The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-01-22
ARE NEW SEA TALES GOODS
a Lover Of sach Novels Critielses the Med.
ern Prsducta.

To EDITOR OF The SUN-Sir: As a con-
slant reader Of The Sun l should be obliged If
you would throw a little light upon something
that has staggered mo. am a dsvourer OF
novels about the sea. and a great admirer OF
Fsnlmore Cooper. OF course I have read the
stories Of Clark Russell. but I doubt him. 1
think he Is q fraud, knowing nothing OF the sea,
and hiring some unknown person to do the
marine bits. l came to that conclusion after
reading "A Sailors Sweetheart" because there
he introduces q Spaniard, and makes him
swear an oath which belongs not to Spain. but
to Michael Scott, the author Of Tom Cringle's
Log" who had a wicked propensity for guyinR
his readers. which he either could not or would
not restrain. The oath is. "Rabo do lechon de
San Antonio" by tho curly tail Of st. An
thongs sucking pig" He also makes the same
character use the word "gastados." for dead
men. which is likewise to be found in TON
Cringle's Log" but there It is placed in the
mouth OF q pirate Of the most inhuman dispo-
sition. who Enthusiastically speaks Of mon
killed In action as men expended"
And now Clark Russell has written a tale
called 1.-THE Frozen Pirate" which seems In its
plot to have been suggested by Robert Louis
21sysPso !I'hom nreos aFor rsins3 oas sGa Nff IN this
antarctic ice, goes to work with flint and steel
WhiNA AO lliLo. III = AuhA VAN "a OSChN oti vi
goal which no finds heapsd up in the coal room;
It seems to me that this will not pass muster.
One Of the niost thrilling scenes IN the last.
R psa Sdc work Is the s, sfors to, r ell, z Are st that
only. The author dwells upon. the manner in
which things usually infemmable cease to be
but he says, that the only fuel that will kesr
mon aali 1,H when wiGtsrin 9E, In the ice is oaI; l
would Ssri IKE to 0d Learn aI iron dME sUs's k coMns
lively recent times whether coal will burn in
the ice regions. and whether 1t would be posi-
out making splinters OF. wood, and using oil or
candles to assist .combnstion. The story is
%sonSsiSs human Msah f liz a ahs s9t saeh e e1aSdliltlltS to
the writer wishes to make his readers comPre-
is reasonable whom the plot compels him to
violent action.
The plratiieai, wines and liquors all Improve
r Ra .SsI %sIs b ,o sss; w R4Idd that ID be s the case
pie think. But that Improvement Is due to the
through chemical processes which would not
take place 4 tho brandy were to be frozen.
composition is Obvious to The eye in the case Of
70 the bottom OF the bottle. and the wine. in
1t Is then excellent. but II not drunk az that
taste, and quality OF wine disappear. Light
bodied wines will not keep for any great space
q Time. and the old wines OF Bremen and
norance o. those who uNretend to know about
wines and do not. Three times the liquid
contents Of each monster tun are sold Rnnu-
ally. fresh supplies poured into the bunghole
eompensatinG, for what is drawn. at the spigot;
wine Of the Galatians. a rough, strong wine
which certainly would not last nifty. years. An
other point: would. wine that had been frozen
for any length Of time thaw back into wine. or
would the capitalization decompose it2 /
fancy that the latter would be the case, l wish
you would %enllghten mo on these points, and
state your candid opinion as TO CLARK R~ussell's
honesty, and capacity as a writer OF sea novels.
he has been the vogue for twelve years Of so.
been much admired, but In. my opinion the
only good ono Is "A Strange V9yage."
BROOKLYN. N. Y. Jan. IA.