The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-29
BUTTE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Works on History, Biography,
Travel and Description.
SOME RECENT ADDITIONS
Extra Standard Card Feature Has
Proved a Success-A Much In
creased Interest in Naval
Matters.

We continua this week our comments on
the many recent additions of historical
books which were begun in our article of
last week 1t is here to be noted that
these books may be drawn for home use,
not only on the regular card, but also on
the extra standard card. which is given to
those who wish to provide for solid read
ing and for rccreative literature at the
same time. This extra card has proved a
popular feature, about one-fourth of our
large number of book borrowers having
awaited themselves of the privilege.
The great Importance of naval power in
warfare, which was advocated so strong
ly by Captain Mahan in his volumes, has
been amply Illustrated by the events of the
war with Spain The result has been an
increased interest in naval subjects by
the general public and the record of the
floating armies of all nations is being
carefully investigated. Next to our own
navy we naturally care more to learn of
the ships and sailors whose great achieve
ments have made the name of England
pre-eminent in the annals of nations. I'm
questionably the best single book on this
subject is David Hannay's Short History
of the Royal Navy" of which only the
first volume has so far appeared. This
shows record as far as the ascension of
William and Mary, which may be a sur
prise to some people, who imagine that
the value of a sea force was only dis
covered in the historic days of Nelson.
Well written. but of interest only to the
curious. is Love Affairs of Some FaE
nous Men" by E. ]. Hardy
Popular interest in the recent history of
affairs in the Dark Continent has been
ploits of the devoted Chinese Gordon than
in any other single episode. The full
story of his exploits and death is now
told in Gordon in Central Africa. 1874 to
1879" edited by George Birkbeck HILL
A very reliable volume but not as fas-
cinating the subject deserves, is the
latest issue of the Cambridge historical
series. The book is called Spain; Its
Greatness and Decay, 1879 to 17SS'' and is
written by the apparently indefatigable
investigator, Martin A. S. Hume,
At last we are promised a complete
History of British India and is a sat
isfaction that the author is one who is
particularly fitted for the task Sir Will
liam Wilson Hunter had so years of active
official work in India, in the course of
which he held many important executive
positions in different departments. He
has also been widely known as the author
of many authoritative works on the i'm
portant Asiatic country, the most impor-
tant of these being "a Brief History OF
the Indian People, which was evidently
a preparat tory study for the present
larger work. The first volume of the COM
plete history is now ready and we hope
the others will follow a an early day
The histories of Lady Catherine Char
lotte Jackson are not to be taken for fun
damentai authority, but they are gossipy
and readable, so that they are excellent
for filing out ones conception of the pc
Rod described "Old Paris; Its Courts and
Literary Salons is one of her best
works
The title of the reports on Alaska by
Sheldon Jackson. which are issued by tbs
United States bureau of education, reads
like joke. But in reality they are i'm
portant contributions to the history of tbs
attempts TO develop our Arctic province
The library possesses three volumes OF
these reports and they are called "Annua
Reports on the Introduction of Domestic
Reindeer Into Alaska" for 1896, 1897 anC
1898
An old book. published in 1853. and o
interest to Montana antiquarans. is Ed
win F. Johnsons RAILROAD to the Pa
cific; the Northern Route; It's Genera
Character. Relative Merits, etc
We mentioned above Hannay's "ShOr
History of the British Navy" A Compan
ion book. also the best of it's kind an,
bringing the narrative down to 1896 i
STORY of the British Army" by Charlie
Cooper King.
The most valuable periodical devoted t
United States history which has heel
published is Magazine of American His
tory, With Notes and Queries" The Ii