EXPOSITION OF 1867. 
99 
permanently remains in the Champs Elysees, as a memorial of 
the Universal Exhibition of 1855. This veritable as well as 
nominal Palace, dedicated to Industry for all time to come, 
has a capacity on the floor of the nave, when unincumbred, 
sufficient to contain scarcely less than 160,000 persons. But 
on occasion of the fete of July the longitudinal centre was oc¬ 
cupied by ten immense “ trophies ” of the products of industry 
corresponding to the ten groups of the Exposition, and pre¬ 
senting chosen samples of the world’s best in each, through all 
that vast range, from a block of coal or an ear of corn up to 
the noblest works of human genius. On either side, and en« 
compassing this long line of tropics, were broad, open, crimson- 
carpeted avenues, forming, by the junction of their extremities, 
one grand compressed ellipse, like the arena of the great Coli¬ 
seum. From the outer edge of this circular avenue to the 
walls, except at one end that was occupied by the grand 
escalier of ingress and egress, were tiers of seats for the twenty- 
two thousand entitled guests. In the centre of the north side, 
upon an extensive estrade or platform, and at a height sufficient 
for its occupants to command an uninterrupted view of the 
entire palace and its throng of spectators, was the throne, 
with chairs of royal and imperial estate, for Napoleon and the 
Empress and the Sultan of Turkey, flanked by ranges of mag¬ 
nificent fauteuils for other royal guests of lesser rank—the 
whole surmounted by an alcove, baldequin and canopy, with 
the Im perial crown and backed by the escocheon of His Majesty 
in crimson velvet and gold, forty feet high. Confronting the 
throne, on the opposite side of the arena, were sumptuous 
seats reserved for members of the different diplomatic corps, 
foreign members of the International Jury and Subscribers to 
the Exposition Fund. The decorations consisted of an in¬ 
credible profusion of flowers, distributed throughout the entire 
Palace, of municipal and other banners, stationed where were 
the places of local and national delegations and commissioners, 
and of a perfect forest of the gay-colored flags of all nations, 
displayed from the pillars and pilasters on every side, and 
