THE ANGLO-FRENCH EXHIBITION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 86, 4 January 1908, Page 12

THE ANGLO-FRENCH EXHIBITION.

Earl's Court is to have a serious rival next year, judging by tho progress made with the Franco^lintish Exhibition buildings at Shepherd's- Busll. ; ■ : V '

Presiding over an ir.augiiral luncheon, ,in tho .(British 'Arts: building,- yesterday afternoon,; tho Diiko of "At'gjllj.referring jocularly to J tho draughty conditioils jjrovailing, said : that tho Press, ai a rule, - were good judges of ventilatioii; Ho wanted to use tho members pros6iitj that :dar'.for'Sriothbr mcajis of ventilation, and tliiit i.w&S 'to explaih- .to the public how pleasant indeed that room would bo iii tho days of tho very hot summer that vVas oxpftottid ih 190 S. -((Laughter.),- Refor.ritte to Ft&iicei as " our. groat neighbour," ami to M. Dttpont (tho l'rehoh director of tho exhibition) as " the gentleman .whom I have tho honour to call my..friend,"' the Duka wcht on to say thiat, although'our trade at present was exceedingly good) we could not afford to rest oil our oars. Such'an exhibition lis tho ono now in the making was an in- ; suraiico against' the future. Tho directors iiioftnt business, _ ind he, for one amongst was certain that tho success was' already assured. (Applause.) The Council stood on their own commercial legs, but lie hoped tho Governments, of both countries would look favourably oh their efforts, and contribute public money towards the Object which tliev : had in view. Mr. T..P. O'Connor, M.P., proposed "Supcess to tho Exhibition," M. Emilo Dupont, tho Eiirl of Jersey, and Sir John CcckbUrn ■responding; The last-named pointed out that 'the British Colonics had contributed £150,000, —Canada,. Australia, Ceylon, and India all having arranged to .take space—whilo tho French Colonies, not to be outdone, had all como in. All tho buildings would bo ready to accommodate exhibitors by tho middle, of: January—three months before tho advertised date of opening—which hfl considered a record of organisation for any'great exhibition. (Applause.) ! ' • _ ' A tour of the grounds Showed tliat amazing progrobs: had beeh mado towards tho completion of tho exhibition. Buildings were ro-. ccivirig finishing, touchcS,' ornamental lakes wcrfe almost finished, turf had boon placed wherever it tvas' necessary,' aild gardens were dovelopiiig. By tho end of: next month it is expected that the grounds will be out of tbo gardeners' hands, and a fortnight later, as Sir John Cockburn pointed out, the contractors will hand Over tho various buildings. As a marvel of .enterprise, tho exhibition stands almost alono amongst modern, undertakings, and tho transformation of what oight months ago was a tract of waste laud into a veritable miniature city stands un-

equalled in London history. One-half of the entire spaco of the exhibition will bo devoted to French exhibits, which will bo,more numerous than those displayed by Franco at any exhibition oi'tside .Paris. When it is recollected that at St. Louis ;the French exhibits occupied 77,212 squaro metres (more, than 800,000 squaro feet) tho magnitudo of tlio French seotion of _ the Franco-British Exhibition will, be realised. A special Association has been formed to arrange for the representation of .the French Colonies, and these have decided to sond a collection illustrative of their produce and resources that will occupy 275,000 square feet, and will be displayed in buildings w'iiich show tbo various styles of architerture peculiar to thoso countries, thus reproducing a picturesque fo.iture of the French Colonies at tho Paris Exhibition .of 1900j and moro rijcentlv at the Colonial Exhibition hole, at Marseilles last year. Tho Special Coin-mitt-eo for French Agriculture has arranged to occupy about 40,000 squaro feet of lloor space, and it is expected that tho British Committee will take at least an equal area. Tho municipality of Paris has voted £12,000 for tlio erection of a pavilion in whic-b to display tho archives nnd other records of tho municipal .work of the city. _ . 'J'ho liugo stadium in which tbo Olympic frames aro to take placo will accommodate 03,000 pcoplo under cover, while on occasions of football or cricket- matches there will be room for no fewer than 150,000 people.

Tile exhibition covers 140 acres, but its extent is brought up to practically 200 acres with tho addition of working arrangemonts, of which tho visitor has no knowledge, comprising tho ■ railway accommodations, extensions of sorviccs,nnd crcction of stations and additions to (existing ones.