Though the German Chancellor's action has been impugned as irregular

in certain quarters, there can be little doubt that, a favourable impression has been created by his conciliatory utterances. The value of Count von Bfilow'a pacific assur- ances can only be tested by the progress of German policy,. but the general approval which they have met with in the German Parliament is satisfactory as far as it goes.—Mr.

Sidney Low sends an interesting paper on "President Roose- velt's Opportunities," dwelling chiefly on the evolution of the new American Imperialism. He dismisses the Demo- cratic charges of Caesarism as phantasmal. Mr. Roosevelt's. naval policy must not be regarded in isolation, but alongside of the proposed Anglo-American Arbitration Treaty and his invitation to the Powers to enter upon another Peace Con- ference. In a word, the "big stick," when fairly regarded, is• not the bludgeon of the swashbuckler, but the truncheon of the policeman. Given Mr. Roosevelt's courage and initiative,. Mr. Low is not without the hope that the projected Confer- ence may result in the establishment of some sort of sanction for international law,—a sanction which up till now it has. never possessed. As he justly points out, a beginning would come more easily from the United States than from any other Power; since the Washington Government can take the initia- tive without incurring the immediate dangers or provoking.

the animosities which must beset any other Foreign Office.

Mr. J. D. Rees writes with the sympathy born of long experience on "The Census of India," his comments on the sections of the Report dealing with religion and language- being especially instructive. On the subject of native con- verts he adopts a somewhat pessimistic attitude, but admits. that "the increased supply of missionaries familiar with the vernaculars and with the religion and literature their prede- cessors have too often affected to despise, and the improved. status of the native Christians, are factors which it would be. equally unjust and erroneous to leave out of account." Dr.

Grierson's chapter in the Report on languages—there are one hundred and forty-five spoken in British India alone—is. commended for its learning and insight, and the zeal of' the unpaid native assistants is illustrated by two amusing anecdotes :—

" Mr. Burn, of the formerly North-West, but now United,. Provinces, relates how the zeal of one volunter enumerator im- pelled him to turn his official instructions into verses, the acqui- sition of which by heart on the part of his colleagues should, he urged, have been made obligatory. . . . . Another conscientious and accurate enumerator propounded the case of a deaf and dumb. lunatic wandering alone in the moonlight of the fateful night, yet bound by the order 'of the Sirkar (Government) to fill up. sixteen columns of a schedule !"

—We must also note Sir Robert Hunter's very interesting-

paper on "The Re-flow from Town to Country,"—that counter-current which tends in some districts to act as an antidote to the bane of the rural exodus ; Lady Jersey's.

pleasant causerie on "Hymns—' Ancient' and ` Modern ' " ;

and a most scholarly essay on "Queen Christina's Pictures" by Baron de Bildt, the Swedish Minister, who is equally distinguished in the spheres of diplomacy and literature.

Mr. H. W. Wilson's article on "The Voyage of the Baltic Fleet" in the National Review, if not absolutely provoca- tive, is plainly designed to force the pace in regard to our- relations with Russia. Admiral Rozhdestvenslry's "formid-

able Fleet," so Mr. Wilson argues, may alter the balance of sea-power in the Far East if it gets there. But if we set a good example to other neutrals by exhibiting our readiness.

to enforce our neutrality, "even at the cost of war," it is exceedingly doubtful whether the Baltic Fleet can reach the Far East. It is legitimate enough to contend that we may find it necessary to come to the rescue of our ally in certain contingencies, but until they arise we strongly deprecate such premature attempts to exaggerate our obligations to Japan—The anonymous author of the article on the - German Press is chiefly concerned to show that it is an absolutely semi-official organisation under the direct control of the Wilhelmstrasse, and that at no time since the days of Busch—Bismarck's henchman—has it been more directly subject to inspiration. We have not the means of testing the accuracy of all the writer's assertions, but there is, we believe, no doubt that he is correct when he states that, with the exception of the KOlnische Zeitung and the Lokal Anzeiger, the entire German Press is " dependent for all foreign news on the semi-official Telegraph Agency, which naturally supplies only the barest facts, and being itself under official tutelage, so exercises a semi-official influence over the entire German Press." These are facts which lend a peculiarly sinister significance to the attitude of the German Press throughout the Boer War, when it is remembered that the evidence of the German Military Attaches, had it been pub- lished at the time, would have constituted a most convincing reply to the campaign of semi-official calumny.—Mr. Maurice Low's comments on the Presidential Election are instructive, and even illuminative. He notes as a significant sign of the times the sevenfold increase in the Socialist vote since 1896, declares that the result of the Election has been to throw the Democratic party once more into the arms of Mr. Bryan, and pays incidentally a high tribute to the firm, far-seeing, resolute, yet essentially pacific policy of Mr. John Hay.

The December Contemporary is an exceptionally strong and informing number. In particular, we wish to call attention to a courageous and sincere article from the pen of Professor Friedrich Paulsen, of the University of Berlin, on "Germany and England." Professor Paulsen does not minimise diffi- oulties or deny the existence of ill-feeling, "which has its roots in economic competition, and is fostered by the ignorance and illwill of the Press"; but the appearance of Niemann's Welt- krieg—a sensational forecast of the annihilation of Great Britain by Germany, Russia, and France—convinces him that "it is no longer permissible for those who regard the incite- ment against each other of these two great kindred nations as a criminal proceeding to keep silence "; and he therefore strongly protests against the assertion "that in the utterances of those who desire a war of Germany against England, or who regard it as inevitable, the feeling of the German people finds a true expression." We cannot accept Professor Paulsen's conclusions as to the essential and irremovable opposition of interests between France and England, or endorse his argument that the aid of Germany and Austria- Hungary can alone satisfy Great Britain's requirements,— 'viz., the need of the strongest sea Power for a strong land Power to secure her position in the world. Again, Professor Paulsen overlooks the significant fact brought out by our contributor " Vigilans sed Aequus" that German hostility to England is not the monopoly of the un- educated, but is the product of a long campaign initiated, engineered, and dominated by the "intellectuals,"—his- torians, publicists, and professors. With these deduc- tions, we cordially acknowledge the courage and honesty which have impelled Professor Paulsen to espouse an unpopular cause, and utter this eloquent plea for a better and more friendly understanding between the two nations. —We cannot in this brief summary attempt to do justice , to the theological articles which are a special feature of the number, but must content ourselves with calling attention to Professor Harnack's extremely suggestive and interesting paper on "The Relation between Ecclesiastical and General History," admirably translated by Mr. Bailey Saunders. No part of the article is more striking than that in which Professor Harnack discusses the influence of alien religions on the origines of Christianity. After noting that the Jewish religion in the course of its transformation into Christianity did not lose the extra-Jewish component parts of its nature, and that on this account we must go back to Babylon and Assyria, Egypt and Persia, to disc over the origin of important elements in Christianity,

he continues - -

"We are doing this to-day, but in doing it we too often over- look the more serious and difficult business of studying the changes in meaning which the received elements underwent Merely to state that they exist, and to say whence they come, carries us a very little way. Nay, we 8411 become Waved in huge misunderstandings and confusions if we do not attend to the place which the old material held and the new meaning which it received in the Christian Church from the very beginning. It is no doubt true that the seven great Angels came from Babylon, the Devil from Persia, the Logos from Greece. But in the Gospel and the Apostolic writings the Devil means something different from Ahriman, and the Logos of John and Ignatius is not the Logos of Philo. We can only desire with all our hearts that not only in regard to the Old Testament, but also in regard to the New, the investigation of religious history shall go on ; but we must just as earnestly insist that in this process the great changes in the meaning of ideas and conceptions shall be clearly kept in view. Even where the dependence of Christian ideas and practices on Pagan is particularly evident—I mean in the case of the sacra- ments—we must not be content with merely pointing out this dependence ; for the Christian doctrine of the sacraments has characteristic features of its own ; as is proved, for example, by Justin Martyr's account of baptism."

The Fortnightly opens with an article of considerable interest by Mr. Archibald Hurd called "The Navy as Peace- maker." The writer has hit upon the idea of comparing its effect on the diplomatic situation during four critical moments of our recent history,—the incidents of Penjdeh, Fashoda, the Kruger telegram, and the North Sea. All these were the cause of naval demonstrations of some sort, and Mr. Hurd compares the efficiency of the Fleet at these different im- portant occasions. When Mr. Gladstone was obliged to obtain a credit of eleven millions to strengthen his diplomacy over the Penjdelf affair he also made a demonstration of what naval force was at hand. This force was collected at Portland, and described by Admiral Colomb as "a menagerie of unruly and curiously assorted ships." When the German Emperor chose to threaten us in the roundabout way of a telegram to President Kruger, our answer was to prepare a flying squadron for sea. This took time, and when ready the force was not a very formidable one. We are given in parallel columns the fleets that were available at the Fashoda crisis and during th3 recent events. The increase of sbii s is striking. We have now twenty-eight battleships ready in the Mediter- ranean, Channel, and Home Fleets, as compared with sixteen in 1898. But not only is the strength of each Fleet increased, but now we have the powerful Home Fleet, which before did not exist. The quickness with which these forces took up their war positions produced a great effect on the country, preventing panic. The significant fact remains that none of the ships were specially commis- sioned. The Nary was prepared, and no money was wasted on improvisation.—Mr. Wells continues his description of "A Modern Utopia." We are told what we are to expect in the way of bedrooms. Of course there is no fireplace, but if we like we can heat the walls, or the floor, or the bed, by electricity. A great triumph, apparently, is that the bedroom windows in Utopia are made never to open, fresh air being admitted by a Tobin tube. After reading this we feel we would forego the joys of this new world to keep our open windows. Never would we sell our birthright of fresh air for a mechanically controlled stuffiness Colonel Henry Knollys writes in Blackwood an account of Damascus, and of the Scotch hospital there. The wonderful city with its picturesque population of two hundred thousand inhabitants is described. We are told that the present Governor of Syria, Nazim Pacha, who is both humane and enlightened, has established a Turkish hospital on English lines. But, also, there is the Edinburgh Medical Mission, which, with a small but devoted staff, accomplishes a wonder- ful work. The originator of the Mission, Dr. Mackinnon, and three nurses look after about sixty in, besides a large number of out, patients. The difficulties must be immense, both from the filthiness of those who come to be relieved and from the danger of offence to Mahommedan susceptibilities. We are told that so great is the tact shown that, although prayers and reading of the Bible take place every evening, no complaints have ever been made. Colonel Knollys says that in making the selections from the Bible care was taken that nothing offensive to Mus- anima= should be included. "There has been only a single instance of remonstrance. A Roman Catholic, a native con- vert, complained to the Scottish nurse that the reading aloud., of the Bible made his head ache. The charming young ladiq sympathetically advised him to stuff his ears with cottork,‘ wool" "Lords of the Main" is the title of an article, Iya

Mr. Harold G. Parsons, which traces the history of the ancient English pretension that the narrow seas were a British pos- session. When Philip of Spain came to England to marry Mary, his hundred and sixty ships were met in the Channel by Lord High Admiral Effingham with his twenty-eight. Effing- ham fired a shotted gun at the Spaniard, and the Spaniard dutifully struck his topsails and the English returned the salute. Selden took the extreme form of arguing that "Great Britain stands confined by the shores of other lands." But it would seem that there were difficulties in carrying out the Admiralty order of 1731, by which all commanders were to compel foreign ships to "strike their topsails and take in their flag within His Majesties seas, which extend to Cape Finisterre." In 1769 a zealous commander acted on this order with regard to a French frigate, and diplomatic complications ensued. Precedents were looked into, but were found to be few and doubtful. On the advice of Sir Henry Hawke, the zealous captain was sent to the West Indies. The French Government were told that he would be abroad for three years, and that it would not be possible to inquire into the case till his return home. The French did not want a war at the time, and so the incident was closed. Apparently the theoretical dominion of the sea in its extremest form was dropped after this incident.

We regret that Mr. Leonard Courtney did not develop his article further in the Monthly Review. The "decline of Parliament" is a matter that cannot be considered too earnestly. Mr. Courtney deals with generalities, but it would have been interesting had so keen a critic gone deeper into details. Apparently what Mr. Courtney most regrets is the suppression of minorities. To ensure their being heard, he would like electoral areas returning half-a-dozen Members. Single- membered constituencies tend, he holds, to the selection of a candidate of the cut-and-dried official pattern of his particular party.—Mr. Slingsby Roberts writes of the "Elizabethan Crime-Plays," and points out how attractive to poets and men of letters criminal trials always have been. The two plays en- titled Arden. of Feversham and The Yorkshire Tragedy are cited as instances of dramas based on actual crimes, and not upon romantic stories. We agree with the writer of the article that the internal evidence is all against Shakespeare having written Arden of Fevershant, in spite of Mr. Swinbtune. Mr. Roberta truly points out that it would be indeed surprising if this play were the one exception to Shakespeare's invariable rule of not making the main situation of any of his dramas turn on the unfaithfulness of a wife.

Baron Suyematsu, writing in the Independent Review, brings us nearer to an understanding of the religion of Japan than writers usually do. To begin with, we are told that the East does not, like the West, regard one religion as necessarily excluding all others. We are also told that it is a .g.eat mistake to consider Confucianism as a religion. "Con- fucianism is with us only cultivated as tending towards elevation of intelligence and of ethical notions, never as a xaligion." Shintoism is more difficult to understand. Ap- parently Shinto deities are regarded something in the same way in which the less enlightened Roman Catholics regard patron saints, their importance being locaL In effect, the Shinto religion deals mostly with affairs of this world, though it affirms the immortality of the soul. It has no dogma and 3:o sacred books, but the following prayer represents the essence of .Shintoism, which is cleanness of conscience :— " Our eyes may see some uncleanness, but let not our mind see things that are not clean. Our ears may hear some un- cleanness, but let not our mind hear things that are not clean." But if Shintoism is not directly concerned with spiritual things, this want is made up by adherence to the tenets of Buddhism.—Mr. John Burns writes a very powerful article on"Labour and Drink." We cannot but admire the sincerity of the Labour leader who uses the position he has gained among the working classes to tell them in the plainest ternis what he considers to be their greatest failing. Mr. Burns brings many interesting statistics to bear on his argument, which is the loss to the cause of Labour resulting from drink. Germany and Ameri3a, who run us so herd in industrial competition,. drink less than we do. Germany spends 2150,000,000 on drink in the year; if she spent at our rate, her total would be 470,000,000. The United States spend 2234,000,000; at tau rate, the sum would be £362,000,003.