on Friday week was enlivened by a striking speech from Herr von Vollmar, the Bavarian Socialist Deputy, and a. brilliant, if unconvincing, reply from the Chancellor. Herr von...

at the instance of the Russian Ministry of Marine, of Captain Klado, the senior officer sent back to represent the Baltic Fleet at the international inquiry, and the author of a...

con- cerned with the destruction of the remains of the Russian Fleet in the harbour at Port Arthur. The Japanese used the advantage gained by the capture of 203-Metre Hill to...

in which he dealt with the relations of Germany to Russia. Here, just as in the time of the South African War, it was an error to be guided in foreign policy by emotions or by...

According to the official reports issued the same night, the demonstrators were mainly students of both sexes belonging to the high schools of the capital, who shouted and sang...

on Mr. Deakin's Preferential Resolution in the Australian House of Representatives on Tuesday, and made a speech full of im- portant admissions. Thus he observed that the...

that fighting had broken out between the Chinese coolies and Kaffirs at the Witwatersrand mine on Sunday night. Three Kaffirs and one Chinaman were killed, and eight Kaffirs and...

Congo State Police, and Mr. Morel, editor of the West African Mail, calla for a few words of comment. It appears that Mr. Morel was given to understand that M. Benedetti was...

on which we have commented elsewhere. An hour before the time fixed for the opening of Parliament a number of Opposition Deputies forced their way into the Chamber, overpowered...

Thursday evening, will, we fear, prove a disappoint- ment to his more ardent supporters. It was confidently expected by them that he would not only deliver himself of some...

Gazette points out, by his very important contri- bution to the fourth volume of Mr. Louis Creswicke's "Life of Mr. Chamberlain" (Caxton Publishing Company). There, writing...

same day by Mr. Asquith at Preston. Dealing with the proposed Conference, Mr. Asquith said the truth was that the Colonies, so far from making an offer to us, were waiting to...

On Monday the new scholarship scheme of the London County Council was published, which forms a com- plete recasting of the system which has been in force since 1893. It is...

to ask Mr. Chamberlain a question which puzzles us : How is it, if Protectionist countries are the paradises for the working men which lie describes, that the pauper alien is...

deputation from the Imperial Federation (Defence) Committee on the question of the contribution of the Colonies towards Imperial defence. Sir Michael Hicks Beach, who introduced...

pleased to appoint a Royal Commission "to inquire into matters connected with the Free Church and the United Free Church" in Scotland. The Commission is to consist of Lord...

have dealt with the scheme in detail elsewhere, and will only say here that the new plan will enable us, should occasion arise, to strike instantly and with all our force at any...

which might seem hostile to foreign Powers, and we shall certainly follow their example. It may be pointed out, however, that there is nothing in the new distribution of forces...

the rest of Mr. Chamberlain's speech in detail, but may note that he dwelt on the Imperial side of his programme, and stated that, "so far as he was concerned, the sooner the...

had become obsolete, and a new one was imperatively demanded to meet modern conditions, not only as regards steam, but also as regards our foreign policy. But though the change...

at any rate, is the moral which it seems necessary to draw from the correspondence between Lord Lansdowne and Lord Selborne and Mr. Hatch published in Thurs- day's newspapers....

show that political feeling in Russia is excited to a degree for which there is no precedent. The air is full of portents of change. Before the war began politicians in all...

and looks with favour upon Count Tisza's struggle with the forces which in the name of Constitutionalism are doing their best to make Parliamentary government in Hungary...

a message of congratulation on the completion of the Anglo-French Convention sent by the Newfoundland Cabinet to the King. They convey to his Majesty, so runs the telegram, "the...

I T never seemed very probable that Lord Alverstone actually meant what he was reported to have said on the subject of journalism in the course of the hearing of a recent case...

Rosebery regretted that Sydney Smith was not now more widely read. Indeed, it is regrettable. The coruscation of his wit has thrown his wisdom into obscurity. The world...

Hexham are living at this close of this fourth year of the twentieth century in much the same state of terror as small girls did in the days when the story of "Little Red Riding...

attended the Gallery for nearly a quarter of a century ? Assertions with regard to the deterioration of the House have become common, but are rarely made by members who have sat...

your issue of December 10th, you rightly remark : "While the British, German, and Portuguese possessions in Africa are dotted haphazard about the map, France has her mainland...

Austin Taylor's second letter. It is well, perhaps, to dismiss irrelevant matter, and to recall attention to the question at issue. Mr. Taylor's first letter was an endeavour to...

be allowed unchallenged to assert that Lord Milner wrote any letter containing the passage Mr. Cooke asserts to have been con- tained in it (Spectator, December 10th). From...

Revolution-jargon concerning "liberte, egalite, et fraternite, " said : "Si j'avais un frere, je l'appellerais mon cousin" ; but humanity's goal, however distant, is immovable,...

? Certainly Emerson does ; and I think Coleridge also spells it with an "e," —" cleresy "; at least so I quoted it in a printed sermon or essay of my own of many years ago,—I...

Mr. Hussey, in his "Reminiscences of an Irish Land Agent," thinks that nothing for sheer humour of a quiet sort beats Sir John Godfrey's reply when be was asked why he was...

the Spectator of December 3rd you ask if "fairly takes the cake" has a classical parent. Whatever its origin (is it the " cake-walk " ?), readers of Aristophanes will remember...

to know that two perch, weighing respectively 4 lb. 2 oz. and 4 lb. 6 oz., were taken this year by a gentleman fishing with line bait for pike. I am well acquainted with the...

of December 10th you say : "It seems to us far more likely that the Russian Fleet, whatever happens, will now attempt to make its way to Vladivostok." Is not this written in...

THE birth of tragedy is one of the wonders of literature. From obscure and rude beginnings, of little interest except to scholars, it seems to leap Pallas-like into the full...

sober heap adorning; A vision of a purple bay, A town all red and yellow. How dreary is our winter grey Beside that sunshine mellow ! But though your southern paradise A moment...

Wz acknowledge the folowing sums sent to us as contributions to the above Fund, and have forwarded them to the County Gentleman :- The Rev. Dr. Abbott ... Al 1 0 . R. M....

be written, for to retell the tale of the man who got so much joy and sorrow from life is a worthy and heartening occupation. Since the large Life by Edwards, we have had Sir J....

The best French critics have condemned them without doubt as one of the many supercheries litteraires ; and among clever fabrications they certainly take a high place. On their...

heap of toy-books, fairy-tales, nonsense-rhymes, and nursery-rhymes crowding our table is Mr. Kearton's Adven- tures of Cock Robin. The title suggests a rechaufe of the old...

the category of novels "with a purpose," unless, indeed, the intent to amuse, in which it certainly succeeds, can be so regarded. But though conceived and executed in a spirit...

—Miss Macmahon is always at her best when depicting the quiet everyday life of upper-class cosmopolitan English society, and for this reason her present story does not display...

by Jessie Wilcox Smith. (Hodder and Stoughton. 3s. 6d.) —Judged by its illustrations alone, Mrs. Hodgson Burnett's graceful story, In the Closed Room, would be classed with...

Johnson, Mast and Block Maker (retired). Put into Writing by Thomas O'Cluny. Illustrated by W. Heath Robinson. (J. M. Dent and Co. 2s. 6d)—An amusing jeu d'esprit not innocent...

With Illustrations by Alan Wright. (R. Brimley Johnson. 5s.) —Mr. Farrow drops his" Wallypug" vein this Christmas, and takes his readers on a trip to Fairyland in a...

Cs.)—There is no lack either of romantic atmosphere or exciting adventure in Mr. Stanley Weyman's new novel. Artistically speaking, the first few chapters are the best part of...

like that of Wolf Larsen is really possible may be doubtful, but it is certain that Mr. Jack London makes his readers for the time believe in it. The totally unmoral sea captain...

Canton. With 2 Illustrations by C. E. Brock. (Hodder and Stoughton. 3s. 6d.)—Somewhat similar in motive is the title-story of the collection of studies of child-life of which we...

65.)—It is a very real pleasure to see once again the two delightful little Australians, Joe and Mimi, whose acquaintance most people have already made in the Westminster...

net) appears in due course. Debrett grows like other things, having added this year Arty more pages to a number before exceeding two thousand.—Another periodical volume which it...

7s. 6d.)—Mr. Forshaw gives us here an anthology of praises of Shakespeare from poets old and new, from Bea Jonson down to the present time. There are more than a. hundred names...

W. Johns, M.A. (T. and T. Clark. 12s. net.)—There is a striking sentence in Mr. Johns's preface. He has been insisting on the great debt of modern civilisation to Babylonia....

is one of the series of "Illustrated English Poems," edited by Ernest Rhys. Mr. Rhys's introduction is just what it should be, illuminating as far as the essential obscurity of...

been among the desiderata of book-collectors is the Hypnerotomachia Potiphi/i (Methuen and CO., 63s. net). The Hypierotomachia was written in Venice by a Dominican monk, not of...

"Christmas Story" by Mr. Stead, and a number of illustrations, six of them coloured pictures, the others more or less related to the text. The whole is a quite astonishing...

we are not surprised. We are used to this sort of thing from the poet ; but the draughtsman has a better reputation, and we are sorry to see him encouraging such nonsense. The...

—Mr. Andrew, who has made sundry collections of literary curios, has put together in this volume" some of the best examples of the wit and humour of the Victorian age." He...

(Hodder and Stoughton, 6s.), described by the sub-title as "A Biblical Conspectus and Compendium of Religious and Secular Thought, past and present, topically arranged," and...

new venture, gives a great amount of useful political information. There is a list of Liberal organisa- tions, and of others which may "be likely to be of use and interest to...