EXPOSITION NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 15539, 8 July 1914, Page 4

EXPOSITION NOTES

[Specially Written for the ‘ Stap..’]

The opening of the Panama Canal and the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, which commences at San Francisco on February 20 next, jointly constitute trade factors of world significance. Though it may be a fact that in some respects the final consequences of the cutting of the new waterway cannot be forecasted with mathematical precision, one conclusion stands out with commanding clearness. That is the inevitably enormous expansion of British commerce by reason of the additional ease of approach to the western coast of South America and the western portions of Canada and United States. British fabrics and cloths will never fail of eager markets. At the Exposition, the British manufacturer will have tho great advantage of coming into personal contact with the representatives of all countries on the face of the globe. English boots are becoming increasingly popular in United States. Except in the more expensive qualities, England has had little opportunity of competing in the American markets of late, but the recent cancellation of all import duties on boots and shoes is gradually effecting a decided change. It is considered that a re,-ie-sentative of this industry at tho Exposition is justified by the fact that boots made upon the last that have proved popular in the States during the last few years are being sold in large quantities at a price which would yield the British manufacturer a good profit. Owing to the 20 per cent, tax on British-made biscuits in the United States, that commodity has not figured to any appreciable extent. Here, again, the removal of the duty has had a distinctly beneficial result, and the principal manufacturers arc constantly receiving orders from America. By a comprehensive biscuit display at the San Francisco Exposition, the excellence of the article will bo demonstrated to the citizens of every State in the Union.

Very rapid, progress is being made in the construction of the interior courts of the main group of exhibit palaces on the Exhibition grounds. Pile foundations have been laid for the Court of tho Universe. the central court of tho Exposition. Foundations have also been laid for the main tower of the Exposition, called the Tower of Jewels, which is to be of steel and constructed to last for centuries. The Court of tho Four Seasons, west of the central court, is now well under way, and work has begun on the Court of Palms and the Court of Flowers, two of the smaller courts of the main group. Tho Tower of Jewels will be to the present Exposition what the Eiffel Tower was to the' Paris World’s Fair. The difference will be entirely to the credit- of the Tower of Jewels, because it will be. not merely a triumph, of engineering skill revealed, in a tangle of high-standing steel, but will bo the dominant architectural feature of the whole Exposition’s scheme. Rising at the southern entrance of the Court of the Universe, the central court of the main exhibit section, the Tower of Jewels will lift- its symmetrical dome to a height of 453 ft. Its sides will be studded with more than 100,000 “ jewels.” now being made by lapidaries of Austria. Illumined' by a shaft of search-lights from beneath and shimmering in the floodlight of innumerable electric globes cunningly placed in the structure, the Tower of Jewels will be the mo’st magnificent beacon ever set aloft to lure the eye and command the admiration.

Beds of blossoming daffodils, tulips, anemones. and crocuses in the Exposition nurseries mark the successful completion of a series of interesting experiments to determine whether flowers can be mad© to bloom in time for the opening of the Exposition on February 20, 1915. These flowers Were included” in the first seasonal planting planned to fill the exposition flower beds which are to contain blooming flowers during the entire Exposition period. It was found that the flower# would have to be planted before the usual time in order to have them bloom at flic desired earlier stage. Landscape engineers planted a hundred each at the necessary time, with the satisfying result that all were blooming on February 20 of this year. Thousands of young voice# will blend in harmony when the Exposition welcomes the world next year, and they will sing their own national songs in their mother tongues and dance the folk dances which there fathers and mothers danced for centuries Monster choruses of'”over 5,000 boys and girls will render the patriotic and folk songs. Claeses will be. conducted showing how singing is taught, and conventions of music supervisors and instructors will gather at the -Golden Gate to interchange ideas, while their young pupils will delight the ears of millions of visitors. Bong competitions between various schools and between the champion singer.# of competing States and nations will be among the wOrld-famous singers who will attend the celebration.

Rapid progress has been made upon Iho Canadian pavilion, which will cost £60,000. Canada’s total appropriation is £120,000. Canadians generally are pleased with thc outJook for advertsiing Canada at the Exhibition, and have expressed unbounded enthusiasm over the beauty of the site and the great progress made in construction. Earl Grey (cx-Governor-General of Canada) expressed his delight unreservedly when ho arrived in this city. “I feel.” he said,

“ that Fortune has been especially kind to me by enabling mo to land in San Francisco. I was literally thrilled on steaming through the Golden Gate and into your beautiful harbor to see spread out before j me an Exposition, wonderful in color and ■ architecture, which Icokfcd a.s though ready | to be opened to the world by duly instead ! of February. I cannot remember any Ex- ] position in the world so ‘previous’ in its ; arrangements, and hone which equalled this | in beauty and in having all its princinal 1 palaces ready eight month* before the j opening clay.' It snows your capabilities in I handling big operations and your readiness | and efficiency.” His lordship was right; i Everything will be ready on the very tick j of tijne, although but eight months remain till the opening day. ' * 1 The Argentine Republic recently made an appropriation Of nearly £260,000 in gold for her exhibit. It is believed that the exhibit will be one of the real surprises i of the Exposition, ar.d will show some of ■■ the resource® aiid methods by -which Argentine has become the largest contribn- I tht to the food supply of the world. Argentine exports more chilled meat and niorS corn than any other nation in the world. In Wheat, eh© is second only to Russia, and in wool second only to Australia. Therefore, the exhibit of cattle and sheep will be on© of the most interesting in the live stock department at the Exposition. PftStoralists’ journals have commented widely upon the question of Argentine’s exhibit, and much interest is being displayed in it. This is not the only department in which the great South American Republic parallels and challenges Australasia. Another section of the activity of Argentine -which will be adequately represented ifi that of social economy.

There will be shown the system of compulsory voting, managing Government-owned railways and tramways, parcel post, and other public utilities, of ; which, Argentine claims to have more than any other country- Argentine will make a- special exhibit of the manner in which immigrants arc handled, and the, kindness of the sys i tern by which they ape received as guests of the' Government, and lodged at the Government hotel'until they can bo placed j in the trade or Tabor for which they are suited. After being properly classified and placed in positions, they are transported free to their destinations. In many instances they are provided with land,, stock, and equipment, for which they may pay in small yearly instalments.

Special attention has bean paid to the matter of amusements. More than 6,000 applications for concessions were received, hut over 5,800 of them failed to negotiate the moral hurdles set- up by the directorate. Visitors tors are given a positive assurance that Ml amusements, will be absolutely clean, ‘the globe-circling aeroplane race • will be, participated in by many nations. The amount already on deposit for this event is £30,000, and it is expected that prize money totalling at least- £200.000 will gojo the winners. Trophies given bv King George and President Wilson will'be competed for in the yachting events. For the 6,000-mile race for motor boats of the cruiser _ type, from New York to San Francisco via the Panama Canal, the management has authorised a first prize of £2,000. This will lake place in September or October. The area- enclosed within the walls of the 11 main exhibit- palaces will total 61.1 acres. One will have to travel approximately po 4 miles in the 10 buildings. To see all one would have to -study something like 2,175,500 square feet of exhibit- display, and" cover about 27.5 miles. The marvellous progress of the construe tion work is visible to every visitor to the Exposition. Tho eight main palaces of exhibits —manufactures, education, _ social er-onomv. mines and metallurgy, varied industries, transportation, liberal arts, agriculture and food products--aro all practi callv completed, and ready for the installation of exhibits. The palace of machinery. 957(t loner and 367 ft wide, constructed entirely of wood, is complete, and the first exhibit, a £2.800 Diesel engine, was installed on May 1. The steel work ou the palace, of line arts has been erected, and the framework is now being placed. The palace, of horticulture, with its immense glass dome, 152 ft in diameter and 180 ft high, has been completed, and the magnificent- display of the world s finest floral exhibits is being planned. The steel tower of jewels. 435 ft high, is being constructed, and will soon bo finished. Throe fire stations have been" completed, and automobile equipment bearing the inscription Exposition Fire Service ” has been provided. Tho 4.000,000 square feet of road is being rapidly packed into smoothness and covered with resilient red rock. Hundreds of trees havo been planted in their permanent places along the drives and in the gardens, and more than 10,000 quick-growing vibes are spreading their tendrils along the Exposition walls, 1 while millions of blossoming flowers have been planted in the garden beds and courts. Work on festival’hail is being rushed, and tho construction of tho magnificent- palace of Scribes, which will house the editors and writers of the Exposition and visiting newspaper men and women, has been started, and the building will bo completed by October 1.