The National tribune., 1896-12-24


THE FINAL WAR. BY Louis Tracy. Published
by G.. p. Putnams Sons. New York. Foe
sale by Robsr: Besll. 4so Pennsyivanis avenue
Washington, ID. @. Price 3l.7S
The Final War is an account Of the battle Of
the future. It takes place 10 1893. and ID .
great struggle between Great Britain, aided BY
the United States, and the allied forces Of
France, Germany, and Russia The war 10
opened by an attack of the combined French
and German feet upon the English hees and
coast. The alliance of European powers claims
o noble purpose in destroying England. because
she is selfish and land. grabbing, but they plan
to divide up her rich colonies among them
selves. The book is skiifully written, and
brings mp many of the most interesting war
topics of our day. The campaign is an easy
victory for the English. They defeat the
fleets of their own coast; they blow up the
Suez Canal. and make old Gibraltar hum with
activity in dispellinga French fleet; the Eng.
iish soldiers slip up to and into the Notifications
at Stralsand, take them. and with barely 2O1 90
men hold the major part OF the German army
at bay; the Indian forces capture Moscow with
very little trouble and bloodshed for the Eng
lish troops the British soldiers land in France
and march into Paris with ever-triumphans
armies. Finally the war is ended, and Eng
land dictates the peace. After whipping them
all soundly she Is good-tempered in her de-
mands however.
prejndices He has fixed and firm belief
that one Tommy Atkins can lick any 20 SOLE
| ders of other armies. and that while he ID
manuvering the others will not be doing any
thing worth while.
| The United States ships and troops play an un-
important part in the campaign-rot at all neces.
| ssry to the English victory-oxcept that per-
| haps they hasten it. But there is entertaining
| description OF the American Ambassador Bay
| ard thinly vailed under the Dame Bryant.
Among other things that the author has 10 say,
concerning the United States and its alliance
/ with England, one at least makes ones jingo"
blood boil. It is in the theater. after the slli-
/ ance has been announced to the public. No
/ one pays any attention to the play. Everyone
/ watches the Prince of Wales and Mr.. Bryant,
| the American Ambassador.
| "Mr. Bryant" said the Prince with .
l warmth that knew nothing Of courtly eere-
| mony, "your name is a fit one indeed for .
| representative of your country. We recognize
her chivalry, and thank you in the name OK
Britons throughout the world"
i "Sir" answered the Ambassador. simply,
I'VE all Britons. America is prouder, I
assure you, to-day when she shares your peril.
| than when in the beginning she claimed her
| independence"
4 A sentiment to which no true American can
| assent, if be have decent pride in those srlen-
did days in our early history, when the Dscls-
| ration of Independence was proclaimed and
our Constitution made true and possible. How
| ever, this is too serious tone for the book,
which is really very ably written, is not with
out humor, and is very interesting and very
| English.
| HALF HOURS OF TRAVEL. Selected and ar
ranged by Charles Morris. Published by J. b.
Lippincott. Philadelphia. For sale by Brentano,
Washington. ID. q. Price S..
These half hours of travel comprise Q series
of volumes, four in all, entitled America. Eu-
| rope, Africa, and Australia. The plan Of the
editor is to present brief descriptions Of pisces
| of interest to the traveller. and Mr.. Morris has
| been wise enough to choose from the writings
of famous travellers scientists, explorers, ARCH
| biologists. and well-known writers for the toxt
of the books. These are no cut-and-dried guide
| book accounts, but vigorous, lively, personal
descriptions of journeys and places.
In the volume on America there is Harriet
Martineau's account of Winter and Summer in
New England, as seen through her critical
English eyes, with an account Of night whom
the Northern Lights were particularly resplen-
dent in the New England skies There 10 Q
bright sketch of Chinese life in San Francisco,
taken from of Helen Hunt Jackson's
| books; Darwin's account of Valparaiso; .
chapter by Washington Irving; delightful
account of the High Woods of Trinidad, by
Charles Kingsley. and Life and Scenery in
Trinidad, by Alexander Won Humboldt. These
are some of the finest of the so chapters in the
book, describing places of interest in the two
Americas.
The volume on Europe is likewise attractive.
A list of the best chapters would include West
minister Abbey. by Nathaniel Hawshorne;
The Gardens at Kew, by Julian Hawthorne;
The English Lake District by Amelia Barr;
The Old Town of Edinburgh, by Robert Louis
Stevenson; Paris, It's Attractions, by Harriet
Beecher Stowe; The Students of Heidelberg,
by Rayard Taylor; A Typical Dutch City, By
Edmondo de Amicis; A Visit to Finland, BY
David Kerr; In the Land of Rob Roy, BY Na-
thaniel P. Willis; The Isles of Greece, by Hip
polyte Taine; A Day in Rome, by Bayard Tay.
lor, and host of other deli ghtful articles
Various places of interest," and phases Of
life, curious tragic, or picturesque, in Asia ara
described by well-known travellers making the
volume interesting.
/ The fourth book, on Africa and Australia, II
also fine. Like the others, it is made up Of de-
scriptions and accounts from we'll known writ
ings Amelia B. Edwards contributes . chap.
ter on the Temple of Phil8; The Pygmies Of
Africa are described by George Schweinfurth;
Adventures With Animals, by David Living.
ston: Tahiti and Other Pacific Islands. by Lady
Anne Brassey; Through the Primeval Forest
by Henry NJ. Stanley, and The Pink-and-White
Terraces of New Zealand, by James Anthony
Froude, are only part of the riches of the vol
ume.
Altogether, they are delightful books Of
travel, and az they are we'll illustrated, bound
neatly, and of convenient size, they will, No
! doubt, be exceedingly popular.
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