116 
THE PARIS EXHIBITION OF 1867. 
[Nature and Art, April 1, 1867. 
but the work is well advanced, and there is no reason 
why there should be more than the usual pressure 
at the last moment. 
Every department on the British side is in full ac- 
tivity, — Home, Indian and Colonial, Machinery, 
Manufactures and Art. In the machine section 
heavy pieces and foundations are appearing every- 
where ; and no less than three steam cranes are 
employed on the rails there. The red jackets of the 
Koval Engineers recall the exhibitions at home; 
and the other day these were relieved by the blue 
cloth of a few of the Royal Artillery, sent over 
probably in charge of some of our specimens of 
armament. 
In the industrial courts the cases spring up with 
surprising rapidity, and some of our friends here 
were struck with the method adopted : they saw the 
soldiers mark out the floor with a red line, and 
paint an Anglo-Saxon name in the space; presently 
they saw arrive on the spot a number of pieces of 
timber of various shapes and sizes, and the day after 
perhaps there was a skeleton case in the place, and 
sheets of plate glass being inserted between its 
empty ribs. The effect on the minds of our neigh- 
bours seemed to be, an impression that there was a 
considerable chance of Great Bi’itain occupying 
an excellent position in the field, if not of her 
absolutely distancing her competitors in the 
honourable race. 
France, Austria, Prussia, Belgium, and other 
countries, have adopted much the same system 
upon the present, that they did on former occasions, 
and, with the exception of what we have already 
said respecting the first-named, demand no special 
mention at present ; but other commissions present 
remarkable novelties in the way of ornamentation. 
The Russian court, for instance, which is quite 
ready as regards its furniture, presents the most 
complete arrangement in the building, the whole of 
its cases, tables, and stands, though varied in shape, 
are in the same national style, and form an 
admirable exhibition in themselves ; the work is the 
perfection of solidity, simplicity, and good taste ; 
and, moreover, thoroughly national. It is the usual 
custom of the country to leave the whole of the 
surface of the wood of its natural colour, but to 
colour the interstices and undercuttings; audit was 
intended to do the same here ; but the work itself 
has attracted so much attention, that M. Grigorovitch, 
the Commissioner, has, with the advice of several 
artists, determined to leave the furniture as it is, in 
order to exhibit the design and workmanship in its 
purest condition. 
Sweden and Norway stand back to back with 
Russia, and Denmark faces the former. Each of 
these will exhibit a mass of highly characteristic 
woodwork, but of a totally different class. It should 
be mentioned, by way of parenthesis, that as each 
country has a long strip of space bounded by radii 
of the building, each presents a very long facade, 
and this has been taken full advantage of by very 
many of the commissions. Russia only marks her 
frontage by a low wooden railing and a seines of 
banner frames ; but Sweden and Norway, and several 
other countries, present a long architectural front. 
That of Sweden is solid, like the wall of a fortified 
town ; bold arches with overhanging penthouse 
roofs, odd spires, and castellated work, all speak of 
the middle ages. Denmark faces her with a frontage 
of northern renaissance ; large flat arches with pine- 
apples or grapes pendent from the keystone, give 
the court rather a Bacchanalian air. Portugal also 
presents a long fa§ade in woodwork, with arches of 
the same form, but with ornaments, again, of a 
totally different character. 
The geography of the Exhibition is curious. 
From Germany, passing through Switzerland, .we get 
into Spain and Portugal ; then to Greece, Denmark, 
Sweden and Russia, and Italy. The last-named com- 
mission is not quite so far advanced as some of its 
neighbours, but promises to make a goodly show. 
Beyond Italy are the Danubian Principalities, Tur- 
key, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunis. Each of these 
countries makes a thoroughly characteristic ex- 
hibition ; each has a frontage of the same length, 
though the depths of their courts vary from two to 
twenty or more feet, and all are ready, or will be 
by the opening day. 
The Danubian Principalities have never before, 
that we recollect, taken part in a Universal Ex- 
hibition, and we do not know whether the decoration 
adopted is strictly national, but it is very showy 
and effective ; the fagade is composed of a series of 
arches, and the decorations consist of interlaced 
work, and foliage in brilliant colours on a dark-blue 
ground. 
The next court is at once recognized by a tablet 
bearing the Sultan’s cypher in gold on a scarlet 
ground, and the court, which is of considerable size, 
is laid out with a series of small shops, like those of 
the bazaars at Constantinople, on one side, and with 
counters, stands, and etageres on the other. The 
decorations of this court are not yet finished, but 
the framework and such ornamentation as is exe- 
cuted have the true Oriental air. 
Egypt occupies a much narrower space than that 
of its suzerain, but its fagade is highly chai’acteristic, 
and almost completed ; the ornaments are of the 
kind with which we are well acquainted, and the 
whole is being brilliantly coloured. 
The next slice of the Exhibition is divided between 
Morocco and Tunis, the former appearing for the 
first time in such an exhibition. Here we have 
the horse-slioe arches, and a perfect blaze of colour ; 
each commission has divided its space into two or 
three pavilions, all of which are covered within and 
without with geometric patterns of the most brilliant 
hues, surmounted by inscriptions and paved with 
parti-coloured cements. The painting in these 
courts has been executed by native artists, whose 
Oriental figures and garments have been a source of 
great curiosity with the visitors. The group thus 
summarily noticed, presents very curious features 
and striking contrasts, and will certainly form one 
of the most interesting portions of the Exhibition. 
Between this gay troop and Great Britain there 
lies only ’America, which makes but little show yet. 
The frontier of the British department will vie in 
