New-York tribune., 1902-01-13
NEW PUBLICATIONS
ENGLISH AS SHE is TAUGHT-INTERNA-
TIONAL LAW-THE SIBERIAN
RAILROAD


imagined the matters contained in it. They are
plainly, she says bona fide answers to ques-
tions asked in the public schools; and they al
most all reveal traces OF what Mark Twain calls
in his Introduction the book. 'brickbat cult
ure,"-cramming with obscure and wordy rules,
over which brickbats would have the advantage
that they would at least stay. Almost all fields
Of life and knowledge touched by these an
swers TO questions. There some good at
tenpts ar etyrnology: thus ammonia is 1.-The food
OF the gods; assiduty. state of being an acid;
equestrian. according definition. is 'one
who asks questions: according to another. "one
who walks foot"
Ideas grammar show some cropping where
there light. these several definitions
of the thing itself: Grammar is how to talk
good: grammar gives the languish-" and
Eve study grammer to get the senses" clear
idea Of the intransitive verb is contained in the
statement that IL expresses an act not done to
another. James did not strike John; and Of
the optative mood in this: "A mood in verb
when anybody knows you have done anything"
And wonder If some children of a larger
growth co not have something the same notion
this: Prose tells things that are true right
along just they and poetry makes 1t up
as you go along" Geography seems TO have
been something Of a rock which many were
wrecked Thus learn that The United
States is quite small country compared with
some other countrys but is about industri-
ous": also that THE capital OF the United States
lie Long Island" and that the rivers of America
are ohio Artic an drandartic"-the bane of
cepting sound for sense and of allowing IL to be
accepted is constantly in evidence
There is a certain gleam of intelligence in the
statement that ''the principal occupation Of New
England is shipping goods" but we grope again
before the assertion that the five seaports of
the u. S. Newfunlan and Sanfrancisco." In
foreign geography. ireland is called the Emil
grant Isle because 1t is so beautiful and green;
and in physical geography there is profound
truth in this: Climate lasts all the time and
weather only few days" There are gems in
literary criticism and analyss-"analysis." it
may be mentioned. being the reduction Of poetry
TO that prose that tells things right along just
they are: and 1T is sometimes much reduced.
Thus the first stanza of Longfellow's Psalm Of
Life" is interpreted follows: Your the
dead when your asleep and things that
making you pleasant now will one day make
you sorry" Edgar A. Poe is truthfully described
"a very curdling writer" and none VII gain
say the statement that "Oliver Wendell Holmes
writeings inclined TO humorous" More doubt
would be cast on this opinion: Samuel Johnson
an American writer. His writing is proved and
accepted. being exciting and meretorious.'
But quotation seems almost invidious where
everything is quotable. The little book is
tremely amusing. 1t also makes marvel at
the kind OF teaching that still goes in this
age Of the world.
Modest as It is in size and unpretentious
in character, International Law (Silver, Bur-
dett & Coz. by Professor Wilson, Of Brown
University, and George Fox Tucker. official
reporter of the Supreme Court Of Massa-
chusetts. IS nevertheless of the most
of +he
subject. The work is useful not alone in
presenting the latest developments of the rules
that control the chief nations of the world in
their relations with each other, but also in set
ting forth with greater fulness and clearness
than any other similar publications that re-
call the forms and methods by which those dip
lomatic relations are conducted 1t is almost
startling TO consider how comparatively recent
has been the establishment Of large part of
the existing code of international law. 1t is also
gratifying to Americans to realize what an i'm
portant part OF this work has been accomplished
by the United States-through its Executive its
Department of State, the decisions of the Su-
preme Court and the teachings of Kent Story
Wheaton. Woolsey Wharton and it's other great
writers. Former Secretary of State Foster in
his recent work the first Century of Ameri-
can Diplomacy" has hesitation in declaring
that mo body of men in any country have exer-
cised a more salutary influence on the affairs Of
the globe done much TO improve and
large the principles of international law"
But this said of period that did not IN
clude the history of the Spanish-American War.
1t was in that conflict that the highest and finest
evidences were afforded by our government IN
der the direction of President Mckinley that
the Golden Rule" to adopt the recent phrase
of Secretary Hay. is to represent the best senti-
fnent Of modern nations, well OF indvidu-
ais tn their relations with each other. This is
however, applicable to times OF peace as well
as Of war; and modern diplomacy has reached
fts highest development in promoting the mutual
advantage of nations by making their interstate
relations more close, convenient and reciprocal.
Familiar as these general facts to intelli-
gent and well informed persons. the technical
rules and principles that the foundation of
modern diplomacy, and especially the machinery
by which diplomatic practice is conducted, are
not widely known. 1t is the purpose Of Profess
sor Wilson and Mr.. Tucker to supply this infor-
nation IN their book, rather than to present an
exhaustive treatise international law. The
result is exceptionally useful work
Miss Annette NJ B. Meakin travelled in the
early summer OF 1900 from Moscow to
Vladivostock on the Siberian Railway, then
newly opened for its entire length She
was fired with the ambition to be the
first English woman to make the Journey
Whether the trip and Miss Meakin's observa-
uons were Of sufficient moment to make book
of may be open to some doubt At all events
she did SO, and embodied her experiences. ap-
parenty with considerable assistance from
sources OF Information Of the guidebook order in
the volume entitled "A Ribbon Of Iron" (E p
Dutton & Coz Miss Meakin accompanied
only by her mother. but these two English women