10 MAY 1884, Page 24

De Rebus Africanis : the Claims of Portugal to the

Congo. By the Earl of Mayo. (W. H. Allen and Co.)—" I trust," says Lord Mayo in his preface, " that I explain exactly what the Portuguese want, and what the English Government have done and ought to do in the question." And he then goes on to say that the book is written from " personal observation and information obtained on the spot." The results are adverse to the Portuguese claims. The Customs duties, strongly differentiated in favour of Portuguese shipping, seem alone to be conclusive against the policy of making over to this most retrogade of Powers the Lower Congo.