42

"GUINEA DAY."
________________

Opening of the American Exibition-The Queen's Visit to the "West Wild."

LONDON, May 14th, 1887.--The event of the week has been the opening of the much-talked-of American Exibition, which occured on Monday last. Invitations had been sent to all the nobility, including the members of several clubs, amongst them the "Savage," the Press and Garrick, the members of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, the members of the Council of Welcome and all the prominent Americans in London to the number of nearly 15,000. No admission was given under a guinea, and notwithstandning this the turnstiles registered the admission of nearly 30,000 people.

Literary Luncheon.

The time of beginning the exercises was set for 3:30, and for nearly two hours before that time all the omnibuses and underground rail-way trains were packed with fasionable, well dressed and good natured people struggling for places-the cub ranks in the West End were entirely deserted-the private carriages completely blocked every street leading to the Lillie road and for some distance each side (of) the main entrance. At 2 o'clock two hundred members of the press at down to luncheon in the room of the Art Gallery. Mr. John Gilmer Speed, an old journalist and secretary of the excibition, presided, and amongst the company was George Augustus Salam Lewis J. Jennings, the correspondents of the American newspapers, and a representative of every important paper in Great Britain.

The lunch was quite informal, with the exception of the fact that the chairman spoke a few words of welcome, and Mr Townsend Peroy, on behalf of the Executive Council and himself personally. In a brief and pointed speech, expressed his thanks to the gentlemen present for the kindness, courtesy and hospitality with which the American Excibition had been treated by the English press. At 3:30 o'clock promptly, the members of the Executive Council and of the Executive Staff assembled on the platform eracled (?) outside of the main entrance to the art gallery, fronting the bridge leading to the Wild West and the open space in the vicinity, which afforded sitting and standing room to a mass of people.

"Yankee Doodle"

The sight, as I emerged on the platform, was a most extraordinary one. It was a fine day and the bright colors of the ladies' [toilets?] made the enormous gallery look like a boundless parterre of flowers. It was literally a sea of heads, and the subdued hum of conversation, which never was still during any part of the ceremonies, was like the distant roar of the sea. To the left of the platform was stationed Dan Godfrey and the band of the Grenadier Guards, who opened the ceremonies by playing "Yankee Doodle," then the [Very?] Rev. Canon Farrar, Archdeacon of Westminister, who was selected not only on account of his eminence in his profession, but on account of his partiality for American and Americans, proceeded to ask a blessing upon the enterprise about to be inaugurated.

Lord Ronald Gower, brother to the Duke of Sutherland, then delivered a brief address of welcome on behalf of the Council of Englishmen formed to give practical expression to their hospitable desires towards the American guests. This was replied to by Colonel Henry Russell, president of the Exhibition, and he was followed by Mr. John Robinson Whitley, director general, in an address in which he detailed the history of the enterprise. In the intervals during these speeches the band played "Yankee Doodle" and "Dixey." Madame Nordica electrified the audience by her rendering of the "Star Spangled Banner" and "Rule Britannia." In fact, it was remarkable the ease with which, when she took her top notes, she filled the enormous structure known as the main building.

A Mishap.

Colonel Russell then in a few wors declared the Exhibition open. It had been arranged that he should start the machinery which had been attached to the shafting at the lower part of the building, the huge engine brought from America being in perfect order; but at the [last?] moment the boilers, the contract for which had been given to an English firm, broke down, and it was only by word, and not by deed, that the opening was accomplished. As soon as the exercises were over the crowd surged across the bridge leading to the grand stand of the Wild West; this enormous structure has a seating capacity of over 20,000 persons and standing for half as many more, and the whole place was densely packed. To attempt to tell you what was there would be an impossibility, almost as much so as to tell you was was not there. All the beauty of [brains?], title, money and position that London could furnish were distributed over the vast amphitheatre.

"GUINEA DAY."
________________

Opening of the American Exibition-The Queen's Visit to the "West Wild."

LONDON, May 14th, 1887.--The event of the week has been the opening of the much-talked-of American Exibition, which occured on Monday last. Invitations had been sent to all the nobility, including the members of several clubs, amongst them the "Savage," the Press and Garrick, the members of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, the members of the Council of Welcome and all the prominent Americans in London to the number of nearly 15,000. No admission was given under a guinea, and notwithstandning this the turnstiles registered the admission of nearly 30,000 people.

Literary Luncheon.

The time of beginning the exercises was set for 3:30, and for nearly two hours before that time all the omnibuses and underground rail-way trains were packed with fasionable, well dressed and good natured people struggling for places-the cub ranks in the West End were entirely deserted-the private carriages completely blocked every street leading to the Lillie road and for some distance each side (of) the main entrance. At 2 o'clock two hundred members of the press at down to luncheon in the room of the Art Gallery. Mr. John Gilmer Speed, an old journalist and secretary of the excibition, presided, and amongst the company was George Augustus Salam Lewis J. Jennings, the correspondents of the American newspapers, and a representative of every important paper in Great Britain.

The lunch was quite informal, with the exception of the fact that the chairman spoke a few words of welcome, and Mr Townsend Peroy, on behalf of the Executive Council and himself personally. In a brief and pointed speech, expressed his thanks to the gentlemen present for the kindness, courtesy and hospitality with which the American Excibition had been treated by the English press. At 3:30 o'clock promptly, the members of the Executive Council and of the Executive Staff assembled on the platform eracled (?) outside of the main entrance to the art gallery, fronting the bridge leading to the Wild West and the open space in the vicinity, which afforded sitting and standing room to a mass of people.

"Yankee Doodle"

The sight, as I emerged on the platform, was a most extraordinary one. It was a fine day and the bright colors of the ladies' [toilets?] made the enormous gallery look like a boundless parterre of flowers. It was literally a sea of heads, and the subdued hum of conversation, which never was still during any part of the ceremonies, was like the distant roar of the sea. To the left of the platform was stationed Dan Godfrey and the band of the Grenadier Guards, who opened the ceremonies by playing "Yankee Doodle," then the [Very?] Rev. Canon Farrar, Archdeacon of Westminister, who was selected not only on account of his eminence in his profession, but on account of his partiality for American and Americans, proceeded to ask a blessing upon the enterprise about to be inaugurated.

Lord Ronald Gower, brother to the Duke of Sutherland, then delivered a brief address of welcome on behalf of the Council of Englishmen formed to give practical expression to their hospitable desires towards the American guests. This was replied to by Colonel Henry Russell, president of the Exhibition, and he was followed by Mr. John Robinson Whitley, director general, in an address in which he detailed the history of the enterprise. In the intervals during these speeches the band played "Yankee Doodle" and "Dixey." Madame Nordica electrified the audience by her rendering of the "Star Spangled Banner" and "Rule Britannia." In fact, it was remarkable the ease with which, when she took her top notes, she filled the enormous structure known as the main building.

A Mishap.

Colonel Russell then in a few wors declared the Exhibition open. It had been arranged that he should start the machinery which had been attached to the shafting at the lower part of the building, the huge engine brought from America being in perfect order; but at the [last?] moment the boilers, the contract for which had been given to an English firm, broke down, and it was only by word, and not by deed, that the opening was accomplished. As soon as the exercises were over the crowd surged across the bridge leading to the grand stand of the Wild West; this enormous structure has a seating capacity of over 20,000 persons and standing for half as many more, and the whole place was densely packed. To attempt to tell you what was there would be an impossibility, almost as much so as to tell you was was not there. All the beauty of [brains?], title, money and position that London could furnish were distributed over the vast amphitheatre.