The numming Bird. 71 



A.-B. de Guerville, who was commisioned to go around the 

 world and give illustraded lectures on the Exposition, has 

 written from Japan that so great is the interest in. the Fair 

 that he rarely fails to talk to full houses. He was cordially 

 received by the Emperor and Empress of Japan, and deli- 

 vered his lecture before the court. The Emperor expressed 

 enthusiasm and delight over the magnificence of the Expo- 

 sition buildings, wich were shown by fine screen views du- 

 ring the lecture. 



An exhibit from Syrian women, consisting chiefly of beau- 

 tiful and costly embroideries, has been received by the 

 Board of Lady Managers at Chicago. 



The women of Belgium will be represented at the Expo- 

 sition by an exhibit. A women's committee, with the 

 queen as patroness, has been selected to have charge of the 

 matter. 



In response to the thousands of invitations to distin- 

 guished persons to attend the Exposition dedicatory ceremo- 

 nies next October, the acceptance thus far has been almost 

 unanimous. Among those who will be present are the Presi- 

 dent and his entire Cabinet, the members of the Supreme 

 Court, nearly every foreign minister at Washington, the go- 

 vernors of the different States, members of Congress and spe- 

 cial representatives of many foreign nations. 



The magnitude of the French exhibit at the Exposition can 

 be surmised from the fact that in the calculations as to its 

 transportation to Chicago it is estimated that it will aggre- 

 gate fully 3,000 tons. The exhibit, it is unnecessary to explain, 

 will consist chiefly of works of art and manufactures of the 

 finer and lighter description, and will include very little in 

 the way of heavy articles, such as machinery. 



A committee of insurance men has inspected the system 

 and methods of fire protection established on the Exposi- 

 tion grounds, and has reported that they are in all respects 

 adequate and satisfactory. It found thousands of fire buckets 

 in the buildings, Babcok extinguishers on every hand, che- 

 mical engines at every necessary point, boose lines reaching 

 to the top of the buildings, fire alarm boxes numerous and 

 easily accessible, an efficient fire alarm service, a system of 

 water works with a capacity of millions of gallons a day, 

 watchmen on duty day and night, and steam engine houses 

 and engines and a well-drilled force of firemen. 



The California Bee Keepers' Association is preparing a no- 

 table exhibit for the Fair. Besides honey and bees, the exhibit 

 will include pressed flowers of all the different honey flora, 

 specimens of the birds and insects which are the enemies of 

 bees, models and photographs of apiaries, and novelties in 

 the shape of production distinctive to California, especially 

 in the line of beewax and foundation. 



