War and Neutrality in the Far East. By T. J.
Lawrence, LL.D. (Macmillan and Co. 3s. 6d. net.)—Professor Lawrence briefly relates the causes of the Russo-Japanese War, causes which may be shortly summarised by saying that there were two conflicting ambitions coming into collision in the matter of Korea, one of the countries which seem made to be bones of contention. Between such rivals it is not easy to decide; but manifestly without Korea Japan cannot expand, we might say, exist. The "Quarrel" thus disposed of, we have a careful and impartial discussion of various questions that have arisen. The censure of acts of hostility without a declaration of war is dismissed. Such things have often been done, and by Russia. In the matter of "Days of Grace" Russia has behaved with no liberality. "Forty-eight hours" contrasts strongly with the thirty days which the United States granted in the Spanish War. The duties of neutrals, the action, or rather the threats, of the Russian Government re the Times correspondent and wireless tele- graphy, marine mines, the use of neutral waters, contraband of war, and other, matters, of the ,greatest importance are,
successively discussed. Probably the last of these is that which will turn out to be the most fertile of perils to peace. It is necessary to keep a cool head and temper while we read, as we now do daily, the loud cries of distress and anger from suffering traders. Professor Lawrence points out that our own definition of contraband is a very wide one. But Russia refuses to make the distinction on which we insist between the "positively contraband" and- the "occasionally contraband." And she has been curiously inconsistent. In 1884 she declared that in ao circumstances would she hold coal to be contra- band. Now she publishes a declaration in exactly the opposite sense. The observations on these and kindred matters are especially worth consideration. On the whole, this is a most seasonably useful volume.
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