23 FEBRUARY 1907

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NEWS OF THE WEEK.

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/VIRE new Reichstag was opened on Tuesday, and the Kaiser read his Speech from the throne in the castle. The Speech was , curiously unlike the hot words which the Emperor flung...

Numerous extracts have been published in the newspapers from General

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Kuropatkin's book on the Russo-Japanese War. It is not surprising that the book was suppressed in Russia, for a more candid and painful record of blundering, dis- obedience,...

Polling took place in the Transvaal on Wednesday for the

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new Legislative Assembly, and resulted in a majority for Het Yolk over all other parties. The hundred and forty-one candidates may be grouped as follows :—Het Yolk, forty-five;...

In the early hours of Thursday morning there occurred what

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was probably the most terrible wreck that has ever taken place in the case of a Channel steamer. The Great Eastern Company's boat, the Berlin,' while performing her usual...

In the French Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday, M. Briand

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made an eloquent and statesmanlike speech on the Separation Law. It proved that the differences in the Cabinet, which were far more personal than political, have been settled,...

V' The Editors cannot undertake to return Manuscript, in any

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case.

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Between the speeches of Mr. Cox and Mr. Churchill, Mr.

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Balfour delivered what was considered by many persona to be the best speech he has made for a long time. Some of his arguments, of course, were the same as Mr. Churchill used...

The Times in Tuesday's issue pays a well-deserved tribute to

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Baron Marsehall von Bieberstein, the very able German Ambassador at Constantinople, for bringing about the downfall of the notorious Fehim Pasha. Fehim Pasha's black- mailing...

Princess Clementine, the sixth and last surviving of the ten

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children of Louis Philippe, and a grand-niece of Marie Antoinette, died on Saturday last at Vienna in her ninetieth year. A woman of great force of character and diplomatic...

On Friday week in the House of Commons Mr. Harold

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Cox raised the question of Imperial defence by moving an amendment to the Address calling attention to the smallness of . the Colonial contributions to naval and military...

We have dealt elsewhere with Lord Percy's amendment, which was

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discussed in the Commons on Monday night, but must note here the statement made by Mr. Asquith in the course of the debate in regard to the pledges and assurances given by him...

In the House of Commons on Tuesday and Wednesday Mr.

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Hills's Motion was debated at great length. Mr. Hills invited the House to express regret that no reference was made in the Speech from the Throne to the approaching Colonial...

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Before we leave the subject of the debate we may

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note Mr. Hunt's extraordinary attack on Mr. Balfour. Before the last Election, said Mr. Hunt, he (Mr. Balfour) "declined to put forward any policy which any ordinary person...

The series of articles on " The State of the

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Navy " which have recently appeared in the Times have elicited a remarkable letter from Admiral Sit• Cyprian Bridge, which appears in Tuesday's issue. Sir Cyprian Bridge draws a...

Another point which we must note in the debate was

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the per- sietent belief—no doubt quite' honest—of the Tariff Reformers that you can tax products without raising the prices of the things taxed. That is a pure delusion. If it...

Mr. Ian Malcolm in a letter to Monday's Times describes

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the passive method of boycotting—none the less harassing for its abstinence from open demonstration—now prevalent in the South of Ireland, and gives particulars of half-a- dozen...

We have to record the results of two by-elections. On

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Saturday, February 16th, Captain W. Waring, the Liberal candidate, was returned in place of the late Mr. A. W. Black to represent Banffshire, by a majority of 2,009 over his...

The Naval Correspondent of the Times, writing in Thursday's issue,

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makes a spirited reply to Admiral Bridge, and peremptorily denies that the "organised plan" of the Admiralty, if it ever existed, has ever been applied to himself. If there has...

Bank Rate, 5 per cent., changed from 6 per cent.

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Ian. 17th. Consols (2f) were on Friday 86F—on Friday week 87.

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TOPICS OP THE DAY.

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THE FISCAL DEBATE. - WE do not wonder that the Tariff Reformers are once V V more keenly disappointed by Mr. Balfour's attitude towards their cause. It is true that Mr. Balfour...

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THE GOVERNMENT AND THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

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T HE Government still seem confident in regard to their management of the House of Lords controversy. Nevertheless, like many excellent people before them, they will soon...

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THE TRANSVAAL ELECTIONS.

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T HE elections in the Transvaal to the first Legislative Assembly under the new Constitution have resulted in a majority for the Boers over all other parties. It would be idle...

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HOME DEFENCE.

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L ORD LOVAT'S request in the House of Lords on Monday for information as to the number of first- class battleships, fully manned, in home waters on February 13th, led up, as was...

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THE NEEDS OF CAMBRIDGE.

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T HE advance of education is a very expensive luxury. The even course which the older Universities were so long content to follow has ceased to serve the needs of the student....

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RILE ETHICS OF THE POOR.

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14 T T has often struck me that it might be an assistance to those who are trying to improve the condition of the poor, and who have realised that, to be successful, they must...

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THE TEACHER TAUGHT.

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I T must be far more amusing to be a child nowadays than it need to be. Unfortunately, this is a reflection which can only be made by those for whom the days of child- hood are...

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SPRING IN WINTER.

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T HE closing months of the year 1906, and the opening months of the present year, have supplied a very complete mixture of weathers. It looks, indeed, as if 1907 might be added...

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CORRESPONDENCE.

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PARTIES AND TACTICS IN THE NEW DOM& (To TIDE EDITOR or TER " Snscravoa".1 Sra,—It seems fairly plain that the Government will find this Duma in many respects much more...

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IRELAND AND FRENCH CANADA—A C1TRIOUO PARALLEL.

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[To Tax Elmo, or no. "SPETATOO.."] Sin.,—In view of some of the letters addressed to the Spectator, it might surely be of advantage to remember • that a scheme such as...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

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THE REMARKABLE DEPRECTATION OF GOLD. (TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.. J STR,—The late Professor Stanley Jevons, writing in the early " sixties " of the effect of the new...

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CHURCH AND STATE IN FRANCE.

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Its THE EDITOR or TEE "Seserrror.".1 SIR, —If I am unwilling to let pass unchallenged the statement in the "News of the Week" in the Spectator of February 16th that the French...

THE ATTITUDE OF ROMAN CATHOLICS TOWARDS THE PUBLIC QUESTIONS OF

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THE DAY. [To ran Enrros or rite "3rscreros..1 SIR, —It is becoming more and more clear that the real obstacle to the settlement of the elementary education question in England...

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[TO TEN EDITOR Or THE . EPHOTATOR.1 SIR, —Your article on the

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advantage of the Referendum in the Spectator of February 16th, coupled with the admitted need of a constructive policy on the part of the Unionist Party, induces one to ask :...

THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

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[To THE EDITOR or THE "SPECTATOR..] SIR,— Surely it is not " strange " that the Liberal Party should be " prejudiced " against such a one-sided scheme as you suggest (Spectator,...

THE LATE LORD GOSOHEN.

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[To THE EDITOR Or Tin "SPECTATOR. "] SIR, — I have been somewhat surprised that in none of the notices of Lord Goschen have the noble and patriotic words which I beard from his...

THE POWER OF SUGGESTION.

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[To THY EDITOR or rne . 8recreroe."1 Sin,—One is always sure of finding a serious subject ably and impartially treated in the Spectator, and I have read with much interest your...

[To THE EDITOR or Tee ..Spronoros.^J SIR,—In an article in

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your issue of February 16th you put forward a suggestion for a reform of the House of Lords, one feature of which will be that when the two Houses cannot agree in any other way,...

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RATES AND MUNICIPAL TRADING.

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PTO THE EDIr011 08 TES “EPIICTAT08.1 SIR, —In a review in last week's Spectator we read that in Bournemouth the rates are be. in the pound. But that town rejoices in municipal...

POETRY.

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TO FLAVIA PUBLICIA, 247 A.D. ['. Flaviee Levi Elias Publicise religiose oaaetitatie vinsim Vestall Maximae."] Ai owe your bays and roses here you stand, . While tattered...

PICTURE ROBBERIES.

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ITO THE EDITOR Or se Bankroll:1 Sva,—Your readers may be interested in hearing some particulars of a great picture robbery which took place fifty- odd years ago at Charlton...

M U SI C.

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SINGING FOR SOLDIERS. SIMGEON-GENERAL EVATT, O.B., whose pamphlet, Our Songless Army (J. Curwen and Sons, 24 Berners Street, W., 3d.), has recently fallen into our hands, has...

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BOOKS.

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THE OUTLOOK IN IRELAND.* THII moderation of tone with which Lord Dunraven's book is written will probably give his opinions some weight with English readers. He is an Irishman...

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THE LATE MR. CORNISH'S STUDIES.*

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THESE papers, many of which appeared originally in the Spectator, have been edited by the widow of the late Mr. C. J. Cornish. As an introduction she gives a memoir of the...

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THE HOUSE OF OBRENOVICH.*

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Is Servia is not exactly the land of the cypress and myrtle, nor yet of the cedar and vine, it was , still an integral part of the Turkish Empire when Byron wrote the "Bride of...

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THE WORKING FARMER'S LIFE.*

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This book has not much to recommend it, perhaps, from a literary point of view. It owes little to its publishers; its illustrations are second-class; and it badly needs an...

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NOVELS.

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HER MAJESTY'S REBELS.• Ma. Lvaionr forestalls the criticism of those who may be inclined to regard his novel as essentially a roman d clef in an interesting prefatory note....

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Springtime. By H. C. Bailey. (John Murray. 68.)—The "springtime" of

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Mr. Bailey's title took place in the fifteenth century, and the Beene of the book is Italy. That being so, the reader will be prepared for a story full of intrigues and...

Harry and Ursula. By W. E. Norris. (Methuen and Co.

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68.) —The title of this book most accurately describes the scope of the plot. The story is concerned with a misunderstanding between two foolish young people who will not...

HERTFORDSHIRE FAMILIES.

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Hertfordshire Families. By Duncan Worland, M.A. " Victoria County Histories," Genealogical Volumes. (A. Constable and Co. 1.5 65. net.)—The second volume of this sumptuous...

CURRENT LITERATURE.

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THE HIBBERT JOURNAL. The Hibbert Journal (Williams and Norgate, 2s. 8d. net), always full of thought, begins the year with an excellent number. Among the most interesting of...

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Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench. (Dean and Son.

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Is. 6d. net.)—Here may be found all the facts and figures— facts of the neutral kind, it will be understood—about hf.P.'s and Judges, by the latter term being meant all persons...

SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK

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. [Under this heading ere notice sue. Books of the week as hare not been cursed for review in other forme.] Poems of Herrick. Selected, with Introduction, by the Rev. Canon...

Two books of travel of which, if circumstances permitted, we

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would gladly give an extended notice must be dismissed with a few words of appreciation. These are Algiers and Beyond, by M. W. Hilton Simpson (Hutchinson and Co., 12s. net),...

The Pocket Guide to the West Indies. By Algernon E.

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Aspinall. (E. Stanford. 6s)—Mr. Aspinall furnishes the usual informa- tion about travel, residence, notable objects and places, and the like. The book was printed before the...

Porcelain. By William Burton, F.C.S. (Cassell and Co. 7e. 6d.

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net.)—Mr. Burton's book covers a wide field. The author, who is a practical man, and distinguished by having produced some fine glazes, tells us first what the material of...

Some Pages of Levantine History. By the Rev. H. T.

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F. Duck- worth. (Alex. Moring. Is. 6d. net.)—The three subjects dealt with in this volume, put in chronological order, are "Athena in the Twelfth Century "—the period taken in...

A Book of Quotations, Proverbs, and Household Words. By W.

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Gurney Benham. (Cassell and Co. 10s. 6d. net.)—This is a very ample, and, as far as we have been able to test it, a very complete, collection. No volume can possibly do more...

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Raw Enrmexe.—The Poetry of Robert Burns. Edited by William Ernest

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Henley and Thomas F. Henderson. 4 vols. (T. C. and E. C. Jack. Os. net.)—This is a reprint of the "Centenary Edition." It bears the date, we observe, of 190L We may, however,...

We have received the fifteenth issue of a very useful

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volume, A List of English Clubs in AU Parts of the World, 1907, by E. C. Austen Leigh, M.A. (Spottiswoode and Co., 3s. 6d.) They number five thousand, over a thousand being golf...

My Pilgrimage to the Wise Men of the East. By

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Moncure Daniel Conway. (A. Constable and Co. 12s. 6d. net.)—Any one interested in questions of morality and religion may profitably read this volume, if he does not mind having...

Selections from Vildani's Chronicle. Translated by Rose E. Selfe and

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Edited by Philip H. Wicksteed, MA. (A. Constable and Co. 5s. net.)—" This book of :selections," writes the editor, "is not intended as a contribution to the study of Villani,...