Sunday afternoon was only foiled by the King's presence of mind and fine horsemanship. As King Alfonso was returning from the swearing-in of the recruits at the head of his...

Belgium. The whole of the working classes have been called out by their leaders, and a very large number have responded to the appeal for a national suspension of work. Since,...

Chancellor's speech on Monday, notes that the Govern- ment evidently count on the Conservatives, the Centre, and the National Liberals voting the whole demand of about...

I F modern war is fast, modern peace redresses the balance by its slowness. Still, the condition of semi-peace, tempered by occasional alarums and excursions and assaults Oil...

Sandys brought forward his Bill imposing on all male subjects of eighteen years of age the obligation of serving for four years within the United Kingdom in the Territorial...

first likely to cause a most unpleasant situation between France and Germany. We are happy to learn, however, from Friday's telegrams that the newspaper polemics of Berlin are...

slight improvement in the condition of the Pope. The disease is now stated to be bronchial pneumonia. In spite of this improvement, however, and the fact that the disease does...

the Budget Committee after the Chancellor had wound up the general discussion in the Reichstag in an optimistic speech. The idea of an Imperial levy for defence—the authorship...

case.

service, the Government view is clearly indefensible. Even Whatever - view is the true view in regard to national service, the Government view is clearly indefensible. Even...

Committee on the Provisional Collection of Taxes Bill, and an all-night sitting bad been anticipated. But amendments moved by Lord Hugh Cecil and Mr. Cassel having been accepted...

impressive speech. Here are the words of his peroration :— "The right hon. gentleman admitted that the present position is not satisfactory, and he tried to prove that the...

censorship was carried without a division in the Commons on Wednesday. Mr. Robert Harcourt, the mover, contended that the censorship was a definite deterrent to new and original...

of the Army Bill led to a debate on home defence, which is to be resumed on Monday. As in the House of Commons, hypo- thetical calculations and sophistical subtleties in regard...

otiose. Of course, if the people of this country decide not to have compulsion they will not have it. If they do decide on compulsion there is no reason to suppose that the army...

subject of a very severe attack by the Westminster Gazette—a newspaper very little noted for strongly criticising statesmen on its own side—has been regarded as showing his...

weekly journal, in the editing of which Mr. Bernard Shaw and Mr. Sidney Webb are to be associated. The combination promises well for the serious presentation of intellectual...

in his action, spoke of "the calumnies" spread against him. He further stated that he would some day have a great deal to say on the matter. No doubt. We are bound to point out,...

have been offered this week to Mr. Henry James on his seventieth birthday. Mr. Henry James has not only proved himself a great personal and intellectual force in fiction, but he...

(2i) were on Friday 75—Thursday week 74i.

path—it can only be described in such terms—for a day or so filled the apologists of the Ministers involved with delight. Unfortunately for them, however, the evidence given...

Committee during the past week. The most im- portant event of his testimony was his veiled suggestion (noted by us last week) that the " rumours " in regard to Ministers were...

Adrianople on April 2nd, sends a long and illuminating account of the siege. The garrison numbered 58,000 men, the investing army 155,000 (120,000 Bulgarians and 35,000...

speech made by Mr. E. T. John, M.P., on the Chancellor of the Exchequer's honour. Speaking at Port Talbot, at a meeting of the League of Young Liberals, he said :— " Before...

off the opposition of the Irish Party by imposing these con- ditions :— "It may not know, though it ought to know, that co-operative tea and sugar is as necessary and...

A "MEDLEY OF PHILOSOPHY AND WAR" ". . . [They] will bear no more This medley of philosophy and war, And in an hour they'll storm the Senate house." —Addison's " Cato." T HE...

" TMMEDIATE prospect improved; future prospect dark." If we had to send a telegram of not more than six words describing the European situation on Friday, that is the sort of...

T " general public has not yet fully appreciated the complete failure of the Lloyd-Georgian system of land taxation. That this system would fail we repeatedly prophesied in...

in our columns to Windham's Training Act, an Act passed in 1806, which anticipated the policy of the National Service League and in effect provided, though in a thoroughly...

TF, oblivious of Royal Commissions and of existing facts and records, we were to set oat to imagine an ideal University of London, where and what would it be ? A graduate of...

T HERE are certain hours of the day even in term time when Oxford streets look strangely dead-alive, and in vacation more than the wonted quiet falls upon them. This pleasant...

17 0ERHAPS the reader may have noticed in walking through a village or a town certain boys with a small brass fleur-de-lys in their buttonholes. It may be a baker's boy going...

PORTUGUESE SLAVERY. [To THY EDITOR ON THE " BrEcTITos.-1 SIEt,—I have just returned from abroad and take the first opportunity of replying to the letter of Sr. d'Andrade in...

[TO TIM EDITOR Or TRU "SrscrATon..-1 SIR,—The aeutest symptom of the mischief underlying the Marconi scandal seems to have hitherto escaped notice. It is not that Ministers...

a correspondent in Lisbon a copy of a Lisbon newspaper of 10th inst. with a report of certain Parliamentary proceedings, of which the enclosed is a translated epitome. 1 think...

rejoice in the advocacy of a high standard of morals for politicians and journalists ; and nothing can be better than to preach in season and out of season that "hypocrisy...

Sir Rufus Isaacs of more than thoughtlessness in the matter of the American Marconi shares. But what thoughtlessness ! A magistrate, if he holds the smallest fraction of stock...

of" Horace Walpole's Letters" the other evening, I came across the following passage in a letter to Sir Horace Mann, dated from Arlington Street on March 19th, 1767 :—...

[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sra,—History is once more repeating itself in the present relations between the Great Powers of Europe and Monte- negro. A. century ago the...

by Mr. Allen in your last issue reminds me of the Tamil saying that a Brahmin should not drink even milk under a toddy tree. As to Caesar's wife, was it not a Radical orator who...

SIR,—May I draw your attention to the following prophetic extract from the writings of Charles Kingsley P The words occur in the preface to some lectures delivered at the...

[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR, — Perhaps we Anglo-Indians are inclined to attach an excessive importance to merely official recognition of the work of such men as...

are certainly indulging in an erroneous view of the situation if you think that the threat of an English interven- tion in the coming war has great terrors for us. We would...

[To TUE EDITOR OF TUE "SPECTATOR."] SIR, --1 note that in your article on "Mark Rutherford" you say that his books "cannot be fully appreciated by a young man." The greatest...

[TO !RR EDITOR OF THE "sine-ems."] Sra,—Whatever you may decide as to "obsession" (how tired one is of the word !), pray set your face like a flint against the horrible verb...

"SPECTATOR."] Sin,—" C. S." has entered a plea for a competent etymologist or word-coiner to decide upon "the right word" "in our endeavours to get hold of the right idea." I...

Sin,—The following quotations taken from last half's school work are so applicable to the events of our own time that they may be of interest to some of your readers. This...

your issue of April 12th and your note thereon, I rejoice to see that you are not indisposed to take up the defence of the English language. To the instances given by "L." I...

[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—In looking over an old volume of "Elegant Extracts" yesterday, I came across the enclosed lines. They are prob- ably familiar to you,...

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:] Sin,—The last remnants of this house, which—by tradition—. was designed, built, and occupied by the great architect as his residence...

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:'] Sin,—The writer of the interesting article on birds' nests in your last number says that the chimney swallow does not build in chimneys...

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

[To THE EDITOR Or THE "SPECTATOR."] am much obliged to Dr. Kenny for the information he gives as to Macaulay's use of the word "trick," but I think the learned Professor will...

THE "SPECTATOR...1 Sin,—Wc shall be greatly obliged if you will renew your courtesy by giving some account of the enclosed report. A further sum of £4,000 would enable us to...

Sin,—Though it hardly comes under this heading, may I be allowed to utter a brief cri de cceur over the supplanting of good old phrases by commercialized English ? Formerly...

CATULLUS' HOME-COMING. (Canis. xxxs.) OF all the promontories and isles Salt seas or liquid lakes can show, For all their fresh or salt sea-miles, Fairest far is Sirmio. With...

JEAN CHRISTOPHE.* Jean Christ ophe holds a notable place as a book that has given to the world something definitely new in form, in spirit, and in ideal. For M. Holland's book...

MR. MAX BEERBOHM'S CARICATURES. ALTHOUGH perhaps no one would think it from our comic papers, the art of caricature had quietly flourished in England through the Victorian...

Ix the glorious apparel, of that King's daughter, the New Rome, her once Christian churches form but a very.small ornament. The King's daughter that conquers all con- querors...

Da. MIA LL has compiled in this volume a work of reference which will be invaluable to the beginner and will be found to be full of charm and interest by the naturalist of...

." IT is safe to say that there are several millions of parents and guardians waiting for this book." This is what we read upon the paper wrapper of The Parents' Book. This...

and a little imagination names like Bokhara and Samarkand are the invocation of romance. They suggest at once infinite remoteness and secret splendour. To be sure, the tourist...

M. HAR3IAND'S full and agreeable Life of Mme. de Geniis brings forward once more the name of a woman very well known in her own day, though perhaps neither then nor afterwards...

1111. CATFISH.* MR. CHARLES MARRIOTT is quite one of the most interesting figures in the world of contemporary fiction. We know nothing about him except through his books, which...

Boucbe-Leclercq's great Histoire de la Divination we have had no complete and systematic discussion of the subject. Mr. Halliday is careful to warn us that his book does not...

M. Williamson. (Methuen and Co. Es.)—A pleasant story, of which the scene is laid in California. The inevitable motor car makes its appearance, and the scenery described is...

and Co. Gs.)—Mr. Fraser's cleverly written descriptions and excellent photographs help, to give a very vivid idea of the fascinating work which is now being completed in the...

[Under this heading we notice such Books of the week as hare not teen reserved for review m other forms.] National Life and National Training. By General Sir Ian Hamilton,...

(Chapmists and Hall. 6s,)--The. scene of this story is laid in an bospital and is much concerned with the sentimental relations between the resident staff and the nurses. These...

Sons. is. net each volume.)—Among recent additions to the "Everyman Library" is an encyclopaedia which is to be completed in twelve volumes. Three of these have already...