28 DECEMBER 1918, Page 19

SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.

[Notice in this column does not necessarily preclude subsequent retietsj

Fighting for Sea Power in the Days of Sail. By H. W. Household. (Macmillan and Co. 2s.)—In this admirable little book Mr. House- hold describes clearly, with plans and illustrations, a few famous actions from our naval history. He begins with the four days' battle of the Downs in 1666, and goes on to the victories of Rodney, Exmouth, Howe on the "Glorious First of June," Cochrane, and • The Greet Hunger. By Johan Bojer. Translated from the Norwegian by W. j, Alexander Worster and C. Anther. London: Hodder and Stoughton. 16s. nit'. Nelson at Copenhagen. He tells, too, the wonderful story of how Captain Hamilton with forty-six men cut out the Hermione ' from Puerto Cabello in 1799, overpowering the Spanish crew of three hundred and sixty-five and sailing the ship out of harbour despite the fire of two batteries. These old and true stories of the Navy are excellent reading.