The Centennial

Au afternoon in the Fronch dopartment, in he main building, with oue of the always poite and obliing French rommissiönBrs, reaáy o givo informatiou and answcr questions reepecting the exhibit of la belle Franco in tuis ïxposition, resulte j in ruore memoranda than [ can put into readable a'ir.pe i;i eno letter. The Buporiority of the French in CHINA ia noticeablo by all observers. It is harder and denser than the Engliah China, and Ies3 liablo to Dreakago, and ia as non-porous as glaeu. The glazing is thiuner and doos not obdcire the figures. It is uot liablft to ot'Hffi (have Joo craokn in the glazing) af ter much using, as is the case with inferior ware. There is one exhibit peculiarly fine - one gold-enamclod dinner set, worth 20,000 francs. Another set,rin same collection, ie sold to KeHtaurant Ermituge, Moscow, for $2G,0O0. Tea sets, with cups and platea, all difforcnt,andSevrea ware exquisitely painted, in cases. like the rarest ud moat eostty jewelry. There aro perhaps a dozen of these exhibits of fine porcelain and china, aud aome exr-eeilingly beautiful Faieuce ware, made at Limogea. It is a very fine sort of térra cotta, highly ornamented, in whioh tho colora aro put on with a bruah. The bcdy is ol common clay, the euamel and colora giving brilliancy and beauty almost equal to oii painting. Ilere ia a dinnor set - "öaxon"- on claws, doeorated with ornamenta and flowora. Auother set - "Vegetable" - the knobs modele of vegetables, each co er presenting a different soit. The "Water Lily," with dish and cover modeled from the loavee of the plant, the ornamente representiuK the flowers, with chai-acteriatic decorations, is quite attractive. Thon there are platea reprcaontinc "Morninír." "Noou." "Night," "Moonlight," a " Thuuder-Storm," a "Suow-Storm," etc. , painted iu a style entirely new. A dessert net, with lace edges, ia new aud diflicult to malee. Hore are also cupe, sauoers and plates, fac símiles of those presented to Lady Washington by the French oflïcers, in 17U0, and a few teacupa niado by the procese of casting, showing extreme lightness. But the principal pieces in this collection are two vasea - the largest ever made in Europe - comme morative, the onc of American Independence, and the other of the coaiplotion of our first couturj' a a nation. The vase ' ' 1776 "- " The Struggle "-has f or lts baso a barren rock washed by angry waves ; on top a battery of Kevolutionary cannon ; on the body of the vaso an eagle with outspread wings, with the United States colore on either sido ; above the eagle the names of the Bigners of the Declaratiou of Independenco. The vaso is surmouuted by a bust of Washington, and has a tatué of "Victory" on ono sido, and on the other, "Itonommee." The vase "1876'"- '-Prospority"- haa emblems of peace, the fruits of the earth, and implemento of industry at the baee ; on the boüy are the eagle and the color, abovo the names of the Presidente of the United States, with tlieir term of office. On top is a buet of America, and on each side are "Victory" and "Kenommee." Very difficult to make. This house has also an exhibit of patetendre, or soft porcelain, the most diflicult kind of waro to manipúlate, because it can neither be thrown nor cast into molds. The shapes are obtained by casting it in thick piaster molds, and then carefully turniug and sbaping it by hand. It is liablo to collapso and lose its shape, but it has a groat aih'nity for the vitreoiis mixture forming the glaze, and the result is that the ghi.o rotains all itu softness, and so thoronghly impregnates the color of the paüiting that, after firiog, it appear as if Bunk into it. The paste in casting is so thiu as to llow like wator, a part of which ia absorbed by the piaster molds, loaviug only a thiu covering adheriug to the sides. But it takes the most biilliant coloriug. There is a fine collection in blue, in imitation of Sevres warr . Another important staplo in which the French eicel, is SILKS, of which thero is a magnificout display, espocially from Lyons, renowned for its silk aud velvot manufacture. Here are silks in all varioties, color audstyles, plaiuand figured, as well as silk in skoins aud spools. Alao, the finest camel' hair shawls. Of laces there is a large and elegant diaplay. Also.damasks and curtain goods. Of tapestries thero are several choice exhibits from the leading house, especiaJly of Duplan, Bonie pieces of which cost fabulous pnces. So also a case of Jouvin's gloves, the ürst house in Franco. Pictures, photographic and lithographic, from Coupil & Co. Millinery and flowers, suits, coatumea aud dresses in thê bout Parisian style, which the ladios view with admiration and rogrets. There are two remarkable exhibits of bronzea and marble, the Jatter holding the post of honor by the grand stand in the main aisle. JEWELRY. Of Jewelry there are two magnifleent displays, cclipsing all others by their richnoss aud artistic excellence. Iu one exhibit is a necklace worth $40,000, a pin f 20,000, a rose $3,000, andadiadem f42, 00u. Iu auother, represontmg one of the very best house in Pari, there is the most workmanship combinod with tho costlieat good. A single bonbonnere, of trauspareut ceramel, required the labor of a most skillful workmau two yesrs. A large case of piizo ailver piecos, given by the Government at agricultural fairs, attracts much attention. The most conspicuous objects are two mirrors, tou feet wido and twenty-two feet high. The glaas is three-eightlis of an inoh thick. By Oompaigue du St. Cobain. There is a largo and superior oxhibit of Chemical and pharmaceutical preparations. PHOOSOPHICAIi INSTRUMENTS, ETC. In inatruments of precisión - balances for deterniining the smallest appreciablo weight the French excel. There is an automatic machine for weighing standard gold coin. The piece are put into two feeders ; those of tho standard weight come out in the center, thoao oí light weight como out on one sido, aud those of overweight on the other. There is an oilometor for testiug the purity of oil. There is a large dispiay of astronómica! and philosophical instrumenta, telescopes, iieklglasses, spy-glasses, spectroscopo, opiical, opera and magnifying glasses of all kinds, physicians' glaaaea, eye-glaaaea, aud glasee for camelas, etc. There ia a fine display of traveliDg baga, valises and trunka, with "all the apparatua for uecdlo and toilet work, lunches, etc. Le Bazar du Vovage, the French term it - a great convenience íor travelerí. A grand gymnasium, upright, occupying when folded a very small pace, but when opened, displaying apparatua for complete gymnaatic exerciaea, attracta much attention. I name in this letter oue more remarkable exhibit, brought to perfection through yeara of study and experiment by an ingenious aiid philosophic miud - the tonometer, an instrument for measui'ing sound, or tune. A set of tuniug forks are arranged so a to forra eight octaves. Each octave represente sixty-five sounda, and tho wbolo gives 50.000 vitrations. By means of a battery, two eyliudrical instrumenta can be made to give sounda, as regulated by koys, as low a awhispor oraaloudasdistant thunder. It is a most interesting apph'cation of science to acousties, aud I feit moro interest in this oxhibit than in anytlnng I havo aeen in the Exposition. But aa I had not time then to fully examine it, ao as to givo a proper explanation of it, and did not oven'got the'inventor'a namo, I ahall dofor f urther notico till another letter. S. M. B.