“ATLAS" ON THE OPENING OF THE PARIS EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5390, 6 July 1878, Page 2 (Supplement)

“ATLAS" ON THE OPENING OF THE PARIS EXHIBITION.

“Atlas," in the World has the following account of the opening of the Paris Exhibition:—“lb was a true Republican fete. So far as the Marechale’s tribune was concerned, everything had been arranged to avoid crush or unseemly neighbors for her invitees ; but the day before there was a demonstration at Versailles against MacMahon being allowed to play the host to all the foreign princes that were to be the guests of the Republic ; aud it was decided that the Presidents of the Senate and the Chamber were to walk on the same line as the Marshal,' and that all. the senators and deputies were to *be admitted to the Pavilion d’Houneur on ' presentation of their medals. In consequence, all access to the Marechale’a box was blocked up by the peuple souverain ; and the deputies and senators fought like wild beasts to enter the dais in front immediately after MacMahon and the princes and their suite. The Garde •dc Paris opposed them, ‘Vous n’eutrerez pas." * Nous ontrerons.’ And such xt row, a tumult, a shouting ensued, that the MartSchale ,was evidently uncomfortable, aud some timider guests were alarmed, and asked if it was an entente. At last some of the senators and the deputies fought their way in, headed by Grdvy aud O’Audiffret-Pasquier, who looked as if they had been prize-fighting. Grdvy was cool enough; but D’Audiffret’s auger was.pyramidal. But then he is always in a rage, and when he has nobody else to fight with, doubles up his fists, and pitches into hia own hat and coat. When the so-called procession left the Trocaddro for the Champ de Mars, there was no cordon of troops to keep the way clear. The people broke in upon it, and cut it into fractions. Kings and princes, separated from their households and suites, were obliged to fight and' elbow their way along, sinking iu a dep yellow mud up to their ankles. ■ left the procesion in sheer disgust. The Prince of Wales got separated from Lord Lyons and Couolly, with whom he had driven there, and thought he would have to stand about till nightfall before finding them. Prince Henry of Luxembourg got so hustled that he was still grumbling about it at the evening’s reception at the Elysde. saw the Spanish Ambassador, the Marquis de Moleno, vainly striving to follow bis royal master into the Spanish court. He fought, he struggled, be entreated the people to let him through. The door was not three metres off, bub he was never able to attain it; and his Spanish blood getting the better of his diplomatic training, .he translated his feelings into a few strong but reprehensible words, not flattering for the RcpuWque aimahle. I saw the exits of the Mardchale and the Queen'of Spain myself, and can testify to the utter want of decency of tho whole proceeding. They had to wait for their carriages, standing on the muddy steps among the crowd, for a good ten minutes; and had not*'—— gone forward and efferedhis arm to the Queen, while held her bouquet, she would have had to scramble through the crowd as best she might by herself."