19 DECEMBER 1903, Page 23

N'hitaker's Almanac, 1904 (12 Warwick Lane, 2s. 6d. net), is

as prompt as usual in accommodating itself to the wants of the time. In this volume, accordingly, we have the "British Share of the World's Commerce," " Statistics of Trade for Fifty Years, with Details for Twenty Years, Bullion Figures, and Food Imports." Other additions are made to the usual mass of useful information. About £2,000,000,000 of property, personal and real, was subjected to the Death-duties. The principal charitable bequests amounted in the aggregate to .21,577,140.----Whitaker's Peerage (same publishers) is a serviceable volume, sharing with the first-named the valuable characteristic of putting a vast amount of information into a very small space.—Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage, and Companionage (Dean and Son,

0(s.. net) is now in its hundred and ninety-first year. The preface

gives some facts, which are perhaps more interesting than uau#1k. about claims on which adjudication has been made during 'use past year. Some irregularities of practice aro noted—the daughter of an Earl is not the Lady X Y, and oldest sons have no right to coronets—and there are notices of the creations and honours of the year.--The "Daily Hail" Year Book (Amalga- mated Press, ls. 6d.) is quite a novas hoino in comparison with the antiquity of Debrett, but it has, we aro sure, a long future before it. With its " Twenty Thousand Facts of the Day, Biographies, Tables, &c.," it is certain to be useful.