The Amsterdam International Exhibition, the opening of which has been
fixed for May 1, 1883, is now in way of realization. This exhibition
will present a special interest to all nations, and particularly to
their export trade. Holland, which is one of the great colonial powers,
proposes by means of this affair to organize a competition between the
various colonizing nations, and to contribute thus to a knowledge of
the resources of foreign countries whose richness of soil is their
fundamental power.
The executive committee includes the names of some of the most prominent
persons of the Netherlands: M. Cordes, president; M. de Clercq,
delegate; M. Kappeyne van di Coppello, secretary; and M. Agostini,
commissary general.
[Illustration: PLAN OF THE DUTCH INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.
1. Exhibition Palace.
2. Netherlands Colonial Exhibition.
3. Fine Arts.
4. Annexes for Agricultural Machines, etc.
5. Machines, Materials, etc.
6. Concert Theater.
7. Panorama.
8. Jury Pavilion.
9. Royal Pavilion.
10. Committee Pavilion.
11. International Society's Pavilion.
12. Restaurant and Café.
13. Music Kiosque and Electric Pharos.
14. German Restaurant.
15. Dutch Restaurant.
16. English Restaurant.
17. French Restaurant.
18. Aquarium and Rockwork.
]
The exhibition will consist of five great divisions, to wit: 1. A
Colonial exhibition. 2. A General Export exhibition. 3. A Retrospective
exhibition of Fine Arts and of Arts applied to the Industries. 4.
Special exhibitions. 5. Lectures and Scientific Reunions.
The colonial part forms the base of the exhibition, and will be devoted
to a comparative study of the different systems of colonization
and colonial agriculture, as well as of the manners and customs of
ultramarine peoples. In giving an exact idea of what has been done, it
will indicate what remains to be done from the standpoint of a general
development of commerce and manufactures. Such is the programme of the
first division.
The second division will include everything that relates to the export
trade.
The third division will be reserved for works of art dating back from
the most remote ages.
The fourth division will be devoted to temporary exhibitions, such as
those of horticultural and agricultural products, etc.
The fifth division will constitute the intellectual part, so to speak,
of the exhibition. It will be devoted to lectures, and to scientific
meetings for the discussion of questions relating to teaching, to the
arts, to the sciences, to hygiene, to international jurisprudence, and
to political economy. Questions of colonial economy will naturally
occupy the first rank.
As will be seen, the programme of this grand scheme organized by the
Netherlands government is a broad one; and, owing the experience
acquired in recent universal exhibitions, especially that of Paris in
1878, very happy results may be expected from it.
At present, we give an illustration showing the general plan of the
exhibition. In future, in measure as the work proceeds, we shall be able
to give further details.--_Le Genie Civil_.
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