From the center of the building sprang an octagon 75 feet high, reproducing the building where the kings of Ceylon used to show themselves to their subjects at their ancient capital of Kandy. Smaller octagons rose from the four corners. The ornamentation was characteristically Cingalese. Broad friezes painted by native artists represented the various birth stories of the Buddha. The door panels and quaint capitals were such as may be seen at many a temple in Ceylon and formed an appropriate setting for the impassive images of the Buddha. The building was constructed by Messrs. Broderick & Wind, contractors of New York, under the general supervision of Mr. Russell Stanhope, representative at St. Louis of the commissioner-general, at a total cost of $30,000. Downstairs were the offices of the commission, while on the upper floor the greater portion of the fine art exhibit of Ceylon was situated. The native artist was seen at his best in the magnificent jeweled caskets of carved ivory and the exquisite reprousse work in silver, representing an art which has been handed down from father to son for twenty-five centuries in the caste of Cingalese silversmiths. The department of manufactures was represented by massive furniture in calamander, ebony, and satinwood, carved with the most elaborate devices, dainty laces made by the nimble fingers of village women, beautiful productions on tortoise shell and gold, heavily embroidered cloths of gold, and a large collection of the various curios for which the East is famous, besides a display of tanned hides and jewelry of exceptional merit. There was a further display of art work in the international room of the Palace of Fine Arts. More than 100 exhibitors were represented in this building, the total value of their exhibits exceeding $50,000. Outside on the lake was an outrigger canoe of full size, such as is still in use among the fishermen of Ceylon. The chief commercial exhibit of the country was to be found in the Palace of Agriculture, where a space of 2,000 square feet had been allotted to it. First and foremost was the great industry of tea cultivation. Thirty years ago the island exported a million tons of coffee annually, and tea was an unknown article; last year the quantity of the leaf which was exported to all parts of the world exceeded 150,000,000 pounds (of which 18,000,000 was sent to the United States), while coffee hardly figures on the customs returns The industry is almost exclusively in the hands of Europeans. All the chief producers were represented at the exposition, their interests forming the special province of an assistant commissioner.