BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9307, 16 September 1893, Page 1 (Supplement)

BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

Captain Cook's Jouknal: Elliob Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, London. —This bulky volume gives an account of the great circumnavigator's firsb voyage round the world in H.M. Endeavour, 1768-71, being a liberal transcript of the original MSS. Ib is edited by Captain W. J. L. Wharton, R.N., F.R.S., hydrographer to the Admiralty, is illustrated by maps and fan similes, and dedicated to Admiral H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. The author, in his preface, says ib must appear strange that the accounb of, perhaps, the most celebrated and, certainly to the English nation, the mosb momentous voyage of discovery that has ever taken place —for ib practically gave birth to the great Australasian Colonies — has never bofore been given to the world in the very words of its greab leader, Cook's Journal

was in triplicate. The Secretary of th Admiralty, Sir Philip Stephens, a personal friend and appreciates of Cook, appears to have appropriated the Batavia duplicate, as ib passed into the hands of his descendants. The other and complete copy is still in the possession of the Admiralty. A third copy of tho Journal also terminates a few days before reaching Batavia. Ib is in the possession of Her Majesty the Queen, and from its appearance was "kept .for, and probably presented to, George 111., who took great interest in the voyage. Neither private possessors nor the Admiralty have felt moved to publish this interesting document until Mr. Corner acquired his copy, when, being an enthusiastic admirer of Captain Cook, ho determined to do so,, and was making preliminary arrangements when he suddenly died, after a few hours' illness. His son, anxious to carry out his father's wishes, which included the devotion of any proceeds to the restoration of Hinderwell Church—the parish church of Staithes, whence Cook ran away to sea — has completed these arrangements, and the present volume is tho result. Chambers's Journal: W. and R. Chambers, Edinburgh.The Augusb number of this journal contains much useful information. " How to Take out a Patent," by an Old Patentee, will be of service to those interested in such matters, as many a man has lost the beneflb of his inventiveness by an ignorance of such matters, and the reward carried off by unscrupulous pirates. An article on "Tho Imported Live Meat Trade" gives the story of that important industry in England from 1874. " Why Banks Fail" should be read by all, but, especially, by those who made the run on tho Auckland Savings Bank, as they did nob appear to know much about banking, and about a bank which had no intention of failing. The writer says :—" Of all great trades banking is one of the simplest in the principles that regulate it. The intricacy and multiplicity of detail involved in tho administration of a large bank in modern times does not at all affect the great rules which, if kept in mind, will ensuro safety. Prudonce and common-sense, as well as shrewdness, judgment, and decision, may be said to sum up the whole mystery of bank management; a high degree of skill in nob always demanded, whilst a bold and enterprising spirit may be out of place. Yet our own time has furnished many instances in which the most ordinary precautions may have been neglected, and wellunderstood conditions of security have been ignored, with the most ruinous results." There is an interesting article on "Ocean Currents." "Mosses in Literature" gives some quaint lore on a little-thought-of subject. A thoughtful and practical contribution is that on the "Trans-Siberian Railway," about which little lias hitherto been known. The other articles are equally readable and instructive, and the serial literature entertaining.

Pami'hlkts for tiik Times.—We have to acknowledge receipt of a pamphlet by "J.P.," of Nelson, published at the Evening Mail oilice, Nelson, entitled "Natural Law in the Commercial World, or Liberty the Cause of Commercial Prosperity." The writer in his dedication says :—" To all in every nation who love truth, who have sought for it, and fought for it, 1 dedicate this my humblo effort to unfold the truth as to the natural law which operates in the commercial world to create a prosperous nation." In his introduction he explains that for some years he has been mentally occupied with the reason why the commercial exchange of the world had passed at unequal periods from nation to nation. He studied the question in the light of the histories of the nations which had been at some time the centres of the world's commerce, and the conclusions he came to are those of his text. The writer maintains that liberty and great commercial prosperity cleave as closely together as the Siamese Twins, and ho illustrates his dictum by historical examples, and then proceeds to define what liberty is. He says :—" It is not merely universal suffrage, or France, Germany, and with the exception of Russia Continental nations generally which have universal suffrage, would be much more prosperous th.ifi England, which has not that franchise; not merely free trade between nations, or Turkey, which has freetrade, would be much more prosperous than the United States of America, which has nob that fiscal policy. Ib is something more than freedom of trade or universal suffrage, although it should include both. Liberty is the unres trained enjoyment of natural rights. - From whatever point of view the question is looked ac the same objective truth is seen. Liberty divine, liberty mentally and morally, national and individual, freedom of trade, internal and external, are Nature's law or laws, which reign in the commercial world, and which, if allowed to act unhindered, lead on to commercial prosperity, and if violated are avenged by the retardation of prosperity, in the exact proportion in which they are violated." We understand that the author has received the following note from Mr. Justice Richmond, of Wellington, in which he says: —" I have read your pamphlet with great interest. I concur in its reasoning and conclusions." The author of the pamphlet show that he possesses a good knowledge of history. The pamphlet is obtainable from the Auckland booksellers. •