310 



[October, 1912. 



Measure of Success. 



The success of an Exhibition is to be measured by three conditions, 

 the first being the volume of entries. In this respect unstinted praise 

 may be meted out as exhibits overflowed the available space, many of 

 them being accommodated on the grass outside, while the enclosure itself 

 proved too small for the number of buildings. It showed the appreciation 

 of the producer of the value of exhibitions ; his enterprise in securing 

 representation in them. We believe that those European firms who went 

 to the expense of erecting pavilions of their own were not disappointed in 

 the amount of business which resulted. Incidentally this reflects upon 

 the buoyancy and vitality of the planting industries of Ceylon. 



When we examine the attitude of the general public for the second 

 measure of success we are equally gratified. So popular did the show 

 prove that people returned again and again to the ground. The attend- 

 ance indeed astonished those responsible for arrangements. 



The financial point of view is the least important among those we 

 have been considering, with a national Exhibition such as this which was 

 not expected to pay its way. The Ceylon Agricultural Society, to secure it 

 against financial disaster, had promised a contribution of £1,000 and the 

 Committee are to be congratulated that it will call upon the Society for 

 little if any portion of this promised contribution. 



To What and to Whom Due. 



It is a delicate task when all classes of the community have combined 

 to make an event a success to single out individuals for particular notice 

 and we do not propose to undertake it except to mention Mr. Denham of 

 the Ceylon Civil Service ; Mr. Macmillan, Curator of the Royal Botanic 

 Gardens, Peradeniya; and Mr. Drieberg, Secretary of the Ceylon Agri- 

 cultural Society, the three Organising Secretaries to whose efforts the 

 success of the Exhibition was chiefly due. But there were certain prime 

 factors, besides the Society, at work that it will be as well to refer to. 

 The influence of His Excellency the Governor was a controlling one as 

 without his encouragement and lead the different departments and 

 communities of the island would certainly not have rallied for the 

 effort in the manner they did. We have no hesitation in saying that 

 to the personal influence of the Governor more than to anything else the 

 success of the exhibition was primarily due. The co-operation of the 

 Government Agents and their staffs is an indispensable condition for the 

 success of any show in Ceylon and in this case it was loyally rendered. 

 The influence of this branch of the service extended much deeper down 

 than might at first sight appear because in organising local agricultural 

 shows all over the island the Government Agents and Assistant Govern- 

 ment Agents have been educating the villagers for years and" when the 

 time came for a great effort such as this the people were found prepared. 



Great demands were naturally made upon the staff of the Department 

 of Agriculture and those demands all agree were fully met. All efforts 

 of the Committee would, however, have been in vain had not the ladies 

 of Ceylon responded to its invitation and come to its assistance in arrang- 

 ing and working up certain classes which they alone were competent to 

 do. In such an Exhibition as the All-Ceylon the public must them- 

 selves undertake some of the duties of judging, otherwise the amount of 

 work involved could never be got through in the limited time allowed. 

 All Ceylon will, we feel sure, unite with us in gratitude to those members 

 of the public who undertook this task. 



