Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-07-13
FOREIGN EXHIBITS
Europe's Display at the Great
Worlds Fair.
TEE BRITISH EXCEL IN GENERAL.


and Transportation Building.
WORLDS FAIR, July G. - [Special.l -
Having now had glance at many features
of the exposition / propose to take up in
short series of letters the exhibits made
here by the chief European countries and
endeavor to ascertain in what lines they
excel and are most interesting. In con.
sderation of the displays of our cousins
from across the sea Great Britain must
naturally come first. The Britons are our
blood relations, they speak our tongue,
and they are, besides, the greatest people
of the earth viewed from the standpoint OF
national importance, wealth, commerce
and influence upon human affairs. In al
most everything save the fine arts the
British excel. Their manufactures lead
the world in volume and in many lines in
artistic excellence. In shipping they are
without rivals, more than one-half of all
the tonnage of the high seas sailing under
the British flag. Had Britain made at
this exposition an exhibit fully represen-
tative and worthy of her greatness and
wealth it would easily have been the first
of the nations in this comparative object
lesson.
Unfortunately the British exhibit is not
fully representative or altogether worthy.
Sir James Dredge, one of the English COM
missioners, admits that it is not. And yet
the display is so vast, contains 50 much
variety so many evidences of power and
wealth and development, that one almost
stands aghast to think of what the British
might have done had they done their best
and greatest. Owing to the recent tariff
legislation in this country British firms
and individuals were not willing to incur
heavy expenses for displays here, and the
cutlery and other makers refused to do
anything at all. The appropriation made
by the British government was not COM
mensurate with the Importance of the oc-
casion or the grandeur of British manu-
features. 1t was only $l25,OOO at first, or
but one-third the appropriation made by
the state of New York, and but one
seventh that of the state of Illinois. Aft
erward this sum was increased to 100000,
but this was less than half the appropria-
ton ma lie by Germany, less than half that
made by the French government. Still,
as | said a moment ago, the British dis
| play is enormous and interesting, notwith-
| standing. The commissioners spent their
money to good advantage. Without be
ing pretentious anywhere they are every
where in good form, and the British de-
| partmcnts are among the richest and most
interesting to be found in the exposition.
Great Britain occupies altogether within
| the thirteen gr' departments of the fair
| between seven n 1 eight acres of floor
space, and this uoes not include the
ground occupied by Victoria house nor by
number of special exhibits. If to the
space used by England proper be added
that occupied by the British colonies we
| should have Il total of nearly twelve acres.
! This is an enormous area, as you Will dls-
cover when you come here and attempt to
pass over and through it all, making Il
careful study Of what the British and theiI
dependencies, upon which it is their proud
boast the sun never sets, have to show.
OF course it is impossible for me in the
space of a single letter to review this eX-
hibit as a whole The British have pub
lshed their own catalogue of their eX
hibits, and it is a book of some 800 pages
which was printed in London. But there
are q few features of the English show
which may well attract our attention, ant
which will stand typical of the remainder
If the English excel in anything here 1t l.
in pottery. When we visit the huge Ma
ufactures building, and go to the CLOCK
tower which marks the center of that won
derful structure, we find the British ant
their colonies occupying practically all o
the southwest quarter. Compared witt
France across the aisle to the east ant
Germany to the west, the British section
appears commonplace and dull. Their
are 10 gorgeous and impressive pavllions
erected by the government. The British
have only the pagodas which private enter
prise provided, and these are dark and sim
pie, like London shops. But they are nc
ii not pretentious. One is said to haV
cost S?5, oO0 though it covers but 500 hun
dred square feet. 1t is the property of
pottery firm. Another pottery firm spen
$40, 900 for a much smaller structure.
The potters occupy the post of homo
here, and right royalty have they uphel
the British flag. Their display is one {
the most marvellous features of this builC
ing of wonders. Here is the great Lambet
faience vase, six feet three inches higi
perfectly glorious in its decorations an
coloring and always surrounded by dens
throngs of admirers. a card tells us the
this notable piece of the potters art ht
been purchased by the Gaekwar of Barod
who is now en- route for the fair and who's
, income it said o be $40, 600, 900 year. /
can afford a Lambeth vase, and the ode
,, are he had to pay pretty price for 1t. NJ
many cheap things are to be found her
though everything is for sale. Here IS
3 Shakespearean vase, about three feet hig
y adorned with figures from the bard s play
Y and the price is $500. An Evangelil
. vase, so small that you could put IN yo'
( overcoat pocket, is held at $3.50.
5 A game set of twelve pieces is mark'
$3.50, and dozen plates, illustrating Lon
fellows Evangeline, and illustrating
most beautifully, are held at the snug su
a of g, 600, or $166 So per plate. Even this
: not so costly as royal Worcester dim
y service Of 1874 pieces, spread out in all
= dazzling array upon table, with creI
J lamps and other decorations to emphasi
$ it's color and beauty, and marked $5,U
3 AS yet no rich American has come alo
s to buy this noteworthy service, but a lit
rose-vase, about six inches high, has be
sold eleven times at s43. The British pr
Z tiers, like all foreign exhibitors he
), brought over many duplicates of th'