12 MAY 1917, Page 17

Worms or REFERENCE.—Burke's Peerage for 1917, edited by Ashworth P.

Burke (Harrison and Sons, 42s. net), has been delayed by the stress of work among the printers, but the editor has profited by this to revise his stately volume more thoroughly and to noto events-occurring as late as March 20th. The history of the dormant peerages lately revived is fully given ; it is curious that Parliament in 1916 should have had to reverse the Act of Attainder of 1603 on Lord Cobham, who was an accomplice of Sir Walter Ralegh in the plot to set Arabella Stuart on the throne in place of James I. Twenty-sin Peers were added to the roll of the House of Lords last year, and others have been created since ; the many new baronetcies and lmighthoods have been almost unprecedented in number. However, Burke seems to record all the promotions and changes very faithfully and retains its leading position for thoroughness and accuracy.—The Foreign Oftee Lela for 1917, edited by Godfrey HertsIet, Percy Bice, and Leslie Brown (same publisher% 10s. Gd, net), contains, besides the usual information, some details concerning the temporary war and blockade work of the Department. The " Statement of Services," containing biographies of all members of the Service, is useful for reference.—The Canada Year Book, 1915 (Ottawa : J. de L. Tacks, 1 dollar), the valuable official record which has been somewhat delayed, is notable for an account of Canadian localgovernment, and, still more, for the details of Canada's contributions to the war in men,.money,. and ships. The maximum war pensions for, the wounded are fixed at 480 dollars for a private and 1,000 dollars for a Captain.