The United States Government Board has expended its half-million dollars with splendid results. Every department is here with its best possible showing. The exhibits are housed in a magnificent group of three buildings, one of them more than four hundred feet long by one hundred and thirty feet wide. and with a central dome two hundred and fifty feet high.

The two lesser buildings are each one hundred and fifty square, and are connected with the main building by massive arcades. The architecture is Spanish, of an enduring aspect.

Seven thousand square feet are devoted to the exhibit by the United States Treasury Department under Wallace H. Hills, Superintendent of the Treasury. A feature of this large exhibit is a lighthouse, forty-five feet high, under the central dome of the large building, being an exact reproduction of one of one of the best known lighthouses on the Atlantic coast. The Mint is represented by a coin press having a capacity of eighty coins per minute. This is kept in operation making souvenir medals. The Bureau of Printing shows a plate printing press turning out souvenirs. The Marine Hospital Service shows a model of a quarantine station. The Coast and Geodetic Survey exhibits a miniature tide gauge

A big knife used for a quarter of a century in the Treasury Department, for cutting bills in two when turned in for redemption is one of the curios. The Treasury officers estimate that the blade of the knife has passed through bills representing a face value of between five and six billion dollars. The first ledger and journal kept by the treasurer of the colonial government, the oldest government record in existence, is shown. A specimen of every coin issued by the United States and some of the finest made by other governments are exhibited. The Life Saving Service exhibit is also order Mr. Hills. A special station has been erected on the shore of the Exposition lake, where daily exhibitions are given.

A distinguishing feature of the Navy Department exhibit under B. F. Peters is a map of the world, eight by twenty feet, showing in large, legible letters the principal maritime ports of the world, and the United States navy yards and stations at home and abroad. The great map is arranged upon a table and covers the globe from the 60th parallel north to the 60th parallel south. Upon it are placed 307 miniature lead models, each representing a battleship, cruiser, monitor, gunboat, torpedo boat, submarine boat, sailing vessel, collier or tug if the United States Navy, in commission, in ordinary, under repairs or under construction. The models of cruising vessels are painted white, the torpedo boats green, the colliers and sailing vessels black, and the tugs and yard boats range. The largest of the models is not more than one and a half inches in length The position of each model upon the map shows the locations each day of the corresponding vessel of the navy. Each model flies a pennant with its name printed on in bold type. The display of a tiny flag on the model signifies that the corresponding vessel of the navy is in commission for service, and when no flag is displayed it signifies that the corresponding vessel of the navy is laid up in ordinary, under repairs or under construction. This exhibit is a 20th century kindergarten lesson descriptive of the navy as it is today; and to those persons who have not had an opportunity to visit our various navy yards or see our squadrons maneuvered a glance at it probably gives a more accurate idea of the composition of our navy than can be had in any other way. The many other features of the naval display are full of interest to the inquiring mind.

The Department of Labor, represented by Chas. H. Verrill, makes an exhibit of its work, as shown by its annual and special reports, and its bi-monthly bulletins dealing with subjects connected with labor, especially in its relation to capital, the hours of labor, the earnings of laboring men and women, and the means of promoting their material, social, intellectual and moral welfare. Some of the objects and results of investigation are illustrated by figures, charts and special printed matter. In connection with this is shown, also, the work which has been done by the various State Bureaus of Labor along the same lines.

The exhibit of the Department of Justice, under direction of Frank Strong, consists mainly of portraits, figures, documents and records of historical interest. The exhibit is a very extensive one, and of deep interest to lawyers, authors, writers, and the intelligent public in general. An interesting branch of the exhibit are the photographs and views connected with United States prisons and prisoners, and the curious productions illustrative of the ingenuity of men when in confinement.

The exhibit of the Post-Office Department, in charge of John. B. Brownlow, is the most complete ever shown. It includes a collection of all the postage stamps ever used by the united States, valued at more than $50,000; a collection of old stamps and equipment for handling the mails from Cuba, Porto Rico and Hawaiian Islands; models of uniformed mail carriers of the United States and other countries, equipped with the insignia of their respective governments; models of various mail steamships and small steamers employed in the mail service; the model of a United States mail car completely furnished; models of German mail coaches and carts; an old mail and passenger coach used in the frontier service many years ago; an Indian mail carrier with toboggan, and other odd exhibits. The exhibit occupies 5,000 square feet of space.

It is impossible in brief space to give an adequate idea of the very great extent of the Government exhibits, as each one of them is deserving of a long chapter.

The Fishery exhibit occupies the southern building of the United States Government group. The exhibit treats of scientific inquiry, fish culture, methods and statistics. There are thirty-two tanks, containing the salt and fresh water fish propagated by the United States Fish Commission, and all the economic and food fishes of the North Atlantic coast and inland waters. The corridor surrounding the tanks is in semi-darkness, and the tanks are lighted from the back, thus giving a clear view of the aquatic life within. The supply of fresh water comes from Lake Erie, and the salt water is brought from Wood's Hole, Mass., in tank cars. Large settling tanks have been arranged beneath the building, from which it is supplied by means of nickel pumps to the storage tanks above, and thence by gravity to the fish tanks. The water is kept at a low temperature by means of an ice machine. The many curious specimens of fishes make this exhibit one of very unusual interest. Besides the living exhibit there is a large collection of fishing apparatus of every description.

The Department of the Interior has exhibits from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Geological Survey, Patent Office, Land Office, Bureau of Education and Census Office. These are in charge of F. W. Clarke. The exhibit of models from the Patent Office is of especial interest owing to the great progress of invention during the last few years.

The Department of State illustrates, by means of blanks, circulars and charts, the workings the Diplomatic Bureau, Consular Bureau, Bureau of Statistics, Bureau of Accounts, Bureau Indexes and Archives, Bureau of the Rolls and Library, Bureau of Commissions and Pardons, Passport Bureau and Mail Division. Many branches of historical interest will be included in this exhibit, showing the important transactions between this and other countries. The exhibit of this department is in charge of Wm. H. McMichael.

The exhibits of the Department of Agriculture are in charge of J.H. Brigham, also Chairman of the Government Board. These are exhibited in the Government Building, and include displays of cereals, tobacco, animal and vegetable fibers, and exhibits from the Bureau of Animal Industry, Weather Bureau, Division of Entomology, Division of Ornithology and Mammalogy, Botanical and of Forestry, Division of Chemistry, Division of Statistics, Division of Vegetable Pathology, Division of Pomology, Office of Experimental Stations, of Records and Editing, and Division of Illustrations.

The Paris exhibit of experimental station work is arranged in the Agriculture Building, and is under the supervision of Dr. F. W. True.

The exhibit of the Bureau of American Republics is in charge of William C. Fox, and the very valuable and interesting exhibits from the Smithsonian Institution and the National Museum are in charge of Dr. True. The officials in charge of the several departmental exhibits constitute the Governmental Board.

The War Department exhibit is particularly attractive. Capt. Peter C. Harris has had the responsibility of bringing together from many arsenals and army headquarters these varied objects of interest. The ordnance exhibit shows the four types of sea-coast defense guns. The largest is a twelve-inch rifle, weighing 115,000 pounds, mounted upon a disappearing carriage which weighs 350,000 pounds. It is one of those guns that can drive a 1,000-pound projectile twenty-five inches into solid steel armor at a distance of a mile and a half. It takes 240 pounds of smokeless powder, or 490 pounds of brown prismatic powder to fire it. Other features of the ordnance display are a ten-inch rifle mounted on a barbette carriage, a twelve-inch mortar, a five-inch rapid fire gun, a historical series of old sea-coast defense guns, showing the development of ordnance: mountain, field and siege guns, and small arms. The engineering section shows modern harbor work and dredging apparatus. The signal section has an exhibit of wireless telegraphy and the several other methods of transmitting information quickly in time of war. The Military Academy at West Point is represented for the first time at an exposition. The Quartermaster's section shows the latest methods of army equipment.