New-York tribune., 1906-09-22

THE fNARHAS b .gy VAR s69 OF T5 !S By Isl tuess cas-
ford: The Clarendon Press.
CANADA: THE NEW NATION. A Book for the
Settler the EIngrant and the Politician BY
Il X Whates. With seventeen luuSLTaIlons rom
SSSsapA7- GO. i-'-0' '' A' - T. r D''''n
Intended as an instalment merely OF larger
work on Canadian history. which he has in prep
aration. Mr.. Lucas's account OF the War OF 1872,
far as its operations ara confined 20 the Cana
dian border is q careful compilation. based
mainly upon the dispatches on both sides relating
70 the conflict The author has accomplished his
task with thorOughness and with admirable de-
tachment He feels, however. compelled 70 de-
fend the action OF the British leaders in employ
ing the Indians allies ana endeavors 10 find
justification for their brutalities in various har
ryings and burnings OF unprotected Canadian
villages by the American troops. There is no
room for doubt" ne AYERS. that the reason why
Indians were more employed by the English than
by the Americans was not much any scrupls
on the part of the Americans as the plain fact
that the English had befriended the Indians and
the Americans had not; and there was equally
no reason 10 doubt that the British officers. with
whom and nominally under whom they served
were al pains 20 restrain their excesses" He
pays a high tribute 10 the character and iniu-
ence OF Tecun4seh. declaring that wherever this
ties seemed 10 have been repressed" No doubt
excesses were committed on both sides and there
is reason 70 believe that the more general en-
ployrnent of Indians by the English than by the
Americans was due at least I'm part. 20 the rea-
sons ascribed by the author. Nevertheless. 10 is
a matter Of historical record as we'll as OF per
sistent sentiment that any employment OF Ind
ians by United States troops was deprecated by
the American people and that th- memory Of
the atrocities committed by the redmen stil
rankles in the minds Of the descendants Of those
who suffered at their hands.
The value OF the volume lies IN its straight
forward record OF events The work is not 10
he regarded as a carefully considered study
Of a series Of campaigns. The military opera
tions OF the were nor. In fact, OF a nature
10 render them the subject OF such cOnsidera-
tion. They were, on both sides spasmOdic. often
unrelated and usually unsupported attacks.
where temporary advantages were frequently
abandoned. and where apparently decisive VIC
tories were made Intellectual by the scanty re-
sources OF either side The student OF military
strategy will find little to instruct him in the
conduct of the War Of 1912 except IN so far
as II is possible 10 learn something by observ-
ing the mistakes OF others Mr. Lucas is in
clined 10 attribute thu indecisive result OF the
war so far as the British arms were concerned
20 the conciliatory attitude maintained by Pre-
vost: but # seems doubtful II the ultimate out
come would have besn different had he followed
a more consistently aggressive policy. II any
one principle. more than another is empha-
sized By a study Of the events il Is that the
.sea power OF the lakes was essential 20 the
sucoess OF the aruies-and the naval advantage
was always on the side OF the United States
Fatter generalship. a more cordial cooperation
hatUeen the land and sea forces might indeed
bav. resulted in the capture CT Piattsburg bv
,ba british but II is more than likely that with
tba s,perfor naval advantages OF the Americans
The s,tuation would soon have been reversed
potb sides relied largely upon unframed mill
,,a ana .in no war" the author points out
.yvsre the merits and defects OF citizen soldiers
mora clearly TO be seen. or the priceless value
IN the early stages OF such war OF nucleus
OF trained men" Like the Boer war IN our own
tim. the War OF 1872 proved also the sxtraor-
ainarv srlculties involved In an attempt to
conquer a large territory. even II IL Is but
sparselv defended. The principal advantage OF
the war 20 Canada lay in the Matchmaking ef-
feet Il had upon the Dominion 1T was IN
sense the eorrolary OF the American War OF
Independence It was "the national war of
Canada. II ala more than any other event or