Canada's Century. By R. J. Barrett. (The Financier and Bullionist.
6s. net.)—There are many interesting facts and figures in Mr. Barrett's enthusiastic account of Canadian resources, potentialities, and enterprise. He is fluent,, and handles his materials with undoubted courage, and writes as lucidly about agricultural implements as he does about mining and real estate. Hero and there we note the exercise of judgment and discretion, even, a note of warning, as in the chapters on ranching and pulping enterprises ; but the rather open puffing of various enterprises by name is not calculated to act beneficially on the country. Mr. Barrett gives tables, diagrams, and statistics, valuable in their way ; but the financial details need not have been so freely distributed through the letterpress. These can always be read in the prospectuses and reports of the various companies. Wo might remind readers that the Americans do not stand high in the statistics of British capital invested abroad if the nominal amount is compared with the market value. The South American Republics stand at the bottom, the United States second, and Canada third ; and Canadian railways hold a poor position. One of the best things in the book is the chapter on Canadian banking. It must be admitted that those who have in the past directed the financial currency and banking of the Dominion have every reason to be proud of the results. Wo can but regret the tone of "real estate," which is so predominant, and the frothy conclusions at the end of each chapter with their somewhat fulsome compliments. One gets tired of hearing commercial magnates dubbed " Empire builders." Even the note of a silver trumpet unduly prolonged becomes monotonous.
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