New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-16
A INV ENCYCLOPEDIA.

II Is likely thhA tNt tultoie OF t"'N
second edition Of the New luterns-
tionsl Encyclopedias will somewhat de
lay is completion ln order TO enhance
10 value. World affairs affecting the
future for perhaps q century 20 come
are in course Of settlement histori-
ca era e drawing 10 violent close, TO
usher in new state OF affairs affect
!ng America. Asia and Africs almost as
closely a. Europe; and all this can De
made part % this work OF reference oy
q iudicious retsrdatloD o. the pu5lloa-
son OF is final volumes. As Il IS,
these FIRST six volumes carry the record
Gown 70 the END o. the second Balkan
var: and We are assured that hence
forth that record Will include the wear
Just closed and thst just opened as
veil
With only ooe-third Of the new
Undertaking before Us, 70 would, o.
course, be unjust % attemp, 10 form
q Judgment o. 10 as whole. lhis'
however. IS already certain; that THIS
second edition ls notable improve
meut uuon the first one. which, truth TO
;el. lstt m.cn 80 De desired ln some
regards N.thsD Che second edition OF
this encyclopedia, Ike the hrst one, Is
addressed chiefly 90 the average reader
she educated layruar. i is only IN
secondary degree addressed 20 PROBES
siOnal workers And, beyond mat
this Is al encyclopaedia published for
the American reader most OF all. 80
FAR as America, is past and present
!ts notGbilities and their achievements
are concerned, this is thoroughly
useful work for the home library Us
department. Of American biography
promises far 20 surpass that OF the
FIRST edition in comprehcnsiveness
The editors announce that no index
will be issued; that. 30 TACT, tnelr
system Of $4,000 headings. with eN-
haustiye cross-rcfcrcnces, renders an
index superAuous. The assertion may
be true 80 far IS the general use rs
concerned 60 which this work is prl-
nerilv dedicated. but yet. one has his
doubts Even the most careful system
OF cross-references is likely 10 slip
cog. As. for instance: The article on
artillery" here to stick TO the sub
ieet foremost in al our thoughts at
he moment ends with cross-refer-
ences TO Coast and Field ARTILLERY
Guns, Horse Artillery, Howitzers, Ma
chine Guns. Mortars. Mountain ArtlI-
lery, Ordnance and Siege Guns; but
The svery important cross-reierence 70
Bsllistics iu the same volume is lack
.IE IAfI NIaN Mf1A VI A'e-t-+'N-N
again, there is further croSs-ret-
erence TO "Projectiles, Motion Of
which also should have found a place
under ARTILLERY" The article on
Ammunition" is perhaps wisely left
o the ingenuity OF the consultant OF
he eucyclopRdia. Again. IN the aru-
lie on "Aerouautics" there is cross
.eference 70 Military Aeronautics" IN
volume yet TO come; but why is no
.ross-refereuce made. IN the same
lace. TO the section on Military
.viators" iu the article on Army Or
animation" ia this same volume?
The temptation 70 make a furtner
.reliminary test here and there Of the
olumes already issued is too strong
be resisted. There Is the article on
Blsmarck," for instance. Historically
Is sane piece Of work, recognizing
re mans greatness and the grandeur
what he wrought in the only way
oen to him In the disrupted. jealous
ermany Of his day, but for the story
the Ems dispatch we shall have 10
ait. probably. until the appearance OF
e article on the Franco-GerInsn War.
mere Is no mention OF ~ here, nor
)es the brief article on Benedict re-
al It's story. The expectation that
re o. the most famous diplomatic
.bHhlGAth o. III nAeAOlF AAAos it0'N 90
-tlcle Of It's own under Ems Is
,und 20 be groundless, for, although
ie meeting between King and Am
assador there is referred 10 DdSSiW
nder this head. there is still no men
on Of the portentous forgery. The
ms telegram will unquestlonsbly be
calf with somewhere In this work, but
here shall we look for IL? The sys-
en- Of cross-refereuces has many OBJ
iou. advantages, but il also has pit
alls which well-msde index does
OF know.
The article on Belgium" IS 8 ship
hape piece u work UP 10 the end OF
9fa. where it stops, Only--not a word
said IN Il about the countrys liter
.ture There should be croes-refer-
nee here. 90 successful search re-
Gals, 20 the article on Flemish Ian
-uAge and Literature" IN Volume VIII.
lut 40 Is lscsingi and, probably,
crOss-reference 80 NRllOon literature
e well, an volume still 70 come,
hough perhaps the editors, following
e general custom. may have decided 20
cal with the French writers Of Bel
.ium as section Of French literature.
n the same way. Czech literature is
eparated from the article on Bohemia
y alphabetical accident; and again the
ecesssry crCss-rsference has been
united For the same reason Dutch
Literature Ia many volumes removed
rom the article on the Netherlands
-tin 20 come, though here all will be
ulsin sailing. even without the cross
eference. Returning 70 Belgium for Il
uomenti Belgium has no navy; see
Navics." saws the encyclopedias But
rould a not have been better II the
explansuon why Belgium has never
al navy, N explanation II be, had
cen given here. and the cross-refer-
nee made IN the article on NRyies in
.tead7
Turning elsewhere % hsphszard IN
hesc eight volumes, one takes cogni-
,ance with pleasure OF the excellent
.,roup OF articles on Books, Bookbind-
ne. Bookplstcs and Bookselling, con-
tributed by eminent authorities. Scien-
li0c subjects are popularized IN most
competent manner. One wonders, by
ne way, why that eminent American
surreon, the late DR.. George NJ. Eide
pehis. has not been included In the en-
.vclopedls's biographical department,
and why there Is no mention, In the
.rticle on Bright's Disease. OF the sur
,ical cure for this aiiliction discov-
cred By him. The battle pro and con
over this discovery WAS waged 80 hotly
and SO long. in Europe as well as IN
his country, that some statement Of
rs present status would have been
welcome. Still, there is the article on
Kidney yet 70 come.
The articles dealing with America,
North Central and South, are all that
can be desired. although that on Amer
can literature might have been eH-
banded IN its treatment of our liters-
iure to-day; and the same structure
~. Ar.,n L. fnr rreaier measure OF