New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-27
BOOKS ON SOUTH AFRICA.
Drsc11ss1oNs OF THE TRANsvAAL CUES
T1oN FROM VARIOUS POINTS OF VIEW

~ FdsaT sanderson NJ. A. With Portraits ana ana
Maps, svo, PIP. w. SS5. Imported o' O"'''''
sofTH AFRICA OF TO-DAY BY c9Rsin Fran t,nn,
els Younghusbsnd G. l. r. W Company'
EIsTo RY Of NE KAcs by Sir
s TSS e "a Historical Series New-YOrk;
The Macmillan Company ~,
ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN FRONTIER. By
william Harvey Brown. With Illustrations ana
Maps svo PIP. xxii 43o. Charles scriDher
THROUGH SOUTH AFRICA. BY Henry NJ I,,i stan
lev NJ p ID. c. l.. With Map and lliusra-
ions i2mo, PIP. Xxx 40 Charles scriOner
THE SOUTH AFRICAN. QUESTION: ,,I BY oli y
schreiner 12mo, PIP. 1913. Chicago; Charies H.
AFRICA: IT'S PARTITION AND ITS FUTURE.
BY Henry NJ Stanley ana Othersp e w" phi d.
With Map 16mo. PIP. xvii, 263. Dodd Meau
&Co. ,-
DOM PAULs PEOPLE. BY Howard C. HillegSo gas
With Map and Illustrations. l2mo pp' N'' oo''
ID. Appleton 4 co.
There are few more striking features OF nnou-
ern civilization than the profusion of informa-
ton which is offered 10 the public IN 1uelt''e
or In permanent form. on every topic or current
interest We need not speak here OF the WORK Oh
the daily press which is so largely at once
courier and historian. and whose pens anu
types are busy even in advance or the event
they are TO record But every incident of i'm
pOrtance IN peace OF wal NO't'i4'
instant and copious photography in bound vol
umes Some OF these latter are ephemerai. no
doubt Others are well matured and standaro
works which no future vcissitudes VIII force
from authoritative place. Conspicuous among
ercb latter in the case of the present South
African war we must reckon the impressions
of South Africa" of Mr.. James Bryce IL u.s.
indeed already a couple Of years old Yet TOT
the use Of him who would rightly understand
the whole South African situation 1t Is as timely
as this mornings news and as Indispensable
as a map OF Natal Mr. Bryce Is penetrating
and painstakng observer philosopher or sane
and convincing judgments. and writer or more
than ordinary clarity. He has in this Volufne
done for the various States and colonies OF
South Africa much which in an earlier anu
larger work he did for the United states Moie
than that could scarcely be said
Mr.. Edgar Sandersons Africa in the Nine
teenth Century" is a worthy companion 10 tha'
writer's former and admirable HISTORICAL treat
fses We may reckon 1t as in a measure co'n-
plementng Mr.. Bryce's book inasmuch as "
deals with the whole continent and some ac-
ouaintance with what has been done by the
partitioning Powers, at least In East anu west
Africa, Is desirable, II not essential, 10 thor-
oroh annreclation Of the Transvaal question.
q a
the century which has seen that continents
emergence from darkness into the light or ferce
contention for supremacy, 1t leaves little to be
desired. The period from Sir Ralph AbercTom-
HE IN Lord Kitchener Of Khartoum Is great
era in African annals each OF many or the
salient features OF which may well engage the
mems of historians. To the average reader OF
the day. who needs to have an accurate ana
comprehensive synopsis Of the whole WITHIN inc
compass Of a few hundred well printed pages
this volume will be most satisfying
The name of Captain Francis Younghusoand
Is perhaps best known that Of an adventu-
rous Asian explorer and writer OF narratives
OF travel. He knows his Africa however as
well as his Asia. and he knows 1t especially
In connection with the issues which now con-
yulse the southern part Of that continent HIS
South Africa OF To-Day" is an outcome OF TWO
missions TO that country on behalf or Ihe
London Times" and consists largely OF reprints
OF the letters and dispatches addressed by him
TO that journal Naturally. therefore. we may
expect the volume TO be tinged with strong pro-
British. not 10 say anti Boer, feelings. But
CAPTAIN Younghusband is no mere special
pleader. He is a man who sees both sides and
all sides Of a question. and, though he may
emphatically favor one Of them above all the
cussing the dispute between Great Britain and
the Transvaal he recognizes that. in his own
words "the obligations are not all on one side.
England is under obligations TO the Transvaal.
as the Transvaal is to England" That is the
tone Of the true reporter. as Of the true his
torian and philosopher. and that is the tone
that pervades his book.
In the very foremost rank Of living authori-
Mace unheSitatingly be
given to Sir Harry II. Johnston. His long off,
cial experience and extended explorations in
the continent have given him personal knowl-
edge Of a large part Of 1t. and his habit Of view
has enabled him to regard all parts of 1t with
exceptional perspicacity. He. too, possesses the
fine quality of impartality Of judgment, Is
indicated In the preface OF the work In hand
THE Colonization OF Africa"-in which he dedi-
Gates his book TO two British administrators in
Africa, Frenchman and one German CIV
ing them all equal credit for their high SER
vices to civilization. This volume is one Of the
excellent Cambridge Historical Series" edited
by Mr.. Prothero. and possesses the general
merits that have marked It's companions. Its
special value in the present instance Is that II
affords lucid and explicit account OF the way
in which invasion of the continent by European
Powers has led to partition. to rivalries OF
the one hand and TO cooperation on the other
and finally 20 the clearing up of the little ode
Jobs" as Monsieur Dard would express 1t, sucl
as settling the status OF the Dutch States anc
the smashing Of Mahdsm. The we'll mad
maps, the chronological table extending from
Utica to Fashoda, and the photography, ar
features Of noteworthy convenience in boo
whose every feature is commendable.
reminder that not all Of South Africa lie
south OF the Limpopo River comes to hand II
Mr.. William Harvey Browns "On the Sout
African Frontier" Rhodesia is It's theme; tn
land Of the Matabeles and Mashonas, likewise
it is assumed. OF ancient Ophir. Mr. Brown
went thither partly as naturalist in Untet
States Government expedition and partly as al
independent hunter. goldseeker. soldier and citi
zen. In consequence he had many varied ex
neriences and has given n hls hnak q M rti