BOOKS OP THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 26, 25 October 1919, Page 11

BOOKS OP THE DAY

"Victory Over ElindnUss." In lti3 remarkable buok, "Victory Over Blindness!," Sir Arthur Pearson tells us that a blind man depends, lot the avoidance of obstacles, on tlio remarkable sensitiveness of the nerves of the luce. "The natural scnsltivenesi ot these nerves can easily bo demonstrated Ijy holding an object a few inches in front of the face of a totally blind person without previously warning liim. Uc instantly becomes aware of its presence, though thero may be absolutely 110 sound. By the exercise and cultivation of this sonso, a man can walk parallel to a wall or fence at a, distance of several feet, becoming; at once aware of the fact it ho for a moment lessens or increases tlio distance between himself and it," Sir Arthur tells hoiv, on one occasion, he was crossing a street and a cart came along at a good speed. He slowed up, tho cart stopped 111 front of hiiu and lie walked around the back of itand went his way. A friend who saw this nskeit him how he did it. "When tho cart stopped," explained Sir Arthur, "1 knew that the liorsa was immediately in front of me, for I could hear him breathing. I smelt tlio smell of coal—so I knew it was a coal cart and therefore a long one, 60 I made a good wide detour, and here I am. With the aid of hit hearing and smell I learnt what your sense of sight told you. "We arrive at tho same conclusions by different methods." Sir Arthur says -that a heavy stick is not tho thing for the blind to carry. A thin ono does much better as a "feeler." Ho declares it to be a fallacy that the blind do not enjoy smoking. Thj Hawker-Grieve Exploit. The courageous exploit of Hawker and Lieut-Commander IC. Mackenzie Grieve, which aroused almost a world-wido interest early in the year, is modestly but admirably described in a book, "Our Atlantis Attompt," written by tho two airmen and published by Messrs. Motkuon and Co. In a preface contributed by Major-General J. K. B. Seely, UnderSecretary of State for Air, that gentleman says:—

To set out ou a voyage of 2000 miles over a stormy sea, in a craft which, however good for air travel, ,waa not designed to iivo oil the water, demanded eournco of the highest order from Hawker and Grieve. In days to come, when the crossing of the Atlnntio by air is an everyday occui>rence, these dauntless pioncert wno oared all for the honour of their country will not be forgotten.

Full descriptions are given, of tho preparations in Newfoundland, of the voyage, and its failure, and of the fortunate picking up of the machine (which was actually sinking when the Mary of Denmark arrived on the scene), and of 'lie transference of the adventurers to a.destroyer which took tliem to Scapa Flow. In other chapters the authors deal with the navigation of the aeroplane, with astronomical observations, tlx© use of wireless, and various matters connected with uoroplani) engines, their construction and management, the whole contributing not only a roadablo account of an audacious, and, as Lieut.-Genc-ral Scely has said, a very "gallant exploit," but a noteworthy contribution, both from -an historical and scientific standpoint, to aviation literature. A largo number of excellent illustrations add to the general interest of the narrative. (Pvi'je, ss. 6d.) Training of Airmen. The immense importance and value of the part played in the war by the members of the British Koynl Air Force is now widely and gratefully acknowledged. In a little volume, "Training tho Airmen" (John Murray, per Whitcombe and Tombs), Air. Cecil Roberts deals more particularly with the psychological rather than with the mechanical aspect of flight. .In successive chapters the author describes in detail the training of the Koyal Air Force, a force to which Jib applies the term "The Army of Youth." Few of us who. . have read in the doily papers the accounts of the splendid daring and consummate skill .displayed by the Britisli airmen during the Great War, or studied the often astonishing pictures of their exploits which have appeared in the illustrated papers, have adequately realised what a long and careful training—of mind as well as of body—has b"en ■involved in the making of tho successful ■airman. It is only when one reads such 'a book as this of Mr. .Roberts's that the patience, foresight, and scientific skill with which the Air Force cadets were trained at the : British aerodromes and flying schools can bo fully graced. A special tributo is paid by the author to thoso gallant;, young English lads—alas, all . too numerous—who met death with such unflinching courage. Whatever may have been experienced in other services, there was never any shortage of recruits for the E.F.C. Says Mr. Roberts: They knew the torrible fascination of eearchlights raiting the sky with cruel sword-blades, catching them in their mcahea of light and holding them like a tethered bird while hell broke loose around; until they tell, broken-winged, down tho black abysx of Hut nothing doterred .these children of tho sky; in the infancy of flißht efer they exclaimed, in,the words of Francis Thompson: "Look for me in the nurseries of heaven." Their courage is known, but it can neter be measured—for it was tho greatest kind of all—a lonely courage. They faced death in no heartening band of companionship, their held of battle was as Eolitary at their' graves were lonely. Several excellent illustrations add greatly to tho interest in Mr. Roberts's usefully informative, and, in placcs, finite eloquently worded, narrative. (Price, 55.) "Tank Tale:," In "Tank Tales" (Cassell and Co., per S. and W. Mackay), Mr. Eric Wood and a collnborateur who veils his identity undor tho nom de plume of "Tank Major," give us a little overi a score of well-written stories and sketches, all illustrativo of tho part playid in tho war by those uncou.th-looking monsters —"travelling forts'' they have been called—tho first appearance of which in action, caused _so much astonishment and dismay in the Hun ranks. Tho Boche got atad of us with heavy guns, with machine-guns, and—that doubtful source of prido—with poison gas, but in thotank tho British at last produced something which Fritz had not thought of. Tho authors refer to the first introduction of armour, and unearth from medieval history an account of twenty-eight knights in armour who encountered a band of 12Q0 unlucky peasants and killed and wounded eight hundred of them without suffering a Binglo casualty'themselves. Tho authors then declare that on one occasion twenty-one men in tanks completely routed 20CO Huns armed with rifles and machine-guns. As to tho future of tho tank, tho authors put forward some very interesting theories, but their book is not intended as a military freatiso on the tactical power of tho tank in warfare. It is a collecion of tales all found'd on actual incidents of tlio fighting during the last two years of the war, tains which tell something of what has lx>on done by tho men inside the tank. The various stories nre told in a brisk, lively stvle. Whilst duo emnkmis is laid upon the horrible discomfort suffered by the tank crews, and tho many dangere wh'eh, despite tlio protective armour of tho monsters, their inmates had often to encounter, tlio author do not neglect I Die humomiOT side of tank wviep. Tho stories, one and all, nre most readable. Nelson's "History of the War," Tho twenty-third volume of Colon.l John Buc.han's now famous "History of the War" (Nelson and Sons, per Whitcombo and Tombs) bears the significant subtitlo "Tho Dawn." It deals with 6omo of tho final stages of tho great conflict of which this history affords eo comprehensive a record. Tlio lust battles of tho Somme, Arras and tho Aisno aro described, and thero aro chapters on tho collapse and withdrawal of Bulgaria and Allcnhy's succcssful tor-

urination of the Palestine campaign, tlio closing chapter, entitled "The Breaking of tho German Defences," 'bringing tho record to October 10, 1!)1S. How rapid and complete was the German debacle oneo it had fairly set in is 6hown by tho following extract (dated October 1): Germany's man-power wne quickly shrinking, and already, owing to tlio disbandinent of unite, Bhe had only divisions in tiie West, most of them below strength. . Wounded men coming out of hospital were returned direct to 1110 front without pausing through the ,Md ("cpots. Her horse depots were empty, and her only reserves, apart from her 1920 class, were returned prisoners of war from Rubsia, who wero mutinous and incompetent. From July 15 to :he last d.iy of September, the Allies in the West had taken more than a quarter of a million prisoners, over 3600 guns, and 23,030 machineguns, ...

Tho volume contains an exceptionally largo number of diagrams, and the appendices include dispatches by Generals Marshall, Milne and AUenby, and the full terms of the armistice conventions with Turkey and Bulgaria. Two Interesting New Chess Books. Chess' players aro much indebted to Messrs. G. Hell and Sons, of London, for tho {numerous useful and thoroughly modern wo»;s 011 the art or the game of chess, published of lat® years by that firm, which has thereby rendered conspicuous services to chess. Among these works may be cited Sergeant's collection of M.orpliy's games, Du Mont's translation of Edward Lasker's chess strategy, tVayto's edition of Horwitz and ICling's invaluable treatise. The firm is now issuing what promises to bo a very useful series bf little books on tho openings—a series entitled "Chess Openings Illustrated." The first of them, just to hand, is tho work of tho J. Du Mont above-mentioned, nnd is particularly acceptable because it deals with an opening much simpler of study than most, but about which information is comparatively scanty, and of which good examples riTe comparatively rare, to wit, that favourite hobby of Mieses, tho Centro Counter. D.u Mont's, preface asserts that it is not tihe object of the series to treat of tho various openings "from the analyst's point of view, but rather to show the types of attack and defence that result from each variation," and that "these little volumes might ]x> regarded, therefore, as guides or handy books of reference for the study of the 'middle game.'" And very useful in this way they would really seem likely to be, if our examination of the present ono is to be,trusted. CN.Z. price, 3s. 6d.) From the same publishers thero reaches 11s, also, another little work, "Cliarousek's Games of Chess," by the wellknown P. W. Sergeant, author of the collection of Morphy's games mentioned above. This publication, which contains 14G of the young master's games, with annotations, preface and (specially interesting and important) a biography of 13 pages, fills a real gap in English ches3 literature; for, though the talented young Hungarian genius (Der Ungar, tho German authorities call liini, though he was by birth a Czech) has now been (load lor twenty years, biographical information about him is hitherto hardly to be found in English,, and for his games we have had to rely up to now almost entirely upon German publications. Yet Charousek has been compared by experts—and not entirely to his disadvantage—with the great Morph.v, and has been accounted by sonic the greatest chess genius since the days of that unsurpassable American. Messrs. Bell have indeed herein "done the State some pervi'M." (N.Z. IPs.) Useful, however, as are the two little books which we have attempted to describe, the diagrams in them might very properly be clearer, particularly in the case of the figures of the kings and queens, the white figures being often hardly distinguishable from the blnck ones. In this matter the publishers would have done well to have imitated the excellence of the diagrams in their own publication "Chess Strategy," or the special beauty of those in the "Chess' Monthly," and other publications issued by Horace Cox.

"Quoth the Raven." Mr. E. V. Lucas, the well-known novelist and essayist, and Mr. George Morrow, of "Punch'' fame, must be credited with having produced, in "Quoth tho Havens An Unofficial History of the War" (Mcthuen and Co.), one of the cleverest, most genuinely humorous, "skits" for which the war period has been responsible. Neither author nor artist exhibits any profound respect for ccrtain British statesmen, but poko their fun at all' nnd sundry, all in a good-natureil way, it is true, but with no small point. Mr. Lloyd George's frequcntl>%repcatcd catch-phrase that "the war is a war to end war," Is very ingeniously satirised both by author and artist: Mr. Lloyd George in clarion call at the Queen's Hall states that "this war, li.ko the next war, is a war to end war.' _ Mr. Lloyd George, in a profoundly moving peroration at Owcccdycli, repeats that "this war, like the nex"t war, is a war to end war." Welsh WiziJt-d, with traditional dialectical skill and fervid charm, nails England's war-aims to the counter.'"This w, like the next war," he affirms amid terriflo onthusiasm at Blwdfe, "is a war to end war." On the very first pngo of the "History" a note of pood-humoured satire is struck and is maintained right through: War imminent. Lord Northcliffo has hi! teeth sharpened. The War Office places largo orders for red-tape. "Tiie Times" points out that if there is to be war wo shall need munitions. The "Daily Mail," as "Tho Paper that Gets Things Done," warns the Government that an army will bo necessary. Mr. Winston Churchill offers to becomo Oommnnder-in-Cliicf. Tlio Prime Minister begins to hoard volco lozenges. Mr. Hitaire Belloc lays down several dozeu of tho best . Blue-Black Ink.

There nro many amusing hits at certain official and social phenomena of the war period, "Dora" (Defence of the Realm Act) being frequently referred to. Here are a few more extracts:

Maes meeting of Hishopi) to agree upon what Bishops ought to say about the leaching.of Christ and tho War, when they are so ill-advised as to say anything. The Archbishop of Canterbury utters Grave Warning ngainst i taking the J<ow Testament too literally in war-time. Whistling for cabs forbidden. All peas in whistles comuiandccrod for national food reservo. , ~ . ■ ' Food shortage Increasing, fihortbread to be made sliortei ~ , ~ L'ast End hawker fined heavily for selling O.U.E.'b in the street. Increased shortage of English administrators. Sir Ernest. Rhacklcton calls tor volunteers for expedition to Scotland to find more Geddesea. Sad news from the Front, mitigated by livo huudredth performance of tho uproarious comedy, "Under tho Bod." One thousandth performance of the comic war-play, "Carrvin' On," which brings the humours of carnage so amusingly across the footlights. . . Party politics released from internment, interest in European affairs diverted to cocaine. „ ,~, . , Disgust and surpriso of Fleet street because enemy delegates do not, smile pleasantly on receiving Peace terms, President Wilson's halo ceases to nt.

Olio of tlin concluding entries is in a decidedly sarcastic spirit: It is understood at last, by readers of the papery, that Peace (with anxious glances towards Huisia, Poland, J inland, Afghanistan, China, Japan, and Ireland) is with lis again. f!-orgo Morrow's picture;, are simply liiliiii". Two of his best effort* arc "Escnpe of a Tact from the Censors Department" and a. full-nago picuiie, headed "A Noble Jixam'ile, showing Lord and Lady Overbury having a vegetarian lunch in Iront of their house ill Belgrave Square "to set an example of frugality to the carnivorous poor. "Qnofcli the Raven" may be recommended as siu'o euro for the dumps. Gardoning Books, Two recent additions to the now long series of gardening books published by the houso of Cassclt am "Garden Plan-

ning nnd Planting" nnd "Allotment Gardening: A Complete Guide," both by It. 11. Thomas (Cassell and Co., per S. and W. Mackay). In the former ex-, pert mlvico is given on the laying out nnd making of gardens of all sizes, from thojo of half or a quarter acre in nrea to others of far more modest diinensiftis. Special hints arc given ::s io the etlectivo arrangement of square, narrow gardens. Tho illustrations and diagrams are numerous and the diagrams of formal borders and tihe detailed "colour schemes" for the same should prove exceptionally Useful. In "Allotment Gardening,'* the same expert authority deals with vegetable. growing. In his preface Mr. Thomas estimates that there are now nearly a million and a half allotments iu England and Wales alone, most of which have been brought under cultivation, largely by those without any previous experience of gardening, or ivi'tli a knowledge of flower gardening alone. The author's oHect is to instruct allotment gardeners in the growing of a greater variety of vegetables than the amateur vegetable grower usually attempts to cultivate. He gives special chanters 011 "Tho vegetables you must crow, "Vegetables you ought to grow," and "Other vegetables worth growing," and gives also some useful hints on home-made laboursaving apparatus. A chapter on common pests and plant diseases discloses the fact that not in New Zealand alone does the amateur gardener have to combat a good many insect and other nuisances. The illustrations nnd diagrams are again very numerous, and for the mo.it Dart of a very practical character.