History of Merchant Shipping and Ancient Commerce. By W. S.
Lindsay. Vols. III. and IV. (Sampson Low and Co.)—The former of these two volumes deals with the subject of the Navigation Laws, pass- ing on in the later chapters to a discussion of recent legislation, accom- plished and proposed, relating to the loss of life and property at sea. The controversy on the Navigation Laws was second in importance only to the Corn-law agitation. It concerned, or seemed to concern, a smaller class, but it had a profoundly important bearing on the national pros- perity. There was a reaction against the policy of freedom, more serious than any which Protection ever could set going. But it now stands almost unquestioned. Mr. W. Lindsay has had his honourable share in this triumph, and he is a fitting person in every way to narrate the incidents of the struggle. We may notice one thing in passing, that the Bishops were fiercely assailed for passing the repeal of the Navigation Laws by their votes,—a curious commentary on the familiar assertion that they have always gone against Reform. Mr. Lindsay gives us an interesting chapter on the French navigation laws. What he has to say on the question raised by Mr. Plimsoll will be read with attention, but the subject has certainly not yet passed into the domain of history. The fourth volume is an elaborate history of steam navigation, the first two chapters tracing the records of its ex- perimental stage as far as the year 1832. The third chapter deals with the steamships of the United States, and tke three following it with the Companies that occupy themselves with the Atlantic navigation. Each of the great steam companies is then treated in turn. A special chapter is given to that gigantic failure, the ' Great Eastern;' and the history is car- ried down to its latest point by notices of the " cigar-ship," the ' Bessemer,' and the Castalia.' Mr. Lindsay's volumes are a treasury of information, which always has its utility, and which is often of great interest even to the unprofessional reader.—The History of Lloyd's, and of Marine Insurance in Great Britain, by Frederick Martin (Macmillan), is a valuable contribution to a part of history, the record of social and economical changes, which is certain to be more studied in the future than it has been in the past. In an appendix,• we have "Underwriters' Figures towards a Classification of Ships" and " Number of Wreaks," supplying matter for the discussions which must precede the coming legislation of the year.
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