WAR-Boogs.—A military biography is Major - General Hector A. Macdonald, by David
Campbell (Andrew Melrose, Is. net). Majcr-General Macdonald enlisted in the Gordon Highlanders in 1870, being some months short of the legal age. Three years afterwards he was promoted to be colour-sergeant, and this, it must be remembered, not for any brilliant service in the field, for of this there had been no opportunity, but for sheer devotion to the details of military duty. His commission was won by skill and courage in the field. This happened in 1880. But we need not follow the story any farther ; it is a matter of common knowledge, for one may say without depreciating other good soldiers that Lord Roberts, Baden-Powell, and Macdonald are the three popular heroes of the day.—For the Queen in South Africa, by Caryl Davis Haskins (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 7s. 6d.), contains six short stories of soldiering. They are picturesque and vigorous, and each has a moral of its own. Of course, Mr Haskins looks at South African affairs from a standpoint that is not the same as ours, and we have no right to blame him. But we cannot allow that Irish mercenaries, or indeed any mercenaries, can be said to be holding up a flag in the cause of freedom.
Previous page
