NEW BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12867, 27 July 1907, Page 7

NEW BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

When Mr Frank T. Bullen came out to these colonies on 1 lecturing tour a year or so ago, ho was commissioned by the "Standard" (London) to write a series of articles giving his impre*eions of "Australasia." Tho*e have now been published, with some additions, in book form, under the title, "Advance Austraheia." Naturally in such a hurried visit, with hii lecture* distractions, Mr Bullen could not £o very deoply under tho surface in hie investigations. His book, therefor*, is more than usually "sketchy" in form, but it is easy reading, and colonists, at any rate, arc not likely to find sny serious fault with what he says, since it is evident that, on the whole, be was delighted with what he 6aw. When he gives himself to criticism it is mainly from a broadminded Imperial point of view. For eximple, h»» dwelle on the crying n««d of immigration on a forgo ecal*. "I

aro filled with wonder/ he says, "at the curious turn of mind that imagines that you can keep a vast continent in the hands of a few people and vet exploit ite resources—a process which they know cau only be accomplished by much manual labour." He adds that no ono wants to see a yellow Australia, but unless something is speedily done to encourage white population it will not be possible to avoid hiving a largo part of Australia yellow within a few years. Indeed, Mr Bullen doubts "whether it will be possible to avoid it at all, "because there i 6 not tho slightest use in blinking tho fact that on immense area of the extreme north of Australia is not a white man-s country at all.'' In connection with this question Mr Bullen has some wholesome remarks on tho subject of defence. The totel Australian contribution to the nan, when Mr Bullen wrote, was £240,000 a year, and he points out that if Australia taxed itself in the same proportion as the United Kingdom tor the same purpose, its contribution would be £4,000,000 per annum. In case of n European war. should disaster befall the British fleet, Australia's "only hope would be to enlist the aid of the Japanese, whom at present they treat as savages, unless they come with « fleet." Incidentally, we may note Mr Bullen gives a warm tribute of prnir-e to the Antipodean Press. 'The newspapers of Australasia, with but two or three exceptions," he says, "are the equals of any of our newspapers at Home and in some respects their superiors, as, for instance, in political controversy."' The most marvellous feature of Australasian journalism, he considers to lie the illustrated weekly press, in which "except in the smnll matter of r-aper, tho original picture-*; may challenge the world." (I-ondon: Hodder and Ston-j-bton. Christchurch: Whitcombe and Tombs. 3s 6d.)

Mr Douglas Story's "To-morrow in the East"' is of especial interest just now in view of the present startling developments in Korea. We have already, in our leading columns, given .some of his views as to the highhanded manner in which the Japanese hove treated the Koreans. To this it moy be added that thero ar© larg© English interests in Korea, and in Mr •Story's opinion these aro likely to suffer from the Japanese genius for retarding the competition of the foreigner. Not the least interesting chapters in tlio book are those containing th© brilliant character-studies of Sir Robert Hart and Count Witte. (London: G. Bell and Sons. Christc.Lurch: Whitcombe and Tombs and Fountain Barber. 3s 6d.)

Miss Morjorie Bowen. whose "Viper of Milan" has given tTTe author high place among recent writers of historical novels, has now written another vory fine work entitled "The Glen o' Weeping," with the massacr© of Glonco© as the central episode. Instead of taking Macaulay's view of this affair as one of the blackest crimes known to history, Miss Bowen holds that it was simply "a military execution performed on rebels who were outside the law; its details neither revolting nor so horrible as those of the numberless crimes committed by the victims themselves, and ©very other clan in Scotland, it may have been fierce, hard justice, but it wns justicOj and the tale that defamed Lord Stair and mad© Glenco© a blot on th© annals of Scotland was a pure'invention of th© Secretary's enemies end the Jacobites. Even it Miss Bowen's version, however, the transaction bears a sufficiently horrible shape. The characters of th© time are well drawn, and th© plot is woven with great skill. (London: Alston Rivers, Ltd., Brooke street, Holborn Bors, E.C. Christchurch: Fountain Barber. 3s 6d and 2s 6d.)

"The Royal Academy Pictures, 1907," issued by Messrs Cassell and Co., still occupies pride of place among the publications which reproduce for us the pictures of the year. It is a sumptuous art volume worthy of preservation. Mr Seymour Lucas's admirable character-study, entitled "The Roundelay" has been reproduced as an etching, and makes a capital frontispiece. There are over 150 pages of pictures, and some notes help th© over-seas student in his efforts to keep abreast of what is going on in the art world at Home. (London and Melbourne: Cassell and Co. Christchurch: Fountain Barber.)