Evening star., 1901-12-07

arly restraint can well be.
THE GREAT WHITE WAY; Record Of I'm
usual voyage Of Discovery, and some Romantic
Love Affairs amid Strange Surroundings, the
whole Recounted by one Nicholas Chase, Pro-
.moter of the Expedition. whose Reports have
been Arranged for Publication by Albert Bige-
Illustrated. New York: ]. f. Taylor Co.
The author of this interesting story of
adventure, which smacks of the Jules
Verne flavor of exaggeration and imagina-
ton, has chosen a cumbersome method OF
st tating his case. Ignoring his rights as au-
thor, he chooses to translate himself into
the person of a voyager in order to sug-
gest the thought of personal participation.
Despite this useless device, the story is
well told and entert aiming. 1t carries the
reader into the south polar regions, where
the adventurers find civilization of ex-
ceptonal qualities. The love story is inter-
woven into the tale with some deftness.
Important, Curious, Quaint and Unique Infor.
nation in History. Literature, Science, Art
and Nature. BY William Henry p Phyfe, au-
thor of 1000 Words Often Mispronouneed;
etc. New York: g. p Putnams Sons. Wash
ington: Woodward & Lothrop.
I mis- book occupies the field between the
cyclopaedia in many volumes and the COM
plete dissertations upon special subjects
with which libraries abound. 1t is literally
the result of a culling of many scores of
hundreds of books. 1t gives the gist of in
formation which the average reader de-
sires upon points of more or less common
interest. Phrases which have come to pos
sess idiomatic meanings in the minds of the
present generation are explained to the end
of affording more complete understanding
of their origin and significance. The alpha
beticaly arranged topics include note
worthy historical events; civil, military and
religious institutions; scientific facts and
theories; natural curiosities; famous build
tngS, monuments, statues, paintings etc;
celebrated literary productions; sobriquets
and nicknames; literary pseudonyms; myth
ological and imaginary characters; politi-
cal and slang terms, etc. There is the
basis for a broad education in facts in this
well-printed book of more than $50 pages.
CHINA IN CONFUSION. BY Arthur H. Smith,
author of Chinese Characteristics and vii
lage Life in China Illustrations and maps.
In two volumes New York: Fleming II. Reyell
Company
There is today no more firmly established
western authority upon Chinese affairs than
DR., Arthur H. Smith, whose previous books
on Chinese life have aroused a remarkable
degree of interest throughout the civilized
world. He went to China thirty years ago
a missionary, and has made that coun-
try his home almost continuously ever
since. Studying the people, mastering their
language and entering intimately into the
native life, he contrived to obtain a more
accurate view of the real China than is OBJ
tanned by most of the Christian workers in
that vast and difficult field Consequently,
when the crisis came last year he was pre-
pared to understand the causes leading to
1t and is today capable of delivering a
comprehensive judgment regarding not only
the events of that terrible summer, but the
conditions which will arise in the future
for the troubling of the powers of the
west.
DR., Smith served during the siege in Pc
kin as one of the two watchmen at the
north legation gate. His companion was
President w. A. Z. Martin of the Chinese
Imperial University. The latter was COM
PEELED, as a result of the severe strain of
the siege, to return to this country imme-
diately after the relief of the legations but
DR.. Smith remained on the ground to study
the reconstruction and to aid far as he
could IN the smoothing of the difficulties
encountered by the military and Diplomatic
agents of western civilization.
The book which this student of China
now presents to the world covers familiar
ground, for several works of the same gen
eral scope have preceded it in point of time
But none has disclosed the same degree of
acquaintance with the real situation and
the real people of China. His work is more
than chronicle of events. 1t is a history
Of the causes, direct and remote of the
anti-foreign uprising and of the failure of
government at the critical moment. Dr.
tions which last year caused the secret So
cleties to rise against the foreigners and
their converts. He shows that this senti-
ment has been fostered, and not allayed
as result of the intrusion of foreign west
erners into the Chinese administration of
affairs. Unwise enterprise on the part of
certain agents of European business blum
ders by diplomats accustomed to more con-
ventional stations and more easily under
stood people, aggravated the natural I'M
willingness of the Chinaman to accept the
unwelcome visitors. DIR. Smith does NOT
seek 10 lay blame specifically upon any one
for the failure to foresee and avert the
horrors of last year although he points to
certain instances of diplomatic inability to
measure the trend of affairs, which was
unmstakable to some western minds in |
China familiar with the signs of popular
unrest in that land.
In conclusion the author SAYS:
The occurrences of the year 1900 displayed upon
great scale the emptiness of those Chinese pre-
abandoned. They have also exhibited notwith- |
standing the universal prevalence of lofty system
OF theoretical morality, 'Gauntless mendacity,' |
barbaric cruelty and colossal pride, unexampled
In modern history The result of the humiliation OF
China before the powers is to leave them confronted
with the gravest problem which occidental cviliza
tion has ever faced. Great issues hang upon the |
the wishes and supposed interests of the powers |
are not only not identical, but apparently hope !
which arises the ominous and significant fact that
the only progress possible has been by the com
There are undoubtedly items'-in the |
terms OF settlement agreed upon between China |
and the powers-''to which exception may be taken
as injudcious, but those familiar with the |
circumstances are most likely to agree that they |
are not in themselves unjust. Yet they are alto !
gether Inadequate. being mainly punitive primitive
and destructive in character and containing no
seed of future promise. A unique opportunity for |
aiding In the rehabilitation of the populous |
and most ancient Of empires seems to have been |
lost. For this, the simple and adequate explana-
ton is that the numerous powers involved in the |
settlement do not desire for China the same things
more impressive object lesson of the failure OF
diplomacy to achieve constructive results when |
unhanpered by external conditions and operating on
large scale. has seldom been seen. Unless China |
is In way essentially changed. past condi- !
tions may gradually recur, but for these changes
shall look in vain to prime ministers of western
powers, or TO ministers resident in China
Dr. Smith believes that education and |
well-controlled Christian missionary work |
will supply the element necessary for the |
regeneration of China. He acknowledges |
that blunders have been committed by the |
eXponents of Christian doctrine working in |
that stubborn field, but he holds that these |
mistakes should be turned now to profitable !
use.
The books are beautifully printed, with a |