LITERARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 282, 26 November 1921, Page 18

LITERARY.

The use of poigon gas in warfare by the Germans, in breach of the covenants of the Hague convention, aroused a strong feeling of indignation at the time <;ae was Hrst employed in April, l'U.-|, at Ypres, with disastrous effect; hundreds of men were thrown into a comatose or dying condition, and within an hour one position had to be abandoned. For a brief space, the Allies hesitated about adopting this odious mode of warfare, tout at length decided that there was no alternative but to follow the enemy's methods. Protection against gas was early secured by the manufacture of masks, of which no fewer than 11J millions were made and issued to our troops during the war. But the British also developed forms of gas attack that were even more effective than the German eystem, and the efficiency of these in various battles is attested in the dispatches of Orman generals which have since been published. The whole etory of the development <if cbmical strategy in the war is told in a book by Victor Lefeburc', whioh ha» now been published, with an introduction by Field-Marshal Sir Henry AVilson. Our copy from W. Collins and Sons, per Whiteombe and Tombs.

A good many actresses since Polly Peadhum'a day have adorned the peerage. Sally de Burgh is a typical Character of this kind, as pourtrayed by Katharine Tynan in her novel "Sally Yietm.' , The daughter of Captain Burke, an offspring of the old Irish gentry, who had broken his fortunes over horses and cards, she enchanted Lord Moylough, the eldest eon of an Irish peer, who marrie.l her. Tlie young lord encountered no small amount of family opposition before )ie attained his heart's desire, and Sally had to run the gauntlet of a good deal of prejudice before winning a secure place in her new sphere. A Catholic in religion, she found her household made up of dour Lister domestics, specially chosen by her mother-in-law, ir ho had bitterly opposed the marriage. Sally overcame this and other difficulties with tact and jjoodnature. The story of Sally's adventures is toid in {Catherine Tynan's racy style. The publishers are Collins and Sons. Our copy from Whiteombc nnd Tombs.

'"The Foolish Matrons," by Dorm Byrne (Harpers), is a story of four "Women who constitute a molecule of social New York, of their four separate households, of how each works out her own destiny, of how each reacts on the other. Among them Annis Grand stands a line example of capable womaiihoood. while about her are the others, the' ''three foolish matrons," who fritter life away. It is an excellent picture of American social and family life. Our copy from Melville and Mullen, Melbourne.

"Turkey Bowman," by Homer Croy (Harpers), is an American backwoods story which opens with an encounter between an Indian chief and a white boy, and the interest never flags from start to finish. The hero is equally amusing as a love-sick troubadour, singing his lament to a little undershiTt flapping in the night wind, and as the conquering hero, who comes back to the plaudits of his pioneer townsmen, after saving them—by a combination of accident and pluck—from an Indian raid. Whimsical humour, plain fun and adventure abound, and it's as American as corn on the cob. Our copy from Melville and Mullen, Melbourne.

Messrs. Stanley Paul and Co. have issued a two shilling edition of "Branded," the most popular novel Oerald Biss has yet written. This story of a woman who paid penance for another woman's sin, has been filmed by the Giiumont Company, JJtd., and is now beinff shown in various parts of the world.

"The Dream Detective," by Sax Rohmer fJarrolds) consists of a series of absorbing detective stories in which an amateur detective of criminal mysteries is aided by a handsome daughter, wjio is as keen on the scent as her father, and who gains occult knowledge by dreaming on the spot where the crime was committed. The stories display a fertile imagination and originality; the leading figure stands out as distinct a personality in his way as i Sherlock Holmes.

An entirely new handbook of special interest +.0 Ford owners hae just been issued by Temple Press Ltd., London. Xhe later models of Forde have a complete electric lighting, starting, and ignition equipment, and the oWt of '. the book ,» to give a working knowand™ 0 ' f° con »t™etlon, arrangement, and maintenance of the various electriwoH ap ;f ?™\ Tb« title of tlie new exponents of Shakespearean drama mvW are remenSSS I with pleasure By plaj-oers in New Zealand. There was, however, ano thtr ! sphere m which Mr. Irving achieved distinction As an author and student of psychology of crime, his investasa,tions have become authoritative anion" ; students of criminology. 'It i e not j merely that he 'brought to bear upon this subject an astute and cultured mind, but his presentation of essential facts in criminal cases was co clear and compraiiensive that they were as interesting to the average reader as to the lawyer or scientist. The volume now under notice comprises the last essays on this subject wliich .proceeded from his versatile pen. They are mainly studies of persons accused 'but not convicted of crime, or diad ibeen convicted wrongfully, as in the case of Adolf Beck, whose unjust imprisonment led to the constitution of a court of Criminal Appeal in England. An extraordinary feature in Beck's case was that ten women swore to his identity as the man who had robbed them, and that two hand-writing experts declared that the signature on the valueless cheques given to these women were in Beck's hand-writing disguised. The unfortunate man served live years' imprisonment for a crime he 'had. never committed, and was rearrested on a eimilar charge after he came out of prison and was again convicted, 'but was saved by the arrest of the real culprit. The " Crown granted Beck £5,000 f OT the wrongs he had suffered. Tfo e other trMs re . viewed by Alar. Irving are those of Lesengues. La Ronciere, and Peter Vaux, •which are as remarkable «•» t.h«t nf AdoH: Beck as "JfUJ of evidence leading & the of a cruel wrong upon innocent a«n?