THE FESTIVAL OF EMPIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 302, 16 May 1911, Page 5

THE FESTIVAL OF EMPIRE.

A BIG ATTENDANCE. By Cabl' —l'iv*< A«»ociittion—Copyright. Received 15, 11.45 p.m. London, May 15. A hundred and sixty-two thousand people attended the Festival of Empire on Saturday.

CITY OF PALACES XEARING COMPLETION. WORLD'S LARGEST CARPET. (N.Z. Times' correspondent.) Londos, March 31. Watching the growth of the Festival of Empire, the All-British Exhibition and the Pageant of London, one can realise to the full what COOO British workmen under the guidance of experti cau accomplish. The Imperial City of 300 separate buildings in the 250 acres of grounds at the Crystal Palace has risen as though at the waving pl( \f, magician's wand, yet everything is solid, safe, and constructed by designers who possess a genius for attracting and entertaining the millions. To the eight miles of roads and paths in the grounds are being added two more miles of wide roads in order that visitors may reach all parts with ease; bridges and new flights of steps will aid in this effort for the comfort of the public. Yet with all these changes the charm of the parkland will not be lost, indeed, by the use of millions of plants, rose trees, shrubs, and so forth, the grounds will be more beautiful than ever.

The thousand troops who are coining from various overseas dominions to take part in the Coronation ceremonies will, on June 12th, be invited to the Festival of Empire. These guests of honor will be entertained at a banquet by Sir Abe Bailey, K.C.M.G., of South Africa. THE DOMINIONS CLUB. Messrs. Hampton, the world-famous firm, whose great store adjoins the National Gallery, in Trafalgar Square, have kindly undertaken to transform "Rockhills" into a club-house where visitors from overseas can be entertained, "Rockhills" was the home of Sir Joseph Paxton, the creator of the Crystal Palace, and the noble mansion will form a splendid Dominions Club. The grounds, which adjoin those of the palace, are also being treated, and will make a delightful lounge on warm summer days. Probably a record has been created by the success of the All-British Exhibition, which is to be held in the redecorated Crystal Palace itself. Practically all the space within the great glass house has been let to British manufacturers, indeed, some sections are so full that additional structures are being put up in the grounds. As it is now generally known, the Pageant of London and Empire will eonsist of thirty-two scenes divided into four parts. There are 15,000-voluntary I performers, and this will be a record pageant in every way. Quite a number of eminent ladies and gentlemen will represent variops historical characters, and, in each case, the scenes will bej mounted with historical correctness, artistic feeling, and a lavish outlay of, money. The. scenery alone has cost some £OOOO, the thousands of dresses are valued at £14,000, and the proper-] tics, weapons, state coaches, chariots, ships, and so forth, represent anothei £OOOO. A 000-FOOT CURTAIN.

For one of the episodes which needs a continuous background, the largest stretch of tapestry in existence has been made; though this is (100 feet across, it will be put in place and removed with great speed, sixty men now being in training for the work. In front of this curtain will be the largest carpet in the world. It measures 800 feet by 150 icet, and eighty men are required to handle the carpet, which weighs 10 tons. AH the dresses and armour to be used in the Pageant of London have been made by hundreds of hands employed by the Festival of Empire, and this means that performers,' etc., get their costumes at cost price. The costumes range from /is to £l2O, the latter being the value of the armour and decorations to be worn by Lord Howard de Walden as the Black Prince. Some of the ladies, whilst appearing as grand dames of the past, will use some jewellerv of great value.

Some hundreds of ex-soldiers have been engaged to form marching armies of various periods, and the "staff of grooms, dressers, property men. wardrobe attendants, electricians and scene shifters number quite 500. while 000 horses and .500 cattle are being acquired for use upon this great grass stage in the Crystal Palace grounds.