A Sportsman 183 



limited in extent, and lacking in classification and 

 descriptions, which accounted largely for the slight 

 recognition received at the exposition, quite unworthy 

 of those superior and extraordinary regions whose 

 products occasioned an epoch in the monetary con- 

 ditions of the world. 



NOT long after the prize awards at Paris I was in- 

 formed by my assistant at the exposition in the 

 afternoon of my visit that the Emperor, in the fore- 

 noon, had personally made a prolonged examination 

 of the Colorado ores, accompanied by Mr. Ruggles, 

 *our American Vice-Commissioner-General, and this was 

 afterwards confirmed by Mr. Ruggles, who also informed 

 me that the Emperor had requested him to have the 

 Colorado Commissioner visit him at the Tuileries, to 

 whom he would give an audience. 



Mr. S. B. Ruggles, the Vice-Commissioner-General 

 to the exposition, was a most capable man of broad 

 and comprehensive views, and the latter part of his 

 life was given in exertions for a general international 

 acceptance of universal standards of coinage, weights, 

 and measures, which undoubtedly will have to come 

 some day, though the conditions may not be ripe yet 

 for acceptance. He told me he was present at the 

 first opening of the Erie Canal. 



We had rooms together at the Grand Hotel, two 

 bedrooms and a mutual salon. Despite his age (a 

 little over eighty) he was a regular student, and upon 

 arriving in Paris commenced the study of the French 

 language, and it was amusing to see him up early in 

 the morning in his dressing-gown, with his head as 



