1888 Rythenean World Exposition
| 1888 Delhaven | |
|---|---|
 Interior of the main exposition building | |
| Overview | |
| BIE-class | Universal exposition |
| Category | Historical Expo |
| Name | Rythenean World Exposition |
| Motto | Showcase, Experience, Compete |
| Invention(s) | Phonograph, kinetoscope, popcorn maker |
| Visitors | 17,000,000 |
| Location | |
| Country | Rythene |
| City | Delhaven |
| Venue | Carter Gardens |
| Timeline | |
| Opening | 12 February 1888 |
| Closure | 22 September 1888 |
| Universal expositions | |
| Previous | Montigné Internationale (1881) in Montigné |
| Next | Weidenhain Grand Exposition (1895) in Stierstandt |
| Specialized expositions | |
The 1888 Rythenean World Exposition, otherwise referred to as the Delhaven World’s Fair or the Extravagant Exposition, was an international world’s fair which was held in the city of Delhaven. The fair is commonly acknowledged to have been held in retaliation to the Tyrno-Rythenean Wars, and as a means to boast Rythenean exceptionalism during a period of partial global obscurity.
The exposition was an international success, and it marked the beginning of Rythenean economic revitalisation. During the fair, Delhaven was described as the “cosmopolitan centre of the world” as it was the city with the most foreign traffic for 1888. After the exposition, the city became a hotspot for immigration, and still remains the multicultural capital of Rythene today.
Background
Montigné World’s Fair
The vast success and popularity of the Montigné Internationale in 1881 partially inspired the idea for the Rytheneans to hold their own fair. Some of the innovations that arose from the world’s fair was an early form of the microphone, the cash register, and the electric streetcar. Also featured as a major attraction was the world’s first ferris wheel, which was of major appeal to international audiences.
Tyrno-Rythenean tensions
The world’s fair was held during the height of the republic’s rivalry with Tyrnica, and as a resulting cause the latter party was prohibited from attending the exposition. After the Rythenean failure in the Ninety-Days War, a number of treaties and disarmament policies left the country partially isolated from the international scene. To counteract this issue, the government believed an extravagant event on the world stage would re-establish their global presence, and prevent further notions of independence across the colonial empire.
Seven years after the success of the 1888 exposition, the Tyrnicans held their own rivaling world’s fair in Stierstandt. The fair was centred on the development of the Tyrnican war machine, and included innovations in warfare such as the creation of a new line of battleships.
Preparations
The decision for the world’s fair to be held in Delhaven was reached in 1884, almost a year after the Ninety-Days War. The city was elected as host for the event due to its limited urban sprawl at the time, and was viewed as both an opportunity to modernise the city and utilise its open layout. Hyreathe and Casmire had both been considered for selection, but tensions sustained from a lack of national identity following the revolution meant neither could be decided upon, and hence a neutral option was agreed to. Other cities were ruled out because they were either considered underdeveloped or located too far north, which would have restricted ease of access to the event from Auressia.
Initially, securing funding for the exposition was a concern for the government, as they were required to pay reparations for their defeat against Tyrnica. However, although the disarmament of the military was widely considered a blow to Rythene’s international presence, it did allow for significant funding to be turned internally on preparations for the fair.
Infrastructure for the fair began construction as early as 1885, and the Carter Gardens were nominated as the site of the event. The main exposition building was completed a year and a half before the scheduled opening date, and marked the beginning of widespread advertisement for the fair. By this stage, a majority of national pavilions were undergoing assembly.
Advertisements of the world’s fair often depicted the city of Hyreathe instead of Delhaven, as the capital was more recognisable to international audiences. However, it was reported that this did cause confusion, and there were many reports citing that tourists were convinced they were in the wrong city. To counter this, the Rythenean government began advertising Delhaven as a “place beyond visualisation”, which has now become a colloquial term adopted to describe the city.
The anticipation of the fair began to create a collective national identity, and is often considered the first bridge between continental and insular Rythenean relations prior to the unifying effect of the Great War. This was furthered throughout the duration of the exposition as well, and afterwards solidified a foundation for civil interconnection.
Opening day
The opening of the fair occured on the 12th of February 1888, and was attended by upwards of four hundred thousand people from across the world. Parades celebrating the occasion were also held in multiple cities across the country, which encouraged domestic crowds to not inundate Delhaven. Of the people in attendance, an estimated fifty-four percent were from overseas.
At 10:00 AM, the parades in Delhaven commenced across the city. Floats were pulled by horses and featured a variety of entertainment, such as musical performances, circus acts, and previews of inventions. There was also a presidential float, which presented all living former Rythenean presidents; André Gaudin, William Price, Vincent Charretier, and Stuart Griffiths (incumbent at the time). At 12:30 PM, many visitors took to the skies in hot air balloons, which still holds the record for the most lighter-than-air aircrafts in flight at one time in a city.
I could not take my eyes off the sky, I was in utter awe of the view of human ingenuity; a feeling which did not leave my side throughout my time spent at the exposition. Every step I took, every exhibit I visited, and every person I met left me in admiration of the best humanity could offer and achieve.
— Albé Gaines, (Commentaries on Delhaven Fair, 1888)
Whilst the outdoor festivities proceeded to occur, those fortunate and wealthy enough to purchase a ticket in Beaumont Hall were subjected to a variety of musical performances, the concert being advertised as the ‘zenith of music’. The opening and most frequently associated act to the event was Dame Maria Linotte’s performance of the national anthem, which was reported to have received applause for multiple minutes on end. Renowned conductor Merritt Ambrose composed an original piece to be explicitly played for the one occasion, and never to be performed again. The work, simply titled ‘Showcase, Experience, Compete’ afterwards became the motto for the fair. After Ambrose’s death, it became an unspoken tradition that when a conductor reached a peak in their career, they would perform the piece once and never again to carry on his legacy.
After dusk, there was a fireworks display above the city, which was a regular occurrence at the fair. They typically aligned with the closing of pavilions for the night, and alerted visitors to retire for the evening after the presentation. These displays were originally planned to be held every night, but the budget would not allow for such an expense.
Attractions and exhibits
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The phonograph is perhaps the most recognisable Rythenean invention to the modern eye from the fair, due to its commonality as a household item throughout the twentieth century. Initially located in the secondary Rythenean pavilion, the invention was moved to the main exposition building within weeks due to its popularity. At the conclusion of the fair, it was believed to have been the most visited item. The kinetoscope was another popular innovation, although at the time of the exposition it was not fully functional. The device would not always work seamlessly, and the display was often closed for repairs.
In terms of military showcases, there were a number of innovative yet highly impractical weapons. Such an example was the curved barrel rifled musket, which was designed to be capable of firing around corners of buildings. At the time of its invention, warfare did not require such a use, and was designed more so for show than anything else. However, demonstrations of the gun led to multiple backfires, and after a shooter was severely wounded by its use the exhibit was closed. A more successful military display was the line of prototype bolt action rifles, with a magazine which allowed for a greater capacity of bullets than standard single shot weapons. Whilst the fundamentals of the design were not unheard of, it was the debut of the possible new era of weaponry in the republic.
The showgrounds, which were separate from the national pavilions and other exposition buildings, featured a number of carnival attractions which were popular with visiting families. At these sites, popcorn makers and other mobile confectionery stands were prevalent. The world’s largest steam powered carousel had the highest number of ticket sales, and was believed to be the staple of carnival entertainment. However, it did not hold up to the popularity of the ferris wheel in Blayk at their world’s fair seven years prior. On the closing day of the exposition, all attractions and exhibits were free of charge to visit as the fair had generated a significant profit and the debt had been covered.
National pavilions
At the world’s fair, there was an abundance of national pavilions, particularly from Auressia and some parts of Marceaunia. The pavilions were divided by continent, as there were worries of possible conflicts between former Auressian colonies and their previous rulers.
Albrennia
The Albrennian pavilion was situated in the commercial docking area, and primarily consisted of displays relating to naval prowess and the mass production of textile goods. A free sewing machine was gifted to every family that visited the pavilion, as a demonstration of their manufacturing capabilities.