it deserves. Considerable complaint is being made on account of one half the space in the building being allotted to France, which will cause the exclusion, of a large number of articles from other countries, there being no room to exhibit them. The Exposition, at this time at least, certainly does not come up to what it was expected it would do.