Chains. By Edward Noble. (Constable and Co. 6s.)—Mr. Noble always
writes well of the sea, and this story is no excep- tion. Also he usually has an ulterior purpose. For strong stomachs there may be no harm in seeing his terrible pictures of "white slaves," and perhaps it is impossible to exaggerate the vice of the South American ports with which the book is con- cerned. But it is an inartistic blunder to tilt also at our divorce laws, for these have nothing to do with the sea. The story is that of a most attractive heroine spending some weeks on the coast of Peru in the merchant vessel commanded by her drunken and vicious husband. Fortunately she has good friends upon other ships in the harbours, and an earthquake, which gives the author a fine occasion for dramatic description, wipes out the husband and leaves her in the arms of a better man. Towards the end there is introduced an elderly Consul, whom one would like to ree developed when next Mr. Noble deals with South America.
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