I On Tuesday Lord Selborne received a joint deputation at Pretoria from Het Volk and the Responsible Government Association to urge the exclusion of the military vote in the...

I We note with great satisfaction that Mr. Root succeeds Mlr. Hay as Secretary of State. The appointment is an excellent one, and ensures that the work of the State Department...

In writing of Mr. Hay in our leading columns we have I dealt exclusively with his public career and characteristics as a statesman. We must not forget, however, to mention his...

I On Friday week in the House of Commons the considera- tion was resumed of the Public Trustee and Executor Bill, Which had been referred to a Standing Committee. We hope that...

We have dealt elsewhere with the loss sustained by the I English-speaking world in the death of M1r. John Hay, and must be content to record here that Mr. Hay died on Saturday...

The Times correspondent at Vienna, whose information is trustworthy, sends an interesting account of a final interview held on July 1st between Baron Fejervary and the leaders...

The final vote in the French Chamber on the separation of I Church and State was taken on Monday, and the great though doubtful measure was carried by a majority of 108,-that...

In the House of Commons on Tuesday the Lord Advocate I moved the second reading of the Churches (Scotland) Bill, and announced that the Government were prepared to make two...

In the Times of last Saturday Sir Henry Seton-Karr pub- lished a correspondence with the Prime Minister which should go far to show doubters the real nature of Mr. Balfour's...

In the House of Lords on Tuesday there was an important I debate on the question of the Militia. The Duke of Bedford, in a clear and statesmanlike speech, urged that since...

I Last Saturday Lord Rosebery made an interesting speech at the Epsom College Jubilee. He declared that our public schools turned out the finest raw material in the world. "We...

I The by-election in the Kiiu-swinford division of Stafford- shire has resulted in the return of the Chamiberlainite, M1r. Staveley Hill, by a majority of 603. As the...

Both of the proposed changes were well received by the Opposition, who also expressed their confidence in the personnel of the Commission. For ourselves, however, we cannot...

On Monday the discussion of the Aliens Bill was resumed in Committee, and the first clause, which prevents the immigration of foreign undesirables, was considered. Several...

SHALL WE RETAIN THE VOLUNTEERS? TOPICS OF THE DAY. AINY people will be inclined at first sight to consider that the heading we have given to this article is greatly...

NATIONAL HEALTH. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPRCTATOR."] SIR,-In your article on the above subject in the Spectator of July 1st you refer to the fact that one of the greatest known...

SEASIDE CAMPS OF THE BOYS' BRIGADE. [TO TUE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,-For a number of years past you have kindly allowed us space in the Spectator to appeal for...

BEARING-REINS. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.") SIR,-Referring, to your last issue, I quite agree with "Marchoges" that "clharity begins at home," but I must respectfully...

THE ADVANCE OF THE YELLOW RACE. [TO THE EDITOR OV THE SpEerATOIL"] SIr.,-In a footnote to my letter under the above heading in the Spectator of June 17th yot suggest that I...

NOVELS. THE GOLDEN POOL.* THERE is a g'eat deal to be said for one form of fiction not over-popular to-day,-the old-fashioned yarn. It lacked as a rule method in the...

THE ANNUAL REGISTER, 1904. C URRENT LITERATURE. The Annual Register, 1904. (Longmans and Co. 18s.)-To give an adequate appreciation of The Annual Register would be to go over...

IANNUAL OF THE BRITISH SCHOOL AT ATHENS, 1903-04. Annual of the British School at Athelns, 1903-04. (Macmillan and Co. 17s. net.)-Crete continues to occupy the most prominent...

NATIONAL SHOOTING. rTO TI[R EDIrort OF THIE "SPRCTATr.o"I' SIR,-Is there not something suggestive in the fact that at least three Edwards have in their time strenuously sought...

THE BRITISH UNIVERSITY CONGRESS. [TO TrIM EDwron OF TiIF "SP sE'ET'LOR."] SIR,-Many graduates of Edinburglh University noticed with satisfaction Professor Kirkpatriilis letter...

M. DELAFOSSE AND GERMANY. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR..'] SiP.,-There is a passage in M. Delafosse's article referrad to in the Spcctator of July 1st wvlich I do not...

After a great deal of newspaper discussion, some of it of a very heated kind, the German Government have decided to prohibit the appearance of M. Jaurcs, who was to have taken...

The course of events in the Black Sea has been as strange, as productive of bloodshed, and as inconsequent as everything in Russia jusb now is. The Government despatched its...

The "difficulty" between Germany and France about Morocco has not yet been formally settled, but all the best authorities concur in believing that an endurable compromise has...

I The situation is certainly a curious one, and no doubt has I temporarily caused some embarrassment to the German Government; but we doubt whether it is wise of Frenchmen to...

T HERE still continues an aLbsohlte dearth of definite news . from the seat of war. WAe hear of occasional skirmishes, NEWS OF 01 TIE WEEK. sometimes on a large scale, but it...

There was, however, a ghastly tragedy behind. The disaffected workmen in Odessa took the mutiny of the ,Potemkin' to be the signal for revolution, attacked and burnt the public...

MR. ANDREW D. WHITE'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY.* Tnis is a big book-it numLbrs more than twelve hundred pages-but it contains much that is of solid worth, it covers a large province of...

THE POLICY AND IMPOLICY OF BLUFF. E doubt the wisdom of tlhe policy of bluff. It can perhaps be justified soletimes as a method of awakening an adversary to the seriousness of...

LORD CROMER ON EGYPTIAN PROSPERITY. N his speech at the dinner of the Skinners' Company last week Lord Cromner referred to an aspect of the understandin'g between Britain and...

The Complete Golfer. By Harry Vardon. (AMethulen and Co. I f 10s. 6d. net.)-Mlr. Vardon gives the first two chapters of his| book and the last to reminiscences. Ile tells us...

I On Translating iHomer. By Matthlew Arnold. With Tntroduc- tion by AV. H. D. Rouse, Litt.D. (John Murray. 3s. 6d.)-We are glad to have this new edition of NMatthew Arnold's...

Old Testantoit Criticism in New Testament Light. By G. H Rouse, D.D. (R.T.S. 3s. 6d.)-Dr. Rouse is a thoroughgoing conservative. It does not trouble him that Cyrus is...

Forty Years' Researches in British and Saxon Burial-Mrounds I of East Yorkshire. SOME BOOKS OF TIHE WE'EI. [Under th1is beadwLq ire %oUce such Bjolcs of the icesk as haua not...

Oxford and Cambridge Cricket Scoires and Biographies. By J. 1 5 Bethani. (Simpkin, Mrarshall, and Co. 6s. net.)-Ihis volu -me con- I ; tains th9 Scores made at the " Varsity "...

Modern Carriages. By Sir Walter Gilbey. (Vinton and Co. 2s. net.)-Sir Walter Gilbey describes the carriages of the Victoriau era, enumneratin, twenty-five of the four-wheeled...

-We have received Part I. of The Oxford Atlas of the British Colonies (W. Stanford and Co., 2s. 6d. net). This part contains " British Africa." There are a number of...

THE VOLUNTEERS: THE LATEST UKASE FROM PALL MALL. LIETTERS TO TLHE EDITOR. [TO T r1 EDITOR OF 'rllr "SPECTrATOR."] Sirn,-The subjoined extracts fiom proceedings in Parliament...

AUXILIARYT FORCES-INSPECTOR-G ENERALS-ASSISTANTS. " House of Commons, 7th May, 1900. SIR HOWARD VINCENZT:-' I bog to ask the 'Under Secretary of State for War if the two...

BUSHIDO IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS. LTO TiE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTAToR."J SIP.,-The rapidity with which events follow 1one another as the result of the shifting of the centre of...

I Sfrr,-One point in connection with Mr. Arnold-Forster's [To TrlE ErAToa OF TIHE "SPECr.ATOr.'] recent circular on the Volunteers seems so far to have escaped comment in the...

THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE: ...... Since 187,1 the I " House of Lords, 25th May, 1900. 1 control of teo Militia has been transferred from the Lords* Needless to say, this...

The Unler Secretary of State for WTar (MR. WYNDHAbl):- I "House of Commons, 12th March, 1900. 'Now I come to that part of the scheme, and I am able to give details in addition...

LETTERS FROM THE LATE G. F. WATTS, R.A. I [TO THE EDITOR OF THE '"SPEtCTATOP."] Sin,-During the last years of my husband's life it was with real regret that he found himself...

THE SCOTTISH CHURCHES BILL. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECrATOR."] Sir.,-In view of the Bill for the final settlement of the Scottish Church difficulty now before Parliament,...

THE TEST OF A GOOD DINNER. |TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SI.R-The reviewer, in your last issue, of Mr. LevesonGower's "Recollections" says of the author: "He realises...

THE MAGAZINES. THE Nineteenth Century opens with a group of publicist articles on the downfall of Russia. Mr. Eltzbacher, in discussing the indemnity due to Japan, puts her...

FREAK DINNERS AND SOCIAL EXTRAVAGANCE. I T was unlikely that the publication of the details of the ! "freak " dinner given on Friday week at the Savoy Hotel would not be...

RECENT VERSE.* IT is with smaller poetry-we hesitate again to say minor poetry after the criticism which that phrase elicited some little wvhile since-it is with smaller poetry...

FURTHER BOOKS ON THE WAR.A WE are approaching a new phase in the literature of the war in the Far East. Correspondents are beginning to realise that ambitious histories of...

MR. JOHN HAY. *T is with deep regret that we record the death of Mr. John Hay, the American Secretary of State. By his death the world loses not merely one of its greatest...

THE MUTINY IN THE BLACK SEA. T is impossible not to pity the rulers of Russia, the blows of fate are so continuous and so heavy. Only two years ago she was so great that the...

THE VOLSUNG SWORD. [ I POETRY. A SONG FOR ARmY REFORMERS. I. SIGURD the Volsung craved a sword To follow his father's quest; Regin, of swordsmith's cunning lord, Rammered and...

EDWARD FITZGERALD.* BOOK S. TiiEr.E is a bitter irony in the inclusion of Edward FitzGerald among English men of letters, an irony which be would have understood, and at the...

TOADS. CORRESPONDENT writes to the Daily Newvs giving an account of a toad found wlien some masonry wais displaced in the Wvall of a church, which had not been repaired in the...

IRRATIONAL HABITS. F all the strange lsser ills to which the human mind is heir, surely one of the conamonest is that odd self-distrust known to medical science as fole de...