The author of America's Ambassadors to France, 1777 to 1927
(John Murray, 21s.), has put students of the English- speaking world in his debt by publishing so admirable an account of Franco-American diplomatic relations. This book is a companion volume to Mr. Beckles. Willson's narrative of the British Embassy in Paris and gives an account of all the United States diplomatic representatives hi Paris, starting with Benjamin Franklin and ending up with Mr. Myron T. Herrick, the present popular United States Ambassadoi, No one can hoPe to understand British-American relations who is not familiar with the intensely interesting story= of the Continental Congreis's first attempt to establish diplomatic contact with the Court of Louis XVL,'and of those first anxious years when Franklin rendered never-to-be-forgotten services to his native land. The American Republic has sent of her best to the French capital. Perhaps one of the most tragic stories Mr. Willson tells is that of Noel Barlow, AmeriCan Minister to France in 1811-1812, who followed the great' Napoleon to Vilna in an attempt to persuade him of the value of American friendship and co-operation. But the Moscow debacle had begun and Napoleon had already decided to shake the early snows of -Russia from his booti and hurry back to Paris. In the terribly cold'winter Barlow ,fell' ill and he died in an inn near Cracow, his mission unaccomplishea. -Mr. Willson has the knack Of 'presenting historic' facts in 'a palatable form and we can warmly recommend this 'honk to all -stridents 'of transatlantic diplomacy'.
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