The scheme finally adopted for the exploitation of the products of Ceylon at the World’s Fair was that all articles of artistic interest should be displayed in a special court and those of commercial importance in the various palaces.  It was agreed that the practical demonstration of the use of tea should be carried on in the court and made as attractive as possible to the American public.  A concession was accordingly obtained from the Exposition Company for the sale of tea in the cup at a nominal price, and an excellent site was allotted to the Government of Ceylon immediately west of and adjoining the lake, where the United States Life-Saving Service had its daily display and facing the north end of the Palace of Agriculture.  The building (which was designed in Ceylon by Mr. Skinner) was rectangular in form, 120 feet long and 60 feet wide, and two stories in height.

Broad verandas, so characteristic a feature of oriental houses, ran round each floor, and there tea was served daily by 20 Cingalese servants.  These tea servers dressed in spotless white, and with long hair fastened with big tortoise shell combs, made a most picturesque appearance and gave a touch of reality to the Cingalese pavilion.

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.