Paris, Nov. 17.
Paris celebrated Armistice Day under a grey and gloomy sky, but in a mild and almost pleasant atmosphere, and there! was an immense gathering round the Are do Triomphe, where the principal ceremony of the day tock place. When the President of the Republic arrived in his plain dark car, the Ministers were already in position, grouped near the grave of the Unknown Soldier, with Marshaly and Generals of the French army and some representatives of the Allied forces. All the approaches to the Place de }'Etoile were crowiled with spectators. They hung in the Jeafless trees, clung to lampposts andi were massed in_ their thousands in the Champs Elysees, where balconies, windows and even roofs were utilized. At 11 o'clock the bugles sounded the signal for the minute of silence, and, after a slight confusion arising from a mistake, there was a hush until the bugles sounded again. The scene was impressive in spite cof the incomplete nature of the silence, which apparently was considered necessary only for those persons who regarded themselves as participating in the Are de Triomphe ceremony. There was no attempt at such a general suspension of the national life as is carried out in England every year on this occasion.
After homage had been paid to the French Army in the person of the Unknown Soldier, the delega tions and the official personages moved down the Champs Elysees. Marshal Joffre was, as usual, in his dark blue cape, andj Marshal Foch in horizon blue, without any decorations and having no indication of his rank except the oak leaves embroidered on his cap. After them'came the flags of the regiments which have been disbanded since the war, these flags having been fetched out of the Invalides for the occasion and entrusted to deputations of ex-soldiers. After these trophies had gone by, the barriers were removed and the crowd broke into the broad highway and followed the procession back to the Invalides. In the crowd of spectators were many wearing decorations and badges, and a brisk sale of emblems and bunches of violets was carried on. It wae a cheerful crowd, ready to enjoy the holiday, but not ai noisy one. On their way they met the university students' delegation carrying twe big wreaths to add to the splendid garlands and bouquets heaved the tomb beneath the Are de Triomphe.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.