The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-05-22
LITERATURE.

The important article on the British Navy
by Sir Edward Reed. which attracted mucf
attention in the February Hayper's, and thu
description Of the Krupp establishment il
March, will be followed in the June number
by timely paper on the US Navy by Rear
admiral Edward Simpson, of the Navy DE
partment at Washington, with large mum
ber Of excellent illustrations The history
Of our navy is briefly ske,ched, and the rec
ord is one that Uncle Sam need not b'
ashamed Of. But as one reads Of its present
deplorabe condition, every patriot must re-
gret the Indifference and stagnation which
have left us far behind the age. Previous to
last year our navy consisted only Of thirty
two wooden vessels, two iron sloops OF war
and few old primitive monitors. In 1883
the construction Of three seam-cruisers and
dispatch boat, with steel plates, was au-
tborizeJ. These vessels are the Chicago,
Boston and atlanta which are nearly I'm
shed, and the DoLphin, now doing service.
With the construction of these vessels the
manufacture Of steel plates for ships began
in this country. This feeble array consti-
tutes the present naval force of the United
States. We have not one clad man-ot
war (the old sngle.turreted monitors not be-
ing considered as having any efficiency, and
the ordnance and equipments are ridiculously
behind the age. II would be impossible for
us to cope even with some Of the smaller
powers in our own hemisphere, and the naval
ornaments Of Europe make our deficiency n
humiliation. Public opinion is stirring CEN
gress to action, and the article mentions
some important in provements which are in
operation 1t is to be hoped that this able
paper will hasten the adjustment Of our navy
to the Age Of Steel.
The dat for May contains very interest
ing and logical argument by Gen. A. c. Nc
Clurg. in behalf Of an international copy
right entitled Justice to Authors" Will
liam NJ Lawrence discusse, Henry Wads-
worth Longfelow and W. F. Aliens "The
Epic Songs Of Russia" Among the other ar
ticles of interest are review Of Andrew
Carnegies triumphant Democracy" by
Rosster Johnson; and VIM. Morton Payne's
review of ar, cent Fiction" The usual
briefs on new books is to be found in this
number.
Hon. David A. Wells third paper Of the
series, entitled Gan Economic Study of Mex
ico,' now running through The Popular
Science Nonhiy, will appear in the forthcom.
ing June number. The series will close with
the fourth paper, and it promises, when
to be the fullest as 1t will be I'M
questionably the most accurate summary of
the real condition of affairs, industrial, com
mercial, and political, in Mexico. that has
since the Mexican war.
Justice Thomas NJ. Cooley, of the Supreme
Court of Michigan, is giving his attention to
the labor troubles, and is preparing an arti-
Gle on Arbitration for the July number of
The Forum. A writer combining 80 much
legal knowledge with so wide an experience
in practical affairs ought to be able to make
some useful suggestions
The Graphic Ne,e,, of Chicago, Of May 10Th
is very finely illustrated, containing pictures
of Messrs. Parsons, Fielden, Spies and
Schwab, the anarchist leaders; also Of Col.
Knox Chief Of Police Ebersold, and others
who assisted in stamping out the recent So
cialistic demonstrations in Chicago.