A WORLD'S MARKET FOR PARIS.
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Details of a New Vast Scheme for the Conduct of the Wholesale International Business of the World.
AN EXTREMELY bold scheme is in contemplation for establishing in Paris, which is claimed to be the hub of the world's communications, a rendezvous of the buyers of the whole world, where the products of the leading manufacturers in certain industries wi.uld be constantly on view, the title of the concern being Paris-Marche-Du-Monde-Ltd.
The originator of the scheme is the Marquis de Breviaire, and we have had a good many opportunities of discussing this matter with him since the inception of the idea. He has gathered round him an extremely strong council, the presidentSheing M. Julien Bessoneau, a man of great wealth and considerable business influence in Paris. The London administration is in charge of Admiral Sir Charles Dundas, of Dundas, K.C.M.G., who is director of propaganda, au'd Major V. D. Amor-Wilkins, the London office being at Golden House, 29, Great PuIteney Street, W. 1.
The company has a capital of 2,000,000 francs, but it is estimated that the building will cost 6i million sterling.
Our first impression of the scheme was that it was rather visionary, and that there was not necessarily the prospect of a volume of business continuing throughout the year sufficient to warrant any concern keeping a staff (particularly the highly-qualified staff that will be required) engaged from one year's end to another, but the energy with which the scheme is being pursued and the strength of the administrative council, coupled with the volume of support -which has already been promised, would go to show that the scheme is akeady being highly favoured among qualified busineas men.
A. piece of ground has been secured on the banks of the Seine, just to the south-west of the Trocadero, a few minutes' run in a taxicab from the Place Etoile. The area of this ground is 48,000 sq. metres (533,333 sq. ft.), on which is to be erected a budding of six floors, the frontage being 850 ft., and the depth about 600 ft. The building will go to the maximum height (91 ft.) permitted by the building regulations of Paris. The total area of the floors will be about 2,666,686 sq. ft.,. the total floor space being five times that of the Place de-la Concorde. This building will be divided into galleries, and the galleries into shops and offices, each of 15 sq. metres—about 160 sq. ft.— and of these there will be 5,000, whilst in addition there will be the administrative offices of the company, and grouped within the building -will be various public and general services, banks, exchanges, establishments of credit, shipping, transport and insurance companies, consulates, customs, a travel bureau, a Press bureau and Postal facilities.
What is aimed at is not retail trade, but the bringing of the world's producers of all kinds of articles of commerce into touch with the whotesale buyers of the world, and it is contended that there never need be an idle day, because, when the season in one -country is finishing another one is opening. The existence of such an organization is regarded as 'being certain to attract from all over the, world the merchants and the buyers. On the score of expense, it is clearly shown that an office and showroom in the ParisMarche-Du-Monde would be considerably cheaper in the matter of rent and allied outgoings than would be any separate shop anywhere near the business centre of Paris. The demand for offices and showrooms in Paris at the present time is enormously in excess of the supply, and the grouping together of the producers in one building where the international wholesale business of the city could be conducted will have a large effect in relieving the present congestion. The automobile industry will be accommodated in one of the galleries on the ground floor, and matters will be so arranged that more than one 15-squaremetre place 'canbe taken by a tenant if his exhibits so require.
It is the practice for buyers from abroad to decide to make their inquiries in one city or another, and, even then, they have to travel all over the city and make innumerable inquiries in order to find the premises of the firms whose goods they wish to inspect before opening up negotiations. It is urged that the establishment of the Paris-Marche-Du-Monde would overcome all these difficulties and enable a buyer to get through his work in less than half the time.
The motor trade of this country will shortly be approached to take up space, and we believe that building will shortly be commenced, and it is contemplated that it will have progressed sufficiently to enable business to start within two years. Leases may be taken up for three, six, or twelve years at a rent of, roughly, £200 per year for each 15-square. metre space ; longer tenancies will be had at a 'cheaper rent.