or both. It is difficult to overestimate the profit, which, at comparatively slight cost, the city may reap.

In conclusion, it is appropriate and indeed encouraging to quote the remark made to the speaker a few weeks ago by the Chief Engineer of the Board of Estimate. He said, "I look at things differently now than I did not very long since. I have begun to understand that we can not look too far ahead, nor plan too largely for the development of this, the most wonderful city of the American continent."

Mr. Edgar Seeler then read the paper of Mr. Eugene Henard on the "Artistic Development of Paris."

A DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF PARIS.

BY MR. Eugene Henard, MEMBRE SOCIEte Centrale DES ARCHITECTES FranCAIS. TRANSLATED BY BEDFORD BROWN.

The beginning of Paris dates back to the century before the Christian Era, when it was a simple straggling village called Lutetia which occupied one of the islands in the Seine.

The favorable site of this village, which was exceptional geographically and geologically, explains the after development that made it the capital of France.

The country which surrounds the island of Lutetia where Paris began and expanded into power was a vast plain surrounded by low hills. On this level area it was possible to erect houses indefinitely without encountering an obstacle.

The Seine, which waters this plain, although of little width has always been navigable from its mouth to a great distance into the interior of the country. Its numerous affluents, although narrow, are also navigable. This places the city in communication with the neighboring provinces and makes its provisioning easy. The wealth of Paris received its first impetus from the river boats.

The Parisian boatmen constituted a powerful and large corporation which had as its emblem the "Nef d'Argent" (Ship of Silver); which is found blazoned as a tribute on the coat of arms of Paris. The river commerce of Paris is very flourishing to the present day. To assist the natural water courses a vast system of canals have been added which places Paris in communication with all the French provinces. The traffic which is handled at the different wharves and ports of Paris is estimated to represent a movement of 3,500,000 tons of merchandise annually.

Geologically the situation of the city was no less advantageous. In the Parisian subsoil may be found all the materials necessary for the construction of buildings; stone and brick-clay on the left bank of the river Seine, plaster and sand on the right bank, while the neighboring forest furnished all the necessary wood. Nothing was opposed to the rapid development of Paris. While its geographical situation in the low plain allowed great ease in extension, nevertheless the level country was a great danger in case of war and invasion.

To protect Paris from attacks and sieges it was necessary to surround the city by fortified walls. New extensions of the city could only be accomplished under the rigorous necessity of carrying a little further (i. e., building anew) the protecting line of fortifications. Paris had developed in concentric rings and the numerous circular streets show to-day the site of former fortified enclosures and as these belts of stone were very difficult to establish, they could be only moved after long intervals. In consequence the dwellings, of which the number constantly increased in a circumscribed area, piled up, adding to the number of stories so as to occupy the least ground until the day when the limiting fortifications were demolished and the area available for building extended. This explains why dwellings and other buildings were always built high in the center of the city and why the open areas of the city almost disappeared.

The illustration (figure 1) shows the progressive limits of Paris from its origin to the present day; on one side of this illustration is a curve representing the rapidity of the growth of Paris. The curve corresponds to areas occupied by the city at the following dates:

This curve which represents the law of expansion of Paris is very characteristic. The city increased slowly and regularly to the beginning of 1700, that is to say, at the time when Paris became truly the capital of the modern state. After this period the curve jumps up and climbs with extraordinary rapidity.

Below the curve of expansion of the city may be seen another curve showing the decrease in area of the parks and open spaces. The constant diminution of these areas, which is one of the most vexing phenomena of the present time, caused by speculation in real estate which nothing can stop and which attacks the areas most useful for the health and beauty of the city; it is thus that the Champ de Mars, which has rendered so much service and which would have become a magnificent park, was reduced to half its area without either the state or the municipality opposing its disastrous mutilation.

We show here (figure 2) the general plan of Paris as it exists at the present hour (to-day).

This is the point to consider the successive additions to Paris and to note the series of embellishments which have been obtained by the construction of monuments and the execution of great public highways.

Five distinct periods may be distinguished during which the enrichments have been erected.

1st. The first period extends from the origin of the city until the 17th century. It includes all the buildings erected during antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance which are still the charm and ornament of Old Paris. There is first