BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10338, 13 January 1897, Page 3

BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

Naval Engineers and the Command of the Sea :By Francis G. Burton. Technical Publishing Company, Limited, 31, Whit-worth-street, Manchester.—The work is dedicated to Lord Charles \Ym, de la Poer Beresford, C.B. The author points out that we are so accustomed to think ourselves invincible at sea that we are apt to overlook the great change which has resulted from the introduction of steam as a motive power. The modern war vessel has become a floating mass of complex machinery which can only be kept in proper order and worked to the utmost advantage ■by men specially trained in the methods and use of varied machines. Unfortunately, the growing importance to the navy of highly - trained engineer officers, and skilled mechanics has not yet been sufficiently recognised by the authorities, and the result has been a deep feeling of discontent throughout all branches of the engineroom staff. It is in order to direct public attention to this discontent, which threatens serious disaster to us in the event of war, that the present work has been written. The author describes France and England as becoming involved in war over Egypt, and his story is intended to show the defects of the British navy in such a contingency. In a naval battle off Toulon the British fleet has to retreat to Malta to refit, owing to the appearance of a second French squadrqn of six ironclads. In a second battle off Toulon the English secured the victory and peace ensued, on terms which were satisfactory to the English Government, Then follows a difficulty with the' United States about Canada, which ends in war. The Americans commenced privateering and sweep the English merchantman from the ocean. One of the privateers, commanded by Captain Sarsfield, an. Irishman, successfully bombards Belfast, but soon the privateers are caught in a trap by the rallying British squadron, and destroyed. Subsequently a British fleet is collected at Halifax, and proceeds to bombard New York to avenge " the Belfast episode." The writer thus gives the issue of the war We were "lords of the sea" once more, owing to the wiser administration at Whitehall, and the war fever which pervaded the nation. Our war vessels threatened every pore and every creek on the Atlantic coast, or bordering the Mexican Gulf. We seized American ships wherever we found them, and we harried their towns with the zeal of Drake or Raleigh, taking from them handsome ransoms to spare them from destruction. The command of the sea meant to us far more than prize money or destruction of peaceful towns; it enable? us to pour reinforcements into Canada, and to turn the tide of invasion into the States.* We had plenty of volunteers for land as well as sea service. Victory on land, victory by sea, attended our arms, and we were enabled to dictate terms of peace sufficiently honourable for ourselves, without being too ouerous, on our transAtlantic cousins. ■ We had come out of the death-struggle victors at last, but sadly maimed, and suffering from many a wound which would fester and drain .us for years to come. The author evidently intends his work, like the "Battle of Dorking," published some years ago, to stimulate the British Government to perfect the defences of the country, both as regards men and material.

The Imperial Alb dm of New Zealand Scenery : Published by the Now Zealand Scenery Publishing Company.— to acknowledge receipt of Part 11. Tho initial sketch' is "Queen-street, Auckland,'" and another is given of " The White Terrace," which was destroyed at the TarMvera eruption. There are views of Middle Island Alpine scenery, and also of. the Ottigo Lake Wanaka. Some idea is got of the Southern Alps in "Tho lea Cave, Tasman Glacier," • and " Climbing the Onslow." Features of interest in Wellington, Christchurcli, and Invercargill are reproduced, as also an illustration of sluicing for gold 011 the West Coast. Flotsam : Thb Study of a Life : By Henry Seton Merriman. Longmans, Green, and Co., London.This pleasing work of fiction (which we have received from Messrs. Upton and Co., booksellers) is one of the series of Longmans' Colonial Library. The plot is very simple, but is admirably worked out, the reader's interest being sustained to the last page. ; The scenes are largely laid in India,, and embrace ' the story of the Indian Mutiny, Captain and Mrs. Wylam, residing in. Bengal, are cut' off by cholera, and their " orphan son, Henry Charles Wylam, first in care of a friend, Philip Lamond, is sent to England to complete his education with his uncle, a London merchant named Mr, John G resham. Young Wylam'a' collegiate'; escapades ' lead. to a commission being purchased for him in the East India Company's service, and he leaves for India, not without a feeling of affection • for Mary Gresham, the merchant's daughter, which is / partially ;'reciprocated. ,The mutiny breaks out, and young Wylam does some daring' acts,-which get him bis company, but) drink, gambling, and improvidence blast his prospects. 1 He is inveigled into marrying Latnbnd's' daughter, the former swindling him, and his life is ruined. Wylam finds out all, separates from his wife, who was an accomplice in the swindle, and takes v his . infant daughter home and leaves it in charge of Mary Gresham, his old flame, who has never married. Wylam, despite all protests, loaves , for the Cape a • hearted, broken-down ■ man, and wanders';, about earning', a -pittance till he dies. ' I.&mond was found to have been furnishing ; information to the. Sepoys during the' siege :of Delhi, ' and .flees the country .to tsave' his life, while Wylam'» wife went to Point da Galle, * where she ad an i equivocal reputation. ". Mary ' Gresham takes care ,of the daughter -of Wyjam as a sacred trust,' and in her. life-long spinsterhood cherishes the reme-nbrance . of :, the unfortunate young man who had wrecked his life for.lack of self-control. The scenes of Indian life are admirably depicted, and the story -of ■ the : Mutiny recounted in a mutely way, • 1