TIIIIOUGH CONTINENTAL EUROPE. 
Gentlemen :—Having been a second time favored by you with leave of ab¬ 
sence to represent Wisconsin interests in foreign lands, it seems proper that 
I should again furnish you with, at least, a brief outline of the course of my 
travels and some reference to the objects for which they were undertaken. 
It will be remembered, perhaps, that in 1862, when 1 visited the London 
International Exhibition, as the Delegate of this Society and Commissioner 
of the State, I devoted what time I could spare from my duties to hurried in¬ 
dustrial and educational tours of observation in Western Europe, of which 
some account was given on my return home. You are also aware that having- 
then formed the purpose at an early day to extend and complete the observa-- 
tions and investigations then begun, I had fixed upon the present year as^be-- 
ing favorable to the execution of these plans, sometime in advance of my 
commission from the Governor to represent this State at the then approach- - 
ing Paris Universal Exposition of 1867, so that it was with unaffected reluc¬ 
tance that I finally accepted that appointment and consented to become the 
responsible head of the Wisconsin Commission. 
In view of the duties thus assumed, an earlier departure than would other- 
wise have been agreeable became necessary, and I accordingly sailed from 
New York on the 16th of March, in one of the most fearful snow, storms I 
ever encountered. After thirteen days, the faithful ship, William Penn, 
safely landed us in the great harbor at Brest; and thus after a lapse of five 
years, I stood once more on the soil of France. 
My stay at the interesting old town of Brest was as fortunate as brief, for 
by a happy fortuity, almost at the instant of landing, I fell into the hands of the 
polite and accomplished Mayor, who took me in his carriage and gave me a< 
most interesting survey of the upper and lower town, the prison for galley 
slaves, the naval school, the harbor and the fortifications. 
The railway to Paris—distance 370 miles—passing through the ancient 
province of Brittany, afforded me an opportunity to view this most curioms 
and interesting portion of the French Empire. Its origin, as an independent 
kingdom, dates back to the third century, though the heaviest immigration 
of Britons occurred two centuries lat er, when their ancient home was invaded 
by the Anglo-Saxon,S. It is a wild and rough country, with rugged, hills, 
22 Ag. Trans. 
