Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-11
Preparing for Opening of Big
Exhibit in London.
OPEN EYES OF THE WEST
Temples of Mikado's Land Have
Given Up Rarest Treasures.
REPRODUCTION OF LANDSCAPE
Beautiful Lake With Gardened Is
land One Of the Features
Proposed.
Yoreign Correspondence Of The Star

Foreign Correspondence Of The Star.
LONDON. April l. 1910
Although it Is only SIX weeks TO the
opening Of the Japan-British exhibition
its toilet In still in the early stages; but
then they have wonderful way OF put
ting a show of that kind together in the
last fortnight.
Just now men with brushes are renew
ing the youth of the florid plaster archi-
lecture and preparing il for fresh glories
Swarming about everywhere among the
packing cases and carpenters scrapei
are the little Japanese workmen in black
cotton clothes, wearing string sandals
and these men are putting together re-
markable pieces of carving and lacquer
work sent over from Japan. Some hun
dreds CO these citce- craftsmen are log.
ing round about Shepherds Bush One
wonders what the London landlady thInKs
about them and their dietary, and espec-
tally about their custom of having hot
bath at the end of the days work.
The Japanese landscape gardener, re-
no~ned artist at home, is preparing a
feast of quaintness behind the great hall.
and he issues from his wooden office to
Hrumbe at London's dramatic climate
which makes IL dangerous to take his
precious plants out Of their moist wrap
pings. These Japanese gardens promise
to be one Of the brightest marvels.
Garden of Rare Exotics.
There will be when the toilet is over
foaming cascades, rare shrubs straight
from Japan, iris in ponds as in a Japan
csc May, cherry trees in flower. ana a
temple-or is 1t a misunderstanding as
S4I Y4I,-
trees have been two months on their
journey from Japan. and they are packed
in trays with the utmost care to keep
them alive.
One of the first things seen on enter
ing indoors Is the reproduction of. a
and namboyant in decoration. and
round 1t are paintings of the life of
various epochs of history, ending with
modern one full of motor cars and
japanese in European dress. Every one
has heard of the precious works Of art
that have been taken out of the temple
and sent to London-pictures and stat
ues that are rarely brought out even
In Japan-and 1T is not surprising that
there has been a warm controversy
about it there But the government.
from the emperor downward, is deter
mined to show the west even the
rarest of the treasures. One Of the
prettiest show pieces is the Japanese
screen, in the place of honor. Near it
you see what seems a rough tree
trunk. but it il only bark put on
core Of lath by clever fingers.
Work Of japanese Women.
There will be big collection of
picked handicrafts. much of 1t the work
OF women. which, it is believed. will
reassure those who suppose that the
modern craze for cheap Japanese ware
has killed the old skill by merchandising
the product. The Cave of the Chill
dren's Ghosts" and other queer tableaux
will give us a glimpse into the abodes
of the Japanese imagination. Before
long a cargo Of little hairy men. the
Amos or aborigines of the country. will
be dumped down at London docks.
They are to provide one Of the side
shows.
The admiralty has responded in a
hearty manner to the appeal Of the gen.
eral committee of the exhibition to ac-
cord support to the educational sections
of the exhibition in a spirit similar to
that shown by the Japanese government
A collection Of warship models will form
the staple part of the sea lords contri-
fined to present-day warships but will
include specimens Of ships of the feet as
far back as the Great Harry Of 1914. The
model Of this historic ship alone, though
only on small scale, will be worth
E1.O00, and the total value of the score
or more models shown will be nearly
E17,OOO.