One hundred years ago
THE FRENCH and Germans have got another little quarrel on hand. The Berliners are anxious, as their capital is now so important, to have a grand International Exhibition in 1900. The French consider this a sort of imperti- nence on the part of so remote and bar- baric a city, and are, it is reported, arranging for an Exhibition of their own, to be opened in the same year, on some new site about which there is already warm discussion. As all the world is sure to prefer their show, this will, they think, teach those presumptu- ous Berliners that, though Alsace and Lorraine are gone, Paris remains the capital of the universe. It is probable that the Berliners will give way, as with- out France and Russia their show would not be sufficiently international; but outsiders may be forgiven for remarking that both capitals are a little premature. Neither of them can guess what may happen in eight years, or be secure against events which in 1900 might make the idea of an Exhibition a mere mockery. Suppose the German armies are at Nancy, or the Russian armies threatening Berlin? Exhibitions require at least the appearance of settled Euro- pean peace.
The Spectator 9 July 1892
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