War Lessons New and Old. By Sir George Aston. (J.
Murray. 7s. 6d. net.)—Sir George Aston's collected papers on the war are noteworthy for the emphasis laid on the waist prin- ciples of strategy, and for the attention paid to " amphibious " operations, especially at Gallipoli. The author recalls the fact that, when he was teaching at the Staff College about the year 1907, he began, in common with his colleagues, to foresee the German plan of an attack through Belgium, which was realized in 1914. He studied Claueewitz, and declares that he has found On War, the German Army's Bible, to be an infallible guide to the enemy's true intentions whether in the field or in diplomacy. He quotes Clausewitz's sneering reference to
transactions which consist merely of words "—" these, which are very inexpressive, are chiefly the means with which the wily one takes in those he practises upon." The world, however, has learned to regard the word of a German as deceptive and valueless.
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