The Washington herald., 1911-04-28

A colossal task is nearing completion
at the Crystal Palace. London. Within
| a space of 30 acres the whole of the Brit
ish Empire is being represented by hun
dreds of buildings, scenery, and exhibits.
The Festival of Empire, as the great
exhibition, which will be opened from
May to October, has been called. is the
| most ambitious effort which has ever
been made to demonstrate the vastness
and possibilities of oversee dominions.
In addition there will be a great pageant,
in which l5.eo0 performers will take part.
illustrating the empires history and de-
velopment from the very earliest down
to the present time. The colonies have
subscribed thousands of pounds toward
the expenses. and thousands of men have
been employed on a patriotic project in
every way worthy of the coronation
year.
The public said Mr.. Frank Las
celles. master of the festival. the other
day, who is famed all the world over for
the magnificence of the pageants he has
organized has little idea of the enor-
nous work which has been involved in
producing this great Festival of Empire.
The colonies have been ransacked for
ideas, and for many months we have
been cooperating with the various CO.
lonial governments in order to make the
Festival of Empire a success. 1t Is real
ly surprising how people in the country
have entered into the idea with Zest and
enthusiasm Take the 1900 amateur
performers. for instance, who are to take
part in the great pageant. Not only are
they buying their costumes and paying
for their railway fares during the run of
the festival, but they are willingly bear
ing the expenses entailed by six or seven
weeks rehearsals. II is a splendid Illus
tration, is IL not, of the patriotism which
has been instilled by this great idea?"
And the gigantic scale and thorough
ness with which this pageant is being
carried out is striltingly illustrated by
the facts and figures. An amphitheater
for 10000 spectators has been erected,
and for considerably more than a year
hundreds of skilled worlmen have been
engaged in preparing costumes and prop
critics, and in every case the utmost care
has been taken to insure historical cor
rectness, even to the minutest details.
BY loan and purchase Mr.. Lascelles has
secured twenty historical state coaches,
including one which belonged to Queen
Victoria and another which was the
property of Napoleon III. \ thousand
horses and cattle, 400 complete suits
of armor. nearly 1000 weapons. and close
upon 10000 helmets and shields-these are
few of the properties which will be
used during the great pageant or the
Festival of Empire.
But, of course" said Mr.. Lascelles,
while the pageant is one of the CEN
tral features of the festival, 1t by no
means stands alone. In the grounds there
will be some 300 buildings, ranging from
the 10000 pound reproductions of the Par
lament buildings of Canada to decora-
A.. 1t. H. ,ta1 N
will be exact reproductions of the Par
Lament houses of the respective colonies.
and in each case will be two-thirds of
the size of the originals. Altogether these
various government buildings cost well
over 100000 pounds. and / might mention
that Canada alone is spending no less
than 10000 pounds on the various prof.
ects for representing that vast colony
at the Crystal Palace.
..WlIat is the total cost? Well, 1t is
difficult to say at the present time. The
committee of the festival of empire has
spent over s30G,O00 already. and this is
quite apart from the money expended by
the various colonies themselves"
Asked for some details of the expendi-
ture, Mr.. Lascelles said. I'VE are paying
close upon 5000 work people engaged on
the preparations for the festival. Then
there is some E3o0O0 worth of machinery
and G6o.oOO expended on the erection of
a mile and half of electric railway. |
which, We have termed the All Red
Route, and which will run through the
various scenes of the empire. as depicted /
in the grounds of the Crystal Palace. |
A two-minute service will be maintained
throughout the day h. ten ears. and on
each train, guides will explain details and
objects of interest en- route as the train
takes the visitors on tour embre cling
Newfoundland. Canada. Jamaica. Malay |
States India, Australia, New Zealand.
and South Africa.
Perhaps one of the most interesting !
facts regarding the realistic representa-
tions of South Africa on the All Red
Route is that, at cost Of many thou |
sands OF pounds, visitors will be able to |
see gold and diamond mines IN full oper-
alton. The De Beers Company is SPEND
ing e2,o06 on the representation Of q |
South Afrfc4nt diamond mine. and.
might menflen are actually showing
e. 00o, ,Ooo v6l&6 u real diAmonds
.sThe mlo14 fof kfhe palace win be no I
,eas lntsfS ~ We Intend 70 hold an
li-HFllI5ii5 (f}5a. ,e1x HUNDRED Stands
lrs beIoS q .pss6 'tSsre Qi1l . -