PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2320, 18 August 1898, Page 52

PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

New Books*

Have any of you got the colonial edition of the "Life of Lord Roberts?" I mentioned the r.thei week; and also "The Choir Invisible." Both of these could be lead with safety by boys and girls in their teens. Lasfc week " Quo Vadis" was mentioned in the Literary Notes column. I read it a week or so ago, and can recommend it to my senior readers who want a book which is really not a novel, but a history. It is like " On the Face of the Waters," for neither, to my mind, are improved by weaving in a thread of a love story— though its introduction may be justified in "Quo Vadis," for one of its Christian heroines, by her beauty of character as well as of person, turns a Roman noble from his gods to become a followei of the Christus. Several chapters in it aie particularly interesting on account of the minute description they give of Roman life, and others are exceedingly powerfully written, especially those describing Nero and his satellites, his riotous orgies, the burning of Rome, and the holocausts of Christians in the arenas. Paul and Peter walk through its pages : and the progress of Christianity and the misrepresentation Christians were subjected to are vividly written. The connecting chapters and those describing in detail the domestic and public life of the upper and lower classes will cause the superficial reader to vote the novel " slow ;" i/ut> for all that I recommend the book to those seeking an accurate description of Rome in the first century of the Christian era. I was told that over 300,000— that seems an enormous numberhave already been sold in Europe and America. The Home editions are published one in two vols. at a guinea net (this edition containing maps and photogravures), and the other in one vol. (with several illustrations), at 4s 6d. The colonial edition is published at 2s 6d. The author is Henryk Sienkiewicz, and the edition I have read is a translation by Jeremiah Curtin. who dates his introduction from Horn, Northern Guatemala.

Some time ago I gave you a couple of chats on the Malakand Field Force, written by Lieutenant Churchill. I see that there is trouble there again. There is another book on the war in the Northwest Frontier, and taking a wider range than Churchill's ; but though published in one of the colonial libraries, only a copy or two have come to Dunedin, and as I have not got one of them, I cannot disembowel the book for you.

Britain's Danger.

I was glad to see an article on the British Empire in last Saturday's Daily Times, and I suppose it will appear in this week's Witness. It is the first of a series written by Sir Charles Dilke, Bart., the author of "Problems of Greater Britain," a book I advise all patriots to read. The series of articles will, I think, be well worth study at the present time ; indeed, I think that teachers — I know they have enough to do already — might use them for sight readme in the upper standards. A little detail Lere and there would add to their value. Take nn instance. Mention is made in the first article that the United States has outstripped us in the steel, and is pushing us hard in the iron, industry. The beginning of this week I read in the Parliamentary news — perhaps it is in this week's Witness — that the Government can save, perhaps, 33 per cent, in money by buying locomotives in America instead of in Britain, and a week or two ago I read that they can be delivered in very much less time. I take tip the piper to-day, and see that hundreds of tons of steel rails from America are about to be landed in Dunedin for the Roslyn and Kaikorai Tram Company. Some time ago the Victorian Government called for tenders for steel rails, running in value into hundreds of thousands of pounds ; again, America offered superior terms. When in New South Wales a few months past, I was on the Hawkesbury Bridge, one of the finest pieces of iron-work in Australasia. Now this and many other facts could be mentioned to emphasise what Sir Charles has to say. A moment's reflection will show that what Sir Charles writes on the comparatively impregnable position of Russia, and the comparatively weak position of Greater Britain, through the solidity of the former territory and the isolation of the parts of the latter are unpleasant facts to face in the present juncture. But that wasn't what I was going to write about. This week's Witness has a cable saying that an eminent German jurist and historian foresees a combination of France, Germany, and Russia against Britain, and this curiously enough coincides with an article in the current number of, I think, the New Review. It is the Navy League prize essay on Britain's position at the opening of tho twentieth century. The writer commences with instituting a comparison between, Brtain's. outlook now.

and a century or so ago. In 1778 France and America were leagued against her, and in 1780 Britain for her own ends forced Holland into the hostile alliance. Then France had sufficient command of the sea to prevent Britain being offective against tho colonists. Now there is no struggle with colonists ; but colonies have increased to such an extent as to become a weakness in a war in which three nations, each for some particular end, not for any common purpose, will probably combine against us as the German jurist forecasts. The racial differences in South Africa ; the French debire to see Britain out of Egypt j 'the trade and territorial jealousy in Nigeria and the Gambia ; the antagonism raised in India by efforts made to suppress the bubonic plague, in addition to the old standing grievances, real or imaginary ; the disquiet on the North- West frontier, caused partly by Mahommedan fanaticism and partly by Russian intrigue ; friction between France and Britain in Southern China and Siam, and between Britain on the one side and France, Germany, Russia, and probably Japan, on the other in Northern China ; and the irritation caused by France harassing the Newfoundlanders in connection with the fishing rights, are a few of the pent-up causes which the writer works out a,s a*pro"vocative of the great war he outlines as heralding the twentieth centuiy. And he gives a very circumstantial account of the fight. The cause turned up almost where least looked for, and that was the arrest of a Russian spy on the Indian frontier. War was of course anticipated, and the French and Russian fleets had ' massed in Brest. 'However, they managed to get out in spite of a reinforced Channel squadron, and steamed into the Mediterranean, where a terrific engagement took place resulting in the crippling of both fleets, the allies taking refuge in Bizerta, a naval station I have told you oi that Fiance has established on the north coast of Africa, and the British in Malta. The allies were able to land 50,000 troops in Egypt, but the canal was blocked by the British, and that prevented an immediate descent on India from the &ea side Italy being about to chime in was told by Germany that so doing would violate the terms oi' the Triple Alliance, and that Germany would not give her assistance if France should invade her north-west frontier. Britain not being a land power could do nothing in Egypt in the meantime, but the defeat of the allies at Port Said isolated the French troops : nor could she prevent France from taking Gambia and Sierra Leone. In the Gold Goa^t territory, however, Britain was able to hold her own ; aiid in Nigeria was, with the assistance of the troops of the Royal Niger Company, not only able to maintain her position, but annex a good deal of the French Soudan and Dahomey. South Africa was, of course, in a blaze. Obock was taken, and a treaty with Abyssinia made the Sritish Central and East Afrcan possessions safe, especially as Britain maintained the supremacy in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Russia, witlr200,000 men seized Herat, with the intention of marching on India, and concentrated smaller forces on Gilgit, Chilral. and the other Pamir territories ; but the Ameer remained true, though the disaffected frontier delayed the British forces sent to his aid. France, from Annarn and Tonouin. invaded the Shan States of Upper Bunnah. but the Siamese army threatened the flank of the French troops and caused their retirement. On the China station the allies were evenly matched ; but they were in touch with their home Governments by telegraph, whereas the cables were all cut and the British isolated Fortomately, the divided interests gave Britain a chance ; France, commercially inclined, insisted on attacking Hongkong and harassing British trade with cruisers and commerce destroyers ; and the British leaving trade to its iate was able to concentrate on the Russians and Fiench at Chefoo. The allies had heavier armaments, but the British battleships, etc., being better handled, gave Britain rather the better of an indecisive action. Japan, with Germany, being hungry for commerce at the expense of Britain, took up a position of armed neutrality, denied the right of search, and by high tariffs killed British trade on the Continent and in the Far East.

Contrasted with the la-st century, Britain had several points of weakness in addition to her colonial possessions and vulnerable maritime commerce. Her food supply was not self-contained as formerly ; her trade depended so much upon imports either as interest on loans or as raw products to be manufactured and exported ; then, too. 40 per cent, of her sailors were foreigners, who, when war broke out, deserted, when they did not do worse and seize the ships they were in and take them into neutral ports. For what patriotism can a foreigner show for Britain, even with the inducement of high wages?

Now, I haven't exhausted all the points of the article — far from it. But it reads like a past chapter of history, doesn't it? Think over it, and read Sir Charles Dilke's articles ; also read, in connection with Britain's commercial suppremacy, the articles appearing in the Times on Trades "Unionism. I clon't agree with all said against unionism, but I do think it has often unduly hindered the expansion, and prevented the ictention of trade in industries in which other nations have entered into direct and serious competition.