New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

If Dates SuLlCienly dbleSNu ny wv low '
during twenty-eght years it has retained It's pop
vlaritv and has undergone many successive re-
visions made necessary by the lapse of tine Will
ont any important modification in its form OF
,uetbod. As a handbook Of reference for leadlhg
historical events it is superior to any other WORK III
n single volume with which we are acquainted. Inc
basis of the American edition is MI Flncehts In
glish revision Of 1856. The additions maze Ior INC
Harpcrs, and incorporated with the text are 'he
fruit of several mems abors, and seem TO DC reason
ably full though of course absolute completeness III
= work of this nature will never De attained
until man gets over the effect of original SIM Inc
protoco assures rs that the record has been
hrought down 20 the present year. In some cases 1t
has Int practically we do not find it later than lSOo
The table of Population and Governments OF the
World for example is copied from the Gotha Alma
nae of 1866 and represents Andrew johnson as Presl-
dent of the United States, beside filling Germany
with independent sOveTeignties which no longer
exist and Central and South America with Presl-
dents who long ago went out of Office Nor are
these defects remeded in the articles upon separate
countries. The Inauguration of General Grant Is
indeed recorded, but that is the only event later
than 1865 which can be found under the head
United States" In the table of the population OF
chief cities of the world taken at different dates,
shat of New-York is given for 1860 This table was
borrowed from the Gotha Almanac of 1865. If the
editors could not 90 behind that work for their In
formation, they might at least have used the
Almanac of 1862 The article on the United States
especially so far relates to the war; is written from
she standpoint Of an EngShman with Confederate
proelvites and need hardly say that in the art
Ut Misrepresentation gentlemen of that sort are
entirely unrivalod. For example, we read under
date of August 1861, &" Passport system introduced
into the Northern States q, and the liberty OF the
tlv - i'm %
year. Discussions increase between the Republi-
cans AbolitiOnists) and the Democrats in New-fOrk
the capture Of New Orleans is concealed under the
announcement May 1862. that Commodore Farra-
gut with hOtilla ascends the mississippi; the
battle of Antietam is made palatabe to the South by
the statement that "COnfederates, after great
SIGHT near Antietam Creek and sharpsburg
Road, retreat, Sept. II, 1SG2;' but the worst
of all is probably the following entry
Meade advances against Lee; great battle OF
Gettysburg indeciSire a. but the COnfederates evac-
uate Pennsylvania and Maryland" Every fact which
can be recorded to the dscredt discomfort Of the
"Federas" as the Union party and the North in
general are denOmnated is carefully set down, but
very little is given on the other side. The following
paragraph under the date of Nov T. 1863 is curl
osity: "Cbief Justices Lowrie, Woodward and
Thompson declare that the Conscription Act Is I'M
constitutional" Who would suppose this opinion to
be the decision merely of three out of the FIVE judges
of a State Court of Pennsylvania! Mr.. Seward is
described as 1.-THE foreign secretary" The national
debt is given in pounds sterling Under Sept. 1865
we read: Pacific policy of President John
son; he declares himself opposed to centrali-
intion and in favor of State rights: and is
bitterly opposed by lthe Radicals" Later
the compiler writes: President JohnsOns message
Csnciatory and firm The Radical party, OPP
posed to the President and TO cemency to the South
predominant in the Congress. and move violent reso
lutOns against the restoration Of Southern States TO the
URiOR. Eighty-fve members for the Southern
States excluded from Congress; the Conservative
party support the President in his endeavOrs to re-
construct the UniOn the Radicals violently oppose
his policy" And yet the preface assures that
1.-The events of the recent civil war compiled
and arranged by separate editor, who had made
those events the study of several years. The his
tory Of the revolution was intruSted to Mr. Benson
j. LOSING Nevertheless the date of the battle of
Bunker Hill is given June 16 instead of n Gen.
Howe is called victor at Rhode Island, Dec.
g." meaning that he occupied Newport; and
we find entry to this effect: The Hessians
surrender to Washington Dec 2j 17G' it is not said
where. The paragraph refers of TO the battle
of Trenton fought not the 25th but the Goth The
following is still more remarkable: BurgOyne, vic
tor at Germantown, Oct g. is surrounded, and captu-
lates at Saratoga Oct. H." Ii would have been an
unparalleled achievement for BurgOyne TO get his
army from Germantown TO Saratoga in fourteen
days; but at the time of the battle of Germantown
which was by Howe on the 4th Of October, in
stead of the Sd, Burgoyne closely beset by Gates
at Bemss Heights Tho date of COrnwalliss sur
render at Yorktown is given Oct. 80 1871 it ought
to be Oct 10. Mr. LOSING is also made responsible
for the record of the of 1912; but this
singular entry must have been written by ali
Englshman: Action between the American
ship Constitution and the British frigate
Guerrero, unequal contest Aug. 10. lsl2.'
The battle of New-Orleans does not appear in the
chronological table at all but have the follow
ing: Buffalo town burnt by the British = The
British defeat the Americans a severe conflict.
July 2 1914" the editor omits to say where. as In
deed he well might Orthe only battle abont that time
was at Chippewa July 8. when the British
defeated. Lnndy'S Lane is not mentioned. The
battle of Bladensburg is said to have been fought
the 18th of August instead of the 9th. All these
mistakes land many others under the head
United States" and it is only fair to say that
II not all Of them corrected under separate titles
Still they will be apt TO mslead nqurers after truth
andw think it would be good plan to insert in a
subsequent edition note of warning somethinglike
this ID" The following table of American history is
not to be depended upon except in so far it may
be eorroborated by other authorities" Then if We
irusted it we shOud do 80 at our peril
FEMALE CHARACTERS OF GOETHE FROM THE
ORIGINAL DRAWINGS OF WILLIAM KAUI~
BACH. With Explanatory Text by GEORGE II. LEwEs.
Folio. Tbeo StrOefer.
This is saeh book as German publishers delight
M producing aud enthusiasts of German literature
and art rejoice TO possess IL brings together two