28 JULY 1917

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NEWS OF THE WEEK.

The Spectator

A MILITARY disaster has befallen our Russian Allies. That is a plain fact, and it would be absurd to try to explain it away or pretend that it makes no difference to us. A grave...

THE PAPER SHORTAGE—We trust that readers of the "Spectator" will

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give definite orders to their newsagents for a copy of the " Spectator " to be reserved for them each week till countermanded.

General Van de Venter in East Africa is now rapidly

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drawing tight the cordon round the messy troops. His small columns, moving from all points of the compass between Lake Nyasa and the sea, are steadily driving the Germans...

The French have had yet another week of desperate fighting

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on the blood-stained ridge north of the Aisne. The Crown Prince made a series of violent attacks on the plateaux between Hurtebise and Critonne, where at its eastern end the...

The enemy began an offensive in Galicia on Thursday week,

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and some of the Russian troops refused to hold the lines against them. The mutiny, planned by Lenin's followers in concert with their German paymasters, began in the 607th...

Russia has thus lost Eastern Galicia with its crops ripe

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for the harvest, a great quantity of new artillery, munitions, and transport, and probably many thousands of prisoners. It is a great calamity for her, but it is not...

To help Russia in her hour of peril, the Rumanian

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Army, reorgan- ized by French officers since the disasters of last autumn, has assumed the offensive. Striking hard on Tuesday in the Susita Valley, in the Southern Carpathians,...

Nor is the mischief confined to Galicia. On Sunday last

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the Russian commander ordered an offensive at Krevo, east of Vilna. Thanks to the bravery and self-sacrifice of the officers, the troops broke the German lines and took a...

Sir Douglas Haig's reports have shown a certain liveliness on

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the whole British line from the sea to St. Quentin. Two slight gains of ground have been made in the tactically valuable neighbourhood of Monchy-le-Preux, south-east of Arras....

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The enemy submarines took a somewhat larger toll of our

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merchant ships last week, sinking nineteen vessels over 1,600 tone, as compared with fifteen the week before, and^thirteen in the first week of July. Three smaller 'missals were...

After an interval of a fortnight, the Germans resumed their

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day- light air raids early last Sunday morning. A squadron estimated at from fifteen to twenty-one aeroplanes attacked Felixstowe and Harwich. At Felixstowe the raid only lasted...

All this may wain very unreal to us, and of

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course the suspicions of the Russian soldiers and workmen are quite unfounded. And yet the fact that the suspicions exist is very important. We cannot ore any objection to...

Our shipbuilding had gone down disastrously during the last' two

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years, but this year we should turn out four times as many - ships as -we slid last year ; in the last two months we should turn- out as many ships-as during the whole of lent...

President Wilson has signed the Bill for constructing aircraft to

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the value of nearly 4130,000,000. We hope and believe- that the construction will be as rapid as the passage of the Bill. The Americana are great mechanics, and we fancy that...

Herr Michaelis made his first speech as the German Chancellor

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in the Reichstag on Thursday week. He-said-that the submarine • was accomplishing "whet was expected- of .it," -and. he. gave a dramatic turn to his report on the military...

In regard to domestic affairs, Herr Michaelis admitted that it

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was advisable and necessary to being the political parties into closer touch with the Government by giving Ministerial posts Vu some of their leaders. Bat the politicians, he...

Siam has of her own aecord joined the Allies and

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declared war on Germany and Austria. She has enforced" her probed against` their inhumanity and disregard of small States by arresting the many—enemy refugees and spies in hlam...

The Prime Minister was the principal speaker at a great

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meeting held in the Queen's Hall last Saturday to celebrate the annivennary of Belgian independence. After recalling the services rendered by Belgium, the gatekeeper of European...

Daring the first successes of the renewed offensive, Mr. Henderson

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went on to say, the extremists, wisely from their own point of vie*, had remained quiet, but at the first opportunity they had proceeded to stir up mutiny, with the results now...

fiL Kerensky has succeeded Prince Lvoff as Prime Minister of

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Russia, and the eyes of-friend-sad foe alike are fixedon this brilliant and energetic figure to see whether he can save his country. There were differences-of -opinion between...

The confident optimism with which Mr. Lloyd George spoke of

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- the submarine question' Is hard to reconcile with the =maga of Mr John dallicot and Sir Bdocartrearson tb - tha mon in but alarpyardir sod workshops, on which weconunented...

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We hope that the scheme will be very carefully planned

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before it is produced. It most not be a misfire. It will be a great change for civilians to have entire control of a man till he is handed over to the Army. Civilians will...

Lord Newton announced in the House of Lords on Wednesday

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that no word had yet been received from the German Government as to whether they intended to ratify the recent arrangement as to prisoners of war. This is intensely...

Mr. Boner Law gave the House on Tuesday the figures

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of the cost of the war. The totals are so colossal that few can hope to realize their meaning. Mr. Bones Law was asking the House for a Vote of Credit for £650,000,000—the...

The Select Committee on Medical Examinations palmed a reao- lotion

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on Thursday week recommending that the whole organirstion of recruiting medical boards and of the medical examinations and re-examination.s should be transferred from the War...

However, there are other influences, we are glad to say,

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which are helping Mr. Lloyd George to keep a fair measure of stability, and not least of there is the discredit his opponents have fallen into through their very stupid and...

Bank rate, 5 per cent., changei front 51 per cent.

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April 5th.

We can offer no opinion whatever on Lord Derby's scheme

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till we know what it is. There is no reason why eiviliane should not administer the whole business of recruiting quite satisfactorily, except that we fear they might pot have...

We assume that Mr. Churchill will be returned for Dundee,

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and we can only hope that he will be kept very strictly to his work at the Ministry of Munitions, and will receive no sort of encourage- ment to wander into the paths of high...

In the House of Commons on Monday the Government made

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the division on the minimum wage clause in the Corn Production Bill a vote of confidence. Their course was perhaps unnecessarily heroic—we dislike talk of a Dissolution when it...

Mr. Winston Churchill addressed a meeting of the electors of

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Dundee on Saturday last. The task which had been laid upon hirn was one of the utmost urgency, and he had felt it unquestionably his duty to comply with the Prime Minister's...

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TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The Spectator

THE MISFORTUNES OF RUSSIA. "LIVERY Englishman who has watched and worked _12.1 anxiously chning three years of war must be inclined to say on the first impulse that the chaotic...

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MICHAELIS CONTRA MUNDUM.

The Spectator

H ERR MICHAELIS, the new German Chancellor, compares favourably with his predecessor, Herr von Bethmann Hollweg, in one respect at least. He is less skilled than the late...

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THE INCREASE OF HOME-GROWN FOOD. MITE critics of the Corn

The Spectator

Production Bill—a Bill, we angled to say, which is now safely approved in its chief principles —have cut an exceedingly poor figure. To read their criticisms one might think...

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THE REPORT ON INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

The Spectator

MILE group of Commissioners who were appointed on -1 June 12th last to inquire into industrial unrest through- out England and Scotland may be congratulated on having got...

THE EPIDEMIC OF ADOPTION.

The Spectator

A DOPTION was rare in England until lately. The state of the law upon the subject plainly shows that in this country it has not been. a common expedient. Nowadays we can hardly...

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NEAR BLANKEN BY NIGHT.

The Spectator

1) ARKNESS had long since fallen, but the Engineer's dug-out was a perfect blaze of electric light. Yet never a beam or a hint of one strayed out into the roadway, for it was...

Page 10

UTAM SINGE.

The Spectator

A SOLEMN stillness came with the fading of the sunset, and into the starry haze of the Eastern night there rose the vcice of prayer. This and the Monsoon ' s cool, soft breath...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR-

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[Letters of the length of one of our leading paragraphs are often mere read, and therefore more. effective, thaa these which fill treble the space.] THE "SAVAGE" SERBIAN. (To...

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NON-RESISTANCE AND FORGIVENESS.

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Ito THE EDITOR or THE " SPECTATOR:1 SI2, — Th6 Spectator is perhaps not the best place for pointing out perversicaus of Scripture; but there is current a perversion which...

THE EXCESS PROFIT TAX.

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[To THE Eorros or vat .8evoraves."1 Sis,—Knowing your ability in all economic questions, I venture to ask a little space for the ventilation of views upon the im- portant matter...

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• CLASSICS IN MODERN EDUCATION.

The Spectator

[To rim EDITOR or roe " Elrecrarea".1 Sia.—You have often discussed the "pros" and " eons " of the teaching of Latin and Greek in schools and colleges. May I make one or two...

VETERANS OF THE GRAND ARMY.

The Spectator

[To rne EDITOR or ran " firecriroz.") Pm—At the request of many who have served or are serving in our great Army, I desire through the medium of your valuable paper to give...

THE DAUGHTER QUESTION.

The Spectator

[To 7RE EDITOR or tea " SPECTATOR.") Sza,—A friend writes to me of a delightful old gander at present living on a Highland farm she has just visited. " Ile has adopted five...

ON CENSORING LETTERS.

The Spectator

[To ran EDITOR or ran "Seeeriroa."] Sta,—I disagree so absolutely with certain remarks in the second paragraph of the article "On Censoring Letters" in your issue of July 14th...

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WISDOM AND "BUSINESS."

The Spectator

(To THE EDITOR Or THE "SPECTATOR:1 Ste„—Seeing you have published in your issue of July 7th the able letter of Mr. G. H. Powell, which expresses so well the views of many of...

DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS.

The Spectator

(To THE EDITOR or VHS " SercraTorC1 Sin,—The answer to your correspondent "Amateur Gardener" is that the adult form of the common wireworm is the skipjack beetle. Agriotes...

THE CULTIVATION OF HONEY.

The Spectator

[To ran Berme or sun "Seeersme."1 Sre,—In all the interesting articles on food problems in your paper end others I have not seen any suggestion to enhance the sugar supply, so...

PARCELS FOR OFFICER PRISONERS OF WAIL [To THE EDITOR Or

The Spectator

THE " SPECTATOR.") Sin—The sudden introduction of the scheme under which officer prisoners' parcels are to be sent through the Central Prisoners of War Committee, and the...

BRITISH PRISONERS OF WAR AND THEIR NEEDS. Fro THE EDITOR

The Spectator

Or THE " SPECTATOR.") Sin—The British Prisoners of War Book Scheme (Educational) is urgently in need of a few workers (ladies or gentlemen) who would be willing to help (a) in...

PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE WAR.

The Spectator

(To THE Emma or Tux "Sem-rove.") Sis,—I was naturally much gratifled by your most sympathetic review of my book. Public School Education and the War. May I. however, plead, in...

SUGAR USED IN BREWING.

The Spectator

(To THE EDITOR Or THE "SpecTnon."] Sue—The Brewing Trade and their friends have more than ones stated in the Press that the sugar used in Brewing is not fit foe human...

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THE VICTORIA LEAGUE'S LECTURES; (To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECITIOR."3

The Spectator

Sia,—Three months ago , the Victoria League began to organize lectures to soldiers in hospitals. It had been strongly represented , to the League, as the result of the great...

CHURCH ARMY HUTS:

The Spectator

(To ma BMWS se me . 1ZWECTATOR...1 Sza,—I am emboldened. You kindly, yet doubtingly, made room for a letter asking readers to, send their spare copies of the, Spectator to...

CAPTAIN BOWEN-COLTHITRST.

The Spectator

[TO TIIE Emma OF mg "SPECTATOR:1 Sia s —The Sinn Tethers who were responsible for the horrors and loss of life in the Irish rebellion last year have been liberated- to...

Page 15

THE FRESH AIR FUND.

The Spectator

rTo THE EDITOR Or Tar SPEC/wren:1 &a,—May I address a word of appeal to your readers on behalf of the Fresh Air Fund, which, since I founded it twenty-six years ago, has given...

NURSES AND THE WAR.

The Spectator

[To THE EDITOR OP iltE ''SPECTATOR."1 Sig,—We wish to draw the attention of all who are grateful for the work of our nurses to a scheme -which will add comfort, effi- ciency,...

POETRY.

The Spectator

THE MESSAGE. STERN Garreg Hylldrem's? help I prayed.— Grey waters, clear, and cool, The headlong joy of the Cascade. The tumult of the Pool. Below, beside, the Torrent's...

"A STUDENT IN ARMS."

The Spectator

To leading article in the Spectator on the death of Lieutenant Hankey and his article "Don't Worry" have been republished as a leaflet by Messrs. W. Speaight and Sons, 98-99...

"FROM A V.A.D. HOSPITAL."

The Spectator

MISS MART-ADAIR MACDONALD'S three poems ("In the Ward," "Epiphany Vision." and "In Last Year's Camp") have been reprinted front the pages of the Spectator in pamphlet form under...

"BURY OR BURN."

The Spectator

Tee article under the above heading, dealing with the desecration of beautiful places by the scattering of pieces of paper and other picnic debris, -which appeared in our issue...

"CHRIST IN FLA-NDERS."

The Spectator

Owmo to the large and continued demand for copies of the poem entitled "Christ in Flanders," which appeared in our issue or ,Septesober lith, 1915, it has now been reprinted in...

Page 16

B 0 0 K S.

The Spectator

SIR A. CONAN DOYLE'S HISTORY OF THE WAR.. SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE has the true heart of the military historian ; he is evidently fond of military history ; be will puzzle out the...

MR.. BALFOUR BROWNE'S DIVAGATIONS..

The Spectator

MR. Bala - ova BROWNE hex supplemented his Forty Years at the Bar with a volume of Recollections, Literary and Political, which make very good reading. The keynote of the book...

NOTICE. --1Vhen " Correspondence " or Articles are signed with

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the writer's name or initials, or with a pseudortmre, or are marked "Com- municated," Me Editor must not necessarily be held to be in agreement wills the views therein expressed...

Page 17

SHAKESPEARE AND CHAPMAN.•

The Spectator

IT is always a pleasure to go back to the Elizabethans. The great poetry that they bequeathed to us and the amazing number of literary problems that they left us to solve are,...

Page 18

THE FOUNDER OF FATELIPITR..

The Spectator

Twassre-roca years ago, Mr. Vincent Smith tells us, ho came across Sir William Sleernan's remark that "Akbar has always appeared to me among soverei g ns what Shakespeare was...

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THE PE/HNSULAR ARMY.*

The Spectator

Mn. FORTE8Cre8 admirable history Of the Beath Army, uhielt has occupied him for twenty years, is one of the worthy enterpriees that have been interrupted by the war. The eighth...

WILLIAM PENN.•

The Spectator

" AT night comes Mrs. Turner to see us ; and there, among other talk, she tells me that Mr. William Pen, who is lately coats over from Ireland, is a Quaker again, or some very...

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COD AND MR- WELLS.° Ix was not to be expected

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that the " atheists " whom Mr. Wells attacked in his book would refuse the challenge of a deserter from their ranks, and Mr. Archer has come forward to defend the empty shrine....

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SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.

The Spectator

INoec• in 04 Mums don eel neeurarily preeNis ceesqucig reet..1 THE QVABTEHLTES. — The Edinburgh Review for July—an excep- tionally good number—opens with an important article by...

The 3rd London General Hospital at Wandsworth has a clever

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and amusing monthly magazine of its own, written and illustrated 'by soldiers and nurses in-the hospital. From the - first year's issues Mr. Ward - Muir and Mr. Noel Irving have...

READABLE NOVELB. — The Lesion Mystery. By William J. Burns and Isabel

The Spectator

Ostrander. (Eveleigh Nash. 5s.)—A really good American detective story, the development of which the reader is absolutely unable to forecast from the opening chaptora—Soldier...

FICTION.

The Spectator

POTTERAT AND THE WAR.. Tins delightful book is a sequel to two others written round the same central figure. With these the present reviewer is Un- acquainted, but if they are...

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The Statesman's Year Book fin- 1917. Edited by J. Scott

The Spectator

Keltio, assisted by IL Epstein. (Macmillan and Co. 12s. 6d. net.)— The fifty-fourth edition of our familiar friend, though somewhat late in appearing, is surprisingly complete,...

We have received from Repton boys the first number of

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a spirited little journal entitled A Public School Looks at the Wend, and published at sixpence monthly. Apart from the signed articles by outside contributors like the Rev. W....

We may draw attention to The " Athenaeum " Subject

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Index .to Periodicals, 1916, issued at the request of the , Council of the Library Association. A new part, devoted to theology and philosophy as discussed in a very large...

The Afemairs of a Balkan Diplomatist. By Count Chedomille Mijatovich.

The Spectator

(Cassell and Co. 16s. net.)—Count Mijatovich, who has held various Ministerial offices, and also represented Serbia in London and other -capitals, has written a frank and...

Egyptian Colloquial Arabic. By W. H. T. Gairdner. (Cambridge :

The Spectator

W. Heifer. 12s. Rd. net.)---Mr. Gairdner, of the Church Missionary Society, who is the Superintendent of Arabic Studies -at the Cairo Study Centre, has done a groat service to...

Spun Yarns of a Naval Officer. By A. R. Wonham.

The Spectator

(P. S. King and Son. 105. Gd. net.)—Captain Wonham spins some good yarns about his long and varied experience in the Navy. He joined the Servke in 1880, hi the days when steam...

WAR COOICERY.--How to make bully-beef attractive is one of Mr.

The Spectator

Pizziani's aims in Dainty Dishes for Camp and Home (John Lane, Od. net). How far the cooks in the trenches are provided with anchovies, potent°, and curry—to say nothing of...

Two Towns—One City Paris, London. By John F. Macdonald. .0:leant

The Spectator

Richards. 7e. 6d. not.)--The late Mr. Macdonald, whose early death in 1915 was partly due to his labours in French hospitals, -pleased many readers by his gay and cheerful...

The July number of History, the well-edited quarterly journal of

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the Historical Association (Macmillan and Co., la. net), contains an admirable letter from Mr. Fisher, the Minister of Education, emphasizing the high importance oT history in...

New Ideate in Business. By Ida M. Tarbell. (Macmillan and

The Spectator

Co. Is. 6d4—American industry used to be far behind ours in providing for the safety and welfare of workpeople. Miss Tarbelfs interesting book, based, like her history of the...

France. By Christophe Nyrop. Translated from the Dana by C.

The Spectator

A. Bang and A. G. Cbater. (W. Heinemann. Is. net,)— This little book is an able and glowing tribute to the genius of France—the Femme of -Roland and Bayard, -and the France of...

Handbook of Physiology. By W. D. Halliburten. (J. Murray. 113s.

The Spectator

-net.)—The publieher's note to tho twenty-sixth edition of this well-known text-book states that the first edition was written by W. S. Kirkes in 1848 from the notes of Sir...

The Liquor Traffic as a National Problem. By Will Reason.

The Spectator

'(Congregational Union. 9d. net.)—In this little pamphlet Mr. Reason, a well-known Chesterfield minister, writes very temperately on the various possible solutions of the drink...