Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-02-23
NEn PuHLIoArIOSs.

THE MAINE; ANyACCouNT OF HER
DESTRUCTION IN HAVANA hAK-
BoR." The Personal Narrative OF Cap
tain Charles ID. Sigshee. U. ,. \. az =. Y.
Price, $50. New York: The Century 20.
The war with Spain was precipitated
by the explosion of the Maine 10
Havana harbor on February 10th, lS9S.
1t is fitting that the memory OF SO tate-
full an event should be preserved Tor
posterity, and doubly fitting that the
captain of the battleship should be the
one to chronicle it. As the publica-
ton of the Maine anticipates by
fortnight the first anniversary OF the
great catastrophe, it is obvious that
the reader can rely upon the freshness
of the authors recollection OF the
sequence of events leading up to and
following the disaster.
Capt Sigsbee tells his story without
animus or exaggeration, but with a
simplicity and straightforwardness that
emphasize the facts. Though not for
maily subdivided, the narrative falls
| naturally into three divisions. The
| first describes the ship and her trip to
| Havana, the exchange of official court
estes, and the three weeks stay in
Havana harbor. The second contains
a vivid description OF the explosion at
night. and the escape of Capt. Sigsbee
and the other survivors from the wreck.
| The third presents an account OF the
removal of the wounded, the burial OF
| the dead, the wrecliing operations, and
| the official inquiry into the disaster,
resulting in the decision that the ex'
| plosion was due to external causes.
| This is Capt. Sigsbee's own con-
| viction, and the reasons on which it is
based are tersely and conclusirely
stated.
A series of appendices presents the
findings of the Court Of Inquiry, the
Presidents message based upon the
courts report, and list of the dead
and wounded members of the crew of
the Maine, showing the present loca-
ton of the remains of such as were
identified. This list has not been pub
lished elsewhere.
The volume is profusely illustrated
with views of the Maine, before and
after the explosion. portraits of her
officers, diagrams, &c.
Received OF the publishers.
THE TWO STANDARDS" A Novel. By
the Rev. William Barry, D. D. IL mo.
5l3p.p p. Price, $3.50. New York: The
Century Co.
1t is seldom that the author Of 8
successful novel waits II years before
following it up with a new one. Thi:
, is what DIR. William Barry, the autho
of 1.-The Two Standards, has done
THE New Antigone, ~ his first sue
cess, appeared in 1887. 1t was charm
ing story, and thousands of readers vii
be glad to see this second novel from
| 81 III thn,r nil I'm 10
+ it was worth waiting for. In his ney
i book, DIR. Barry presents very vividl
many phases of English social, artist
! and religious life at the end OF tn
, nineteenth century. His heroine, Maria
, Greystoke, girl of 10, 'perverse
. wiful, obstinate and proud, rebellin
against the narrow existence of coun
= try vicarage, marries a millionair
, without loving him and goes to Londo
: to live, but soon realizes that Vanit
4 Fair is poor home for seriou:
a minded woman. Her husband, Lucu
!. Harland, is great company promoter
a OF the type of Il. Il. Hooley. whose ris
a and fall have attracted universal al
z tention within the past few months
!. This is very striking character. an
a is painted to the life. But the hero {
q the book is Gerard Elven, famou
= musician, devoted to his art, yet capa
: BILE of loving strongly. 1.-THE Tw
y Standards of the title are mora
4 standards, and the great lesson of tn
a story, as revealed in the experience
!. of the hero and heroine, is renunci;
q ton.
? 1t is believed that 1.-THE Two Stant
!. ards" will excel in popularity, as
n does in timeliness and literary styl'
Il the authors New Atigone. "
n Received of the publishers.