19 DECEMBER 1914

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A word of caution is necessary against the foolish talk

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of people who complain because the Navy has not been able to do the impossible. The Navy never undertook to protect our shores from runaway raids. if it had, it would have been...

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

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A SMALL squadron of German cruisers made an attack on Hartlepool, Whitby, and Scarborough on Wednesday morning. It seems that the squadron consisted of at least three battle...

At Hartlepool the land batteries replied, and are reported to

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have hit the enemy. Three German ships were seen at this point. None of the Hartlepool guns was touched, but one German shell fell among the Royal Engineers, and several among...

We have dealt fully with this " runaway ring" elsewhere,

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but we wish to say here that, if we treat this piece of barbarism with the contempt which it unquestionably deserves from the naval and military point of view, it must not be...

The Admiralty must be protected by all sane landsmen against

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the slightest pressure of this kind. No doubt if the Admiralty thinks that experience has shown that some changes in its plans will enable it to catch snipers more easily, those...

Our indignation has made us deal first with the raid,

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but to have done so is, we confess, to have lost the sense of pro- portion. By far the most important piece of news this week is the official announcement made in Friday's...

That the effect of the raid on recruiting will be

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excellent goes without saying. Indeed, we need not use the future tense, for already Germany's bloody and brutal insult has proved the determining factor for thousands of men...

IV The Editors cannot undertake to return Manuscript in any

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case.

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In the western theatre of the war there has been

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what the Admiralty might call a certain liveliness. Thursday's com- munique from Paris describes, indeed, a very considerable advance in Flanders. The Allies have gained a good...

It is difficult to summarize what has been going on

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during the week in the rest of the line between Belfort and the sea, but it may be said generally that there has been considerable progress, both material and moral. The latter...

What the position of the Khedivial family is to be

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is not stated, but, if we may judge from British traditions, the desire of the Government will be to alter the status quo as little as possible, provided always that the family...

By two o'clock on Wednesday the position was considered to

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be sufficiently prepared for an attack, and the Fleet ceased firing. French and Belgian infantry and Marines, with the dismounted Belgian cavalry in support, then took up the...

A subject for great congratulation is the announcement made on

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Friday that Messrs. Cammell, Laird, and Co. have just completed the light cruiser ' Caroline.' Her keel was laid on January 28th of this year. She was launched an September...

"Protectorate" is so elastic a term that it may be

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worth while to say a word or two upon the subject. There are Pro- tectorates which are tantamount to annexation, and only differ from annexation on grounds of convenience, like...

The Mohammedans of Egypt have flourished under our occu- pation,

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and may feel certain that the free hand which we shall have in the Protectorate, both for administration and finance, will be used to better and improve, not injure, their...

In the north-eastern theatre of the war the Germans are

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for the moment reaping the reward of the tremendous sacrifices they have made elsewhere in order to attack Warsaw. Russian troops holding the centre have been forced back a...

Amongst minor items of news we may mention the reported

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sinking of the German armoured cruiser, the ' Friedrich Karl,' a vessel of nine thousand tons, in the Baltic. No details are supplied, but two hundred men are stated to have...

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• The great Serbian victory over the Austrians has been

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more thorough than we were able to record last week. It has ended in the Austrians being entirely driven out of Serbia. Belgrade has been retaken by the Serbians after it had...

Lord Cromer further comments on the failure of the attempt

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to preach a Holy War as illustrating the faultiness of German forecasts where Eastern affairs are concerned. To begin with, apart from loyalty, material interests Loth in India...

A magnificent feat of seamanship was performed last Sunday by

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Lieutenant-Commander N. D. Holbrook, who took his submarine, 'BA' into the Dardanelles, dived under five rows of mines in spite of the strong and dangerous current, travelled...

The Times of Wednesday published some further facts about the

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memorable defence of Ypres by the 7th Infantry Division and the 3rd Cavalry Division. Particularly illu- minating is the diary of General Julian Byng, commanding the 3rd Cavalry...

The "Eyewitness's" narrative dated December 10th and pub- lished in

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the papers of Wednesday was chiefly interesting for an essay on intelligence work and secrecy. The writer's principal point is that the identification of individuals, and...

Lord Cromer contributes an instructive letter on " German Methods

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in the East" to Tuesday's Times, a propos of the report that Turkish troops have mutinied in Constantinople against the tyranny of their German officers. Lord Cromer's own...

The Court of Inquiry which investigated the loss of the

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Bulwark' on November 26th has reported that the evidence clearly proves that the explosion was due to the accidental ignition of ammunition.

The New York Times of Tuesday published a leading article

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on the war distinguished by both eloquence and passion. It is an appeal to the German people to recognize the truth before it is too late :— "Germany is doomed to sure defeat....

The Morning Post of Tuesday published a further exception- ally

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interesting letter (dated December 7th) which had been received by the London correspondent of an Hungarian news- paper from a friend at Budapest. The news of the great Serbian...

Bank Rate, 5 per cent., changed from 6 per cent.

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Aug. 8th.

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TOPICS OF THE DAY.

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THE "SPECTATOR " HOME GUARDS FUND. W E have to thank our readers for their prompt and generous response to our appeal for funds for the central body which is organizing the...

THE RUNAWAY RING.

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See what a rent the envious Kaiser made !' A RUNAWAY ring exactly describes the action of the Germans on the Yorkshire and Durham coast on Wednesday. Judged by any previous...

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DREAMS OF A WARLESS WORLD.

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W E trust that our readers will not misunderstand us if we venture to warn them against placing too high hopes in the possibility of making war in the future impos- sible....

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A PROUD MOMENT FOR UNIONISTS.

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D ISRAELI in a flippant mood—or it may have been in the strong consciousness of his oratorical craftsman- ship, which was sufficient for the avoidance of all cliches— called...

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A SCANDINAVIAN LEAGUE.

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T HE meeting of the three Scandinavian Kings at Malmo is an event of more than momentary import- ance. According to the official statement, this meeting was arranged in order...

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INVASION AND "PANIC."

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O NE of the heaviest shadows of invasion which ever visited this country fell during the years 1796-1805. And in all that period the expectation of invasion was most acute in...

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CONSOLATION AS A KEY TO CHARACTER.

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F EW educated people can take consolation in philosophy. They may offer it as a consolation, but that is a very different thing. Perhaps Marcus Aurelius may have been able to...

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(The reader is to remember that the interlocutors in the

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following discourse, though they may speak with the air of ingenious sophists or of calculating politicians, are in truth only two shapeless, idiot faced dolls. These puppets,...

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HOME GUARDS.

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[To TER EDITOR 07 MIR 4.srEcrwrorel Sra,—I heartily support your public-spirited appeal for the Volunteer Corps for men beyond the recruiting age, and I am glad that it was in...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

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PROPOSED GIFT OF A WARSHIP FROM BRITONS OVERSEAS. [TO 7115 EDITOR 07 THR " EPECTATOR..1 Bra,—May we call the attention of your readers to an important movement among our...

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THE ARMING OF THE HOME GUARDS.

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[TO THE EDITOR OF TR. "SPECTATOR. "] Sin,—The reprint in your last number (p. 834) of part of your article of September 12th is s. happy coincidence. May I extract the...

[To THR EDITOR or TKO " ElPliCTATOR."] Sin,—The action of

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the War Office in trying to prevent all of military age joining these corps is most unfortunate. In the event of invasion business and other considerations would be...

VOLUNTARY RECRUITING. [To TES EDITOR CT THS "SPECTATOR. " ]

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SIR,—Our system of voluntary recruiting has its merits and defects. One of the defects is that it is perhaps difficult for our allies to understand how admirable an effort has...

[To TER EDITOR or TES "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Your article in the

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last issue, " Home Guards," has made my blood course more freely. I refer especially to the sentence : "The veterans meanwhile intend to give him [the eligible man who does not...

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MUST CONSCRIPTION COME ?

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[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:] SIR,—The catalogue of excuses for non-recruiting which you publish in your last issue from a Glasgow correspondent tells a humiliating tale,...

PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL IN WAR TIME. [To THE EDITOR OF THE

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" SPECTITOII." - ] SIR,-if public opinion has up to the present unfortunately failed to stop League football, surely it will insist on the abandonment of the Cup Competition,...

THE MAN FOR THE TRENCHES.

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[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SFECTATOR."] SIR,—The following paragraph from one of Richard Jefferies ' s most observant and interesting books, Hodge and his Masters, might with...

THE CENSORSHIP.

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[To THE EDITOR OF THE srsoraroa."3 SIR, —Your arguments re the Censorship, the Press, and the public, stated in your note on p. 842 of your last number, seem to me to ignore (I)...

SCHOLARSHIPS AND VOLITNT FIRMING FOR THE ARMY.

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[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SFECTATOR."1 SIR,—I should like to draw your attention to the case of boys who have lately obtained scholarships at one of the Univer- sities. I know a...

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JEWS AT CONSTANTINOPLE.

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[TO THE EDITOR 07 THE "Srzeiveros."] SIR, In your issue of December 12th you state that the responsibility for the action of the Turkish Government is with the " Jews and...

WILLIAM BT, A KR'S WAR SONG.

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[To THE EDITOR OT TIES "SrscrATox."] wonder whether William Blake's " War Song : To Englishmen" has been remembered among all the new and moving verses that have been written...

"TRUE WORDS FOR BRAVE MEN." [To THE EDITOR 07 TUX

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" SPE.CT►TOE. "] SIR,—Among the many publications advertised as written for soldiers and sailors I have seen no mention of one of the most valuable—namely, Charles Kingsley's...

GERMAN-AMERICANS AND THE WAR. r To VIZ EDITOR or THZ

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" SPECTATOR:1 SIR,—The Americans of German extraction have been repre- sented as " naturally " in sympathy with Germany in this great conflict. I have put the word "naturally"...

A PARALLEL FROM THOMAS DEKIZ - Elt.

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[TO THE EDITOR 07 THE "BPECTATOlt."] Sra,—A day or two ago I picked up an edition of that curious work by Thomas Dekker entitled The Seven Deadly Sinnes of London : Dravme in...

HEREDITY AND THE HOHENZOLLERNS. [To THZ EDITOR 07 THZ "

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SPRCTATOR.1 SIR,—The accompanying extract from the interesting lectures on modern history by Professor Smyth (published in 1841) may be of interest to your readers as showing...

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EAST AFRICAN FIELD FORCE COMMITTEE. [To TEE EDITOR OP THE

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" SPECTATOR.") am writing on behalf of the East African Field Force Committee to ask if you will be so kind as to insert a pressing appeal in the columns of your valued...

GENERAL SHERIDAN AND THE FRANCO- PRUSSIAN WAR.

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[To ram Eseroa or THE "BrEcTATOR."1 SIR, — I quote the following :— " During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 General Sheridan visited Europe, and was present as a spectator...

DIGNITY AND DOMESTIC SERVICE.

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[To THE EDITOR OP THE .8rzervron.") Sin,—I was thankful to see from the letter of Mrs. Tait in your issue of December 5th that there is some attempt being made to turn "domestic...

SITUATIONS VACANT FOR MEN.

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[To THE EDITOR OP THE "ErzczAToa."] Sin,—In your issue of December 12th there appears a letter headed " Recruiting in Scotland, " which deals with " Glasgow alackers ' and their...

[To THE EDITOR 07 TER " SPECTATOR.") SIB, — Your correspondent " A

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Friend of Girls " (Spectator, December 12th) seems to have missed the point of our scheme. There is a great deal of very efficient training for domestic service given in various...

THE AMERICAN REGULAR ARMY.

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[To THE EDITOR 07 THE " SPECTATOR.”) SIR, —In your admirable article on President Wilson ' s Message (Spectator, December 12th) you say : " America ' s Regular Army should...

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THE CENTRAL ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTEER TRAINING CORPS.

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PRESIDENT LORD DESBOROUGH. Hob/. Szcarrsav : PERCY A. HARRIS, Esq. HEAD OFFICES: Judges' Quadrangle, Royal Courts of Justice (Carey Street entrance). The aims and objects of...

POETRY.

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"THE SONG OF HATE": A REPLY. SING, Germans, sing your song of frenzied hate; Your song and you we neither love nor hate : What we despise we neither love nor bate. We held you...

A CORRECTION.

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[To TEE EaITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] 13ra,—I am much gratified by the notice of my list of Somerset- shire maps which appeared in the Spectator for November 28th. But...

FOR A BELGIAN FAMILY. [To THE EDITOR OF THE "

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SPECFATOR.1 SIR, —Would any of your readers lend a house or flat to a Belgian family who escaped with their servants ? Three-four bedrooms. Excellent caretakers.—I am, Sir,...

NOTICE.—When "Correspondence" or Articles are signed with the writer's scene

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or initials, cr with a pseudcni,m, or are marked " Communicated," the Editor must rot necessarily to held to be in agreement with the views therein es pressed cr with the mode...

THE " SPECTATOR " HOME GUARDS FUND.

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SUBSCRIPTIONS for this Fund should be sent to the . Spectator Office, or direct to Messrs. Barclay and Co., .Goslings' Branch, 19 Fleet Street, London, E.C. Cheques should be...

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BOOKS.

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MR. ROOSEVELT'S NEW RIVER.* Ma. ROOSEVELT'S narrative is as fascinating as the famous pages of Bates, the naturalist, and his knowledge of the Amazonian wild beasts is the...

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MISS MAUDE WHITE'S REMINISCENCES.* IT is understood that about the

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hardest task which confronts the writer of an autobiography nowadays is the choice of an unhackneyed title. Miss White has been content with a very simple label for her volume...

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SOME MORE WAR BOOKS.*

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AN excellent war book is The Third Great War, by Mr. Laurie Magnus.' This is a work which will be thoroughly appreciated by all students of history, and, indeed, by all those...

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A COUNTRY BOOKSHELF.* Is it possible to write anything new

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about gardening? Mr. John Trevena has written Adventures Among Wild Flowers' from a standpoint which may not be wholly new to the gardener's bookshelf, but which is interesting...

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A HANDBOOK OP TROPICAL ADMINISTRATION.* CAPTAIN STIGAND, who has written

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some of the best recent books on sport and travel in Equatorial Africa, has now turned his experience to a most useful purpose. He has prepared a kind of vac mecum for the...

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FICTIO N.

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ECHOES FROM THE FLEET.* ME. COPE CORNFOBD'B volume is timely in its appearance, and it has an excellent " send off " in the preface from Lord Charles Beresford, who vouches for...

READABLE NOVELS.— The One Outside. By Mary Fitz- Patrick. (Maimed and

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Co. 3s. 6d. net.)—The writer is happier in genre drawing than in more ambitions drama; but her stories are never without cbarm.—Candle and Crib. By K. F. Pardon. (Same...

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SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.

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[Notice in this column does rot necessarily preclude subsequent mine.] The Potsdam Diary, 1915. Compiled by L. J. Masse. (National Review Office, 14 Tavietock Street,...

No more readable introduction to biology could be desired than

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Professor J. Arthur Thomson has supplied in The Wonder of Life (Andrew Melrose, 12s. 6d. net), which illustrates " the ever-growing wonder of animated Nature" with equal...

GIFT-BOOKS.

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SOME MORE CHILDREN'S BOOKS.* THE idea of publishing the story of The Voyages of Captain Scott' in a form suitable for boys was a most excellent one. Mr. Charles Turley has made...

CHRISTMAS CARDS AND DIARIES.

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WE have received from Messrs. T. J. and J. Smith (26 Charter- house Square, E.C.) a selection of the diaries which they publish. Their list shows an enormous number of...

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Personal Service (Wells Gardner, Dayton, and Co., 2s. 6d. net)

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is a collection of addresses by a Head-Master to his pnpils, with a preface in which the Secretary of the Cavendish Association reminds us of the great responsibility that rests...

The modest narrative of a daring exploit is to be

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read in Through the Grand Canyon from Wyoming to Mexico, by Ellsworth L. Kolb (Macmillan and Co., 8s. 6d. net), which describes a trip taken by Mr. Kolb and his brother in the...

College Physiography, by the late Professor Ralph Stockman Tarr (Macmillan

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and Co., 15e. net), deals in detail with the features of the earth's surface, whilst Professor J. W. Gregory's Geology of To-day (Seeley, Service, and Co., 5s. net) sets forth...

Visitors to the Zoo must often have wondered what pages

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of romance lay hidden under the brief announcement of the way in which the various animals had got there. This question is entertainingly answered in From Jungle to Zoo, by...

Much as we admire the achievements of the Canadian nation,

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we cannot pretend to suppose that the British public will take much interest in the Political Reminiscences of Sir Charles Tupper (Constable and Co., 7s. 6d. net), which deal...

The beautiful definitive edition of The Collected Works of William

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Morris (Longmans and Co., £12 12s. net) is a credit to any library which contains it. Vols. XXI. and XXII. are now issued, and two more will complete the work. Miss May Morris's...

It is not easy to make the Census and the

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Registrar. General interesting, but Sir William Collins tells us that Mr. Joseph Burn did this so effectually us to " awaken enthusiasm" in the audience of his recent Chadwick...

Between the Old World and the New, by Guglielmo Ferrero

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(G. P. Putnam's Sons, 8s. 6d. net), which was mentioned in our recent review of the same author's Ancient Rome and Modern America, has now been translated into English by A....

Major S. H. Hingley's Hints on Royal Auction Bridge (G.

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Bell and Sons, 2s. net) contains a sensible discussion of the latest version of the game and the 1914 Portland Club laws. The chapter on American auction is not well informed.

One of the most important biographical works as yet pub-

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lished in Australia is Professor Ernest Scott's Life of Captain Matthew Flinders, R.N. (Humphrey Milford, for Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 21s. net). It is largely based on the...

The Standard Art Book Co. send us a reprint of

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the useful Century Dictionary in ten volumes, with the Century Cyclo- paedia of Names and Atlas. This edition was revised and enlarged in 1911.

Japan To-day and To-morrow, by Hamilton Wright Mabie (Macmillan and

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Co., 8s. 6d. net), is a conscientious attempt to conjecture what part on the world-stage the Japanese race will play in the coming generation. The answer is based on the spirit...

The London Museum, by F. J. Harvey Dayton (Wells Gardner,

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Darton, and Co., 2s. 6d. net), is described by its author as "a guide, philosopher, and friend" for visitors to that admirable institution. We should have liked it better if it...

A Second Dudley Book of Recipes, by Georgina Countess of

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Dudley (Hutchinson and Co., 7a. 6d. net), is justly described by its author as "a useful collection to have at hand when ordering meals." She adds that it " may be useful in...

(For New and Forthcoming Publications see page SOS.)

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