F OR some reason or other—perhaps because of the depressing weather—there has been during the week a good deal of pessimism in London, but it is a pessimism for which there is...

to make a serious attack along the whole Western front. Nothing would suit us better, for at this time of the year, with the ground in the condition in which it is in Flanders,...

the French have had to withdraw from their advanced positions. The Bulgarians, of course, are endeavouring to out off the troops that have penetrated furthest, but there seems...

for some time, very unpleasant reading for the Allies. The Serbian Army is still being pressed by the Austrians, Germans, and Bulgarians over the border into the Albanian and...

out any new objective upon which they may decide—the discussion of that is, of course, forbidden ground—they can always retire for the time to "the beaked ships," or rather to a...

Press, the King said that if the Allies would promise him that in the event of their being driven on to Greek territory they would abandon the Balkan campaign, he would protect...

so confused that we shall not attempt to analyse it in detail. The Greek Government are going to play for safety, with occasional leanings to what appears to be the winning...

The Russians grow stronger every day, the Germans weaker. The notion that the latter will be able to arise' from their trenches in April and destroy their opponents is a pure...

made by the King of Greece to a special correspondent. The King said he was deeply grieved and hurt by the suspicions expressed as to his feelings and intentions. He was more...

Ctesiphon, near Baghdad. On the night of November 30th General Townshend fought a rearguard action against a greatly perior Turkish force. Our casualties were about a hundred...

and eloquent speech announced in the Italian Chamber that Italy had signed the agreement, already signed by Britain, France, Russia, and Japan, not to make a separate peace. He...

of the German Naval Attache, Captain Boy-Ed, and the German Military Attaché, Captain von Papen. The reason given is not very precise. "Improper activities in military and naval...

York on its peace mission in appropriate circumstances. The Times correspondent tells us that the band played "I didn't raise my boy to be a soldier " ; Mr. Bryan called out...

In eausLie language ho denounced the machinations of hyphenated Americans, but, as though to correct the balance. he also rebuked those who passionately criticized him through...

had been no exportation of linseed oil to Holland since June, except forty tons for some special reason. The Govern- ment admitted that the exportation of oil and other food...

announced. A single Commandersh ip-in-Chief has been created by a decree signed by M. Poineare and General Gallieni, and of course they have appointed General Joffre to the...

admira- tion for the editor of the Amsterdam Telegraaf, who has been prosecuted and actually imprisoned because he has dared to speak the truth about Germany, and to support the...

Dalziel quoted some striking figures showing the increase of exports to neutral countries which were presumably in dose commercial relations with Germany. The exports of linseed...

first is whether we think a " drastic interference with the rights of individuals to select for themselves the food and drink they prefer will contribute to the maintenance of...

striking interview with the London editor of the Telegraaf, the paper was four times prosecuted for publishing the ever-memor- able cartoons of Mr. Raemaekers, noticed by us in...

In its criticism of the Coalition Government and too bitter in its strictures. At the some time, considering the tremendous character of the issues involved, no one, not even...

Mr. Agg-Gardner, MP. for Cheltenham, who may be described as one of the leading representatives of ." the trade , " in the House of Commons. In that letter he asks us several...

be spent in the beverages that will take the place of intoxicants, but it is safe to assume that it will not be anything like the D10,000,000 which now goes out of the pockets...

raising the bogy of "the cost of compensating various trades, agricultural, mechanical, manual, &c., dependent upon the manufacture of intoxicants, to say nothing of the...

such a programme to be quite consistent with the principles of practical statesmanship or of common fairness." We are delighted to have the opportunity of saying that we do,...

In the first place, the licences granted are only for a year and can be revoked. Next, the holders of them are not in reality independent persons, but, as regards the vast...

prove too much. If his financial argument were a sound one, then such a thing as national saving could never exist in any circumstances. All his arguments would apply with equal...

leading article with a matter discussed by us in our first article. It demands that the nature of the trade agreement with the Danish merchants shall be disclosed. The Morning...

8th, 1914.

THE TRUE ROAD TO PEACE. A T the time we are going to press the Reichstag will be listening to the German Chancellor's statement as to the terms of peace which will be...

p RESIDENT WILSON'S plea for an Army adequate for the defence of the United States, and pre sumably for the maintenance of the Monroe Doctrine (on the essen- tial importance of...

7 11 E very worst economy which the nation could make would be the permanent cutting down of Cabinet salaries. This statement, if made eighteen months ago, would nave met with...

T HE proceedings in the House of Commons upon the Report stage of the Finance Bill point to the necessity for some public movement for a complete reform of the Income Tax. It is...

The following speech was lately made by Mr. Alfred Booth, Chairman of the Cunard Steamship Company, to an audience near Liverpool. It should be noted that Mr. Booth is no tem-...

p ERT-INPS the wisest and most constant of readers always remain capable of surprise when they come upon some- thing in old writings which seems extraordinarily applicable to...

T HE battalion had had a fortnight of it, a fortnight of hard work and short rations, of sleepless vigil and continual danger. They had been holding trenches newly won from the...

O NE must be tidy in a small house. That is one of the constant irritations which attend small quarters. On the same principle, one must try to keep one's ideas tidy if one has...

THE VOLUNTEERS AT DIDCOT. [TO TIM EDITOR 07 TUB SPEOTATOR,"] Sun—Much has been written in the Press about V.T.C. work at Didoot; not all has been accurate. I venture to supply...

of letter from Colonel Purchas to Lord Desborough, which I shall be glad if you will insert in your paper.—I am, Sir, &o., Royal Courts of Justice, W.C. "Ordnance Office,...

services that the Spectator has rendered to our nation, none has been greater than that rendered since the present war began by advocating the prohibition of strong drink, at...

you let me say that your campaign against our Mat national extravagance, and in favour of that one great sacrifice which would enable us to concentrate all our energies on...

SIR,—No clearer demonstration of the folly of using alcoholic drinks as food—i.e., as a source of the energy for work produc- tion—could be afforded than the statement in the...

rro TIM EDITOR OF TEE " Srmimes."' SIR, —In an editorial note to the able and convincing letter of Mr. C. Bailey which appeared in your last issue you write that "it would be...

interest to you to know that the Bishop of Durham in a letter written to the clergy of his diocese, com- mending the "Message to the People of England and Wales" issued by the...

the Spectator for over twenty years, I would like to express my appreciation of the consistent patriotic way in which you have treated the liquor question. We could have bought...

[To THE EDITOR Or THE " SPEOTATOR.1 Snt,—More than one of your correspondents has denounced grocers' licences, and no doubt they give opportunity for much drinking among women....

[TO TEE EDITOR OF THE " SPEOTATOR."j ,&a,—Those of us who, at Lord Roberts's instigation, have for many years endeavoured to promote temperance in the Army will welcome your...

SI11,—In the article "Down Glasses I " in your issue of the 27th ult, you advise the public man and the politician how to support your plea for the temporary discontinuance of...

[To THE EDITOR OF VIZ " SPECTATOR." Snt,—One of your correspondents in the Spectator for Novem- ber 27th regretted that there seems no way of penalizing such cases. The same...

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPEOTATOR."] Sne,—Your comments on the latest Note from the State Department to the Foreign Office, the larger portion of which has been sent to this...

Sue—There are one or two questions that teetotalers might answer before advocating more extreme measures as regards the use of alcohol. During the past five hundred years,...

Harper's letter to the New York Tribune, which you reprint in your last issue, makes me think that the following extract from a letter from Princeton, N.J., of Octo- ber 30th...

Sin,—May I venture to point out that a saying which, in your issue of December 4th, you ascribe to Johnson was really borrowed by him from Bentley ? Macaulay writes :— "Ho...

[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.") Snt,—My small niece, on hearing that a great subaltern friend of hers was suffering from "gas-poisoning," added the following petition to her...

SPECTATOR.") Sm,—I am amused to read the stricture of " S. R. H." on Lincoln's greenback issues, "condemned," he writes, "by every economist who had studied the subject." Well,...

Sin,—Referring to your article of last Saturday on " Payment of Members," how does the following fit them ?— " And that's the wavering commons : for their love Lies in their...

To xmo EDITOR OF rum " SPECTATOR.") SI11,—For the past month I have been canvassing for recruits under Lord Derby's scheme in this industrial district. My excuse for troubling...

[To THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.") Sra,—The enclosed verses I received from my sister in Australia. They are from a poem which appeared in an Australian news- paper which she...

THE " SPECTATOR.") Si,—The following extract from a letter written by M. Paul Sabatier to a friend in Italy may perhaps be of interest to your readers :— " Laissoz-moi vous dire...

PassrnErrr : LORD DESBOROUGII. Hon. Szcanraror : PERCY A. HARRIS, Esq. HEAD OFFICES : Judges' Quadrangle, Royal Courts of Justice (Carey Street entrance). The aims and objects...

or initials, or with a pseudonym, or are marked "Communicated," the Editor mug not necessarily be held to be in agreement with the views therein expressed or with the mode of...

In ordinary times the caricaturist, unless he be a revolutionary, has usually to dip his pen in the small beer of personal political controversy, except when he rises to...

THE CALL. MBAR the call, men, hear the call 1 "Give yourselves, your best, your all 1 All in asked and must be given— Yea, though home or heart be riven 1 Follow the drums,...

THE POLITICIAN WORDS WORTH.* Till republication of Wordsworth's epoch-making but now well-nigh forgotten tract on the Convention of Cintra should be welcomed alike by those who...

Mn. WIIITEING is probably best known outside journalistic" circles as the author of No. 5 John Street, and other novels in which a generous zeal for social and political reform...

THE opinion of Mr. Granville Fortescue, who served with Mr. Roosevelt's Rough Riders in Cuba, has studied military matters as a soldier, and watched the Russo-Japanese War as a...

thou ask ? The conscience, Friend, to have lost them overplied In liberty's defence, my noble task, Of which all Europe rings from side to side. This thought might lead me...

IN the Nineteenth Century prominence is given to War Finance. Mr. Jennings advocates a Currency Loan with a view to securing the employee's contribution to the Loan on a...

MOONBEAMS FROM THE LARGER LUNACY.* Ma. LEACOCK, who indemnifies himself for his official' allegiance to the dreary science by periodic excursions into the domain of...

NEW ILLUSTRATED EDITIONS.* IT must be nearly sixty years sine* Dante Gabriel Rossetti illustrated his translation of La Vies Nuove. 1 A new and very elaborate edition of the...

Co. Os.)—The descriptive work of this romance of Winchelsea and Rye in the time of Edward L is admirable, but the archaistic dialogue is vexing and unattractive. The Mystery of...

THE brothers Grimm were Germans, but their fairy-tales, like Grimm's Law, are the possession of the whole world, and there is no cause for regret that each year another firm of...

Few writers have been more assailed for inaccuracy than Creasy, yet his best-known book is probably still a favourite with prize-givers, and is perhaps still read by...

Ma. PRIICEVAL WESTELL IS an experienced writer upon natural history for young people, and his Nature's IVonderland (Pilgrim Press, 2s. (3d. net) is attractively arranged, being...

fidt net.)—This is no new or faked romance of the Jolly Roger, but a reprint of twelve biographies from The History emd Lives of All the Most Notorious Pirates and their Crews,...

Hugh Walker. (Cambridge University Press. 3s. net.)— This selection from English writers has the particular purpose of illustrating Professor and Mrs. Walker's other volumes on...

net )—An influential Committee is providing extra comforts for the regiments raised in the Principality, and to aid its funds this "Walsh Gift-Book" has been compiled. We wish...

A. H. Atteridge. (T. C. and E. C. Jack. 2s ed. net each.)— These little volumes, published in the well-known "Shown to the Children" series, would make very acceptable Christmas...

2s. 6d. net.) — Twelve pictures illustrating the early life of our Lord are here reproduced by the Medici Society after Old Masters, all, except one, Italian. There is also...

a popular, fully illustrated boys' paper. It is predominantly warlike in matter and illustrations, but there are also serial stories of school-life and adventure, and a great...

Mrs. Jane E. Cook, charmingly illustrated by pleasant poem by Miss Muriel Perrin, is published by the Field and Queen (Horace Cox, 5s. and Is.) to be sold for the benefit of the...

Co. 2s. 6d. net.)—The State is to step in to breed stock, store rains, destroy weeds, cure bacon ; the present system of land tenure is to go. But how and at what cost ? Mr....

• [Notice in this column doee not necessariLY preclude subsequent repine.] Wonders of Animal Life. By W. S. ]3erridge. (Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. 6s. net.)—Fish that walk,...