New-York tribune., 1908-12-16
Literary NesOS and CrfffcfSr1

versal acceptance OF the dictum above ouoteu
that only a few days ago the Liberal Prime
Minister in a carefully calculated Utterance on
British naval supremacy, took unequFoCai
stand in these memorable words: Every for-
eien power knows that If we have established
as we have. and il we mean 10 maintain, as VIC
do. indiSputable supremacy on the seas Il IS
not for the purpose of aggression or adventure
but that we may fulfil the elementary duty
we owe the empire 20 uphold 1t beyond reac"
and beyond the risk Of successful attack from
the outside on commerce, our industry ana
our homes" When these sentiments find uni
versaI acceptance there are fitness and propriety
in such q convincing volume as the present
The author briefly sketches the birth Of the
British navy and passes rapidly to its heyday
under Elizabeth He has compiled and arranged
a large amount Of interesting material as 10 Ihe
duties and the pay OF sailor men III the 1uuol
regime and these form grateful variety to the
conventional and uniform glories Of battle Inc
achievements of the immortal adventures ana
discoverers receive due NEED of praise ana the
narrative advances quickly to the navy Of the
commonwealth and the restoration. The early
Georgian navy includes the exploits Of the revo-
1utfonsr,- period and is followed by the age of
Napoleon The change from sail to steam
brings US down TO our own day. and the chap-
ters on the material and organization OF the
present feet and upon the personnel and ADMIN
istration are not the least valuable part OF the
work Its usefulness for reference is also en-
HANGED by notes upon the costume of sailors, to-
gether with some very interesting liustfd'io
of that theme by another hand
second capital book on British maritime
matters is Edward Fraser's chronicle OF Ihe
Tondons of the British Fleet" There is OF
course only a fictitious connection between the
London of Cromwell and that of Edward VII
and those that came between. but an interesting
writer has managed to collect the important
facts connected with each and to produce
lively historical narrative through which Is ap-
parent the persistent effort TO remind the British
reader that naval supremacy was never won oy
e,,ri,a inactfon Great Britain, like our own
country. has had periodic fits of economy and
shirkings OF responsibility, during which the
navy had suffered from neglect, and the money
saved has been lost over and over again pelore
the bill was paid. 1t is with this object OF
keepins before the public the folly and lgno-
miny Of such cheeseparins methods that such
books as this written. Mr.. Fraser Woulo
hardly hazard a work of the kind without duti-
full aIluson to the providence of God in its rela-
tions to British welfare, and he shows a proper
modern spirit in inculcation of the imperial idea
And with suitable comprehension of the en-
pires mission, being possessed of a bright and
pleasing style and faculty of illuminating his
narrative by contemporary anecdote and quota
ton he has made a very readable and usei III
volume. The first London received its name
from Cromwell out of compliment to the city,
and through Pepys and others we learn many
interesting facts Of her construction which make
an interesting comparison with the record Of the
battleship London of to-day. In the line Of
Londons was that Of George the Thirds fleet
which was the flagship of Admiral Graves when
he encountered De Grasse in Chesapeake Bay.
II IS not necessary to believe that less rigid
adherence to convention by Admiral Graves
would have altered the destiny of the American
colonies in order TO recognize the merit Of Mr.
Fraser's spirited narrative. He has so mingled
historical detail with patriotic fervor that his
reader is carried along without the least wish
| TO combat to criticise any conclusions he may
reach. His work will be of hardly less interest
l TO Americans than 10 his countrymen.