BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 311, 25 September 1920, Page 11

BOOKS OF THE DAY

Btrategio Camouflage. 1 ' ; - .Tha.par.t played, in the Great War by the art of camouflage' was much more "extensive and peculiar," as Mr. Wellciy junior, ' said ■ of his acquaintance -with London, than is. generally .imagined. It is only Svhe'n one reads a comprehensive-, and de.tailed account such as. that given. by Mr. Solomon J,. Solomon, R.A., in bis'book. "Strategic Ganiouflage" (John : Murray, - per Wjiiteombe. and Totribs),. that, ono is able to realise the extraordinary a ltd' resourcefulness- of. those who, in both, the German and the Allied camps,- had:charge- of the onerous, and'important task of- devising, means, by 1 ' which' the-morcments of troops .could be disguised Camouflage, in '{he ' piiblic '-in.irid,. is. .mainly associated.--.with ■ maritime; warfare'., and the various means adopted/for the protection .of merchant .Vessels;: .-But'in the ..field,, moteparticularly, on. the. Western front, camouflage was a most important factor 'in the operotioiH. kno.w.li as pleading English 'artist,"'was-'prgmi- ■ Sent/in v the.devising and carrying out-of cattouflags. ivork' in connection' with the British forces. His book- gives a most.interesting .description , qf 'the. various vices adopted on' ; both sides, Specialty .'dip' tailed notes- being given .on., .the'camouflage operations at St. Pierre Capelle, and the area ".between! Bruges -and.Leke. Mr. Solomon credits the enemy.with having ■ possessed a.far more scientific. and' extenelv6; ' kn&tvledge '.'bf; wmouflage - methods tHtii\th? British, and .some interesting- 'a'.ti4"''.(iiiit6;;'startiing, 'ififofihation bs:. _ to,.- the;, -extraordinary .vsucceis;... with 'Whibh.-ttie.inovo'mehts of large bodies '/of Gentian;! troops.werediiddeii: from .thb . .eeiierals' -of' the- Allied'forces. -.The -Coloured ;ill¥stratio^.' and ;: .reiirodtietjbhs i« of T|JipfiKTOi(liß ''w'W.'/«rh'icli'.' tfie • fioAfc is' 'so liberally provided; afford quite astounding .proof of. ingenuity of the'enemy . in this...way..,By .the; aid of .'camouflage, carried- but;-dn--plans"^which: must .have entaOed..great; forMight,,'eare,land ..'exr peljse.ithß'e'nemy,: in-,'certain , places,-, made quite : exteMv"e shelters;, for. troops, appear from the air as ploughed fields and collections .of.farm buildings., ■ Mr. Solo- ; the.British generals were i ipisled,; on more/than.>oiie,;occasion, into' believing .the/ enOmy : ! was much . numerically , weaker". -than ,ie -really ..i'as, and 'is .insisteiitJn his .claim that .by.'the > insufficient! attention.'paid to scientific-ally-planned camouflage, the Allies: irtri: placed at a-. very serious disadvantase. On one oocuSion,; so Mr:; Solomon allege; the existence of a whole :German : division ' in pbatioii'-ifai :«ue-. cessfiilly; .hidf] en lbv■- skilfulVdamdii'flage "of < the .ground from fh'e ; -AUied*'aviator's and intelligence department generally." .Tlie author contends that the "whole science of camouflage,'.and; the readingrof .it, Teonl.fps'' to .be- dealt with,' not-. I>t firstcomers, but.by men whose-training and. ' temperament fit- them to deal with;A-mib-. ject as difficult and as abstruse ai-is the. . application.of art,-to ..war and t.he^discovery of its application on Hlie other -side." • Th^.'volume'cbiitiiins- a -'Lirgb'-aiimber" of. frill-page .'and folding plates. ]of , "caino'u- , flaged camps,.'gun. stations,' aviation garages, and-vsoi forth, -reproduced . from photographs -secured .!by.. aviatorsj from captured '-German. "> documejitsl. ana fr.om other: sourdes. (Price, ■ 255.)- r '

"Chronology of 'Ihe'.War.V

- .One of-the' most'.'permanently'. useful and valuable reference works -dealing wVth the Great-TOir is Ijha official /'Chronology of'the-pVar,^.''issiied;'under.' the auspiccs -of'-Uhe' -Ministryfor -^Information,; iiirtl • published ■ by>Constable - and - Co. (per B txplwi,#tt\^b!ijliihgVQ6.', : '*ajid' Whit-: . coinbi aid Tbinbs).'':-The. secon'd volum.o- - - this' excellent* 'compilation" covers the war period 1916-1917,-the third and. Vohi-' plcting volume being; it is announced; in active preparation, carrying the chronology thr6u'gh--1918;'down to:.tho' signing and ratification of peace in 1919." .The ' second instalment ot , this invaluable xecord has. been carried out oil : the, same lines ..as /the 'first!'; - On ; each/.page'tippears ■.a' concisei 'summary , of ;the main events day. by day;"which tookivplace.'o'n the westerp, eastern,- and "southern 'European fronts; and'in the Asiatic, and Egyptian theatres, naval and "overhead'' 1 opera--.iions,,- and tho ,'ciirrent : political happenings being also very briefly/but clearly - noted... The advantages of such an ar-' ,rangem'erit to students are nutrierous and; eo self-evident |that they need not be- detailed. ■ Turning-up any.'date! one. is ; Able ■'to-'feet la' comprehensive and .com-: parative view of the-'situation,:"botlras* .regards..the Allies and the enemy. ' The, more important /happenings; areemphasised by the use. of'special type;' Jn nddition to. the - chronological.. tables,; which are-the-main feature: werk,: it-■ contains-.-Itets vof: British • merchant' ■•vessels'-lost "by- /every adtioft.in the year A :1915, ( and '1916; of the. air .'"raids' (with.details.;of killed.and:wounded;arid' . damage.' done),,'-,; -'of. /.'British- ' 'cap-,' tures and . losses in- - prisoners, ..' and' much, ■ other-.",, interesting! .'information/ 'nsl't'o:. the ''progre?s'-.'nhd principal, events i ' : 'There'-'fe/dlso- a 'tefcy/full' index.-.' 'No.'.library,; publip or, private,which '.contains 1 "tlie : :. leadine! ' < works; on:; the-, war-should be without a. 'coii.v of'this admirable record.(N.'Z. : prico.lOs. Cd.) ■

"Commercial Civilisation.'' ' {'Under the : title, -"Commercial,{Civilisa- 1 tion":' fliivorcargill,'.• :Tho ;'.'Southland Jsfoivs" Office), Mr. W; Hindiey-presents a" number'of essays on several phases and problems- of-latter-day life, dealing .with; . such-varied • subjects -, sis ' patriotism, tho freedom of -the-subject, money-making, education, and'the cost of. living. - 'in certain chapters, notably in those headed -"Trade..Travellers, and Liquor," and"Parasitical Progress":he'-waxes almost ferociously, indignant . «vcr certain . cus«' toms.' habits,' and/ latter-day - influences iwhicli he t deems to be .of .very.'inifiohiev-i Otis''effect in th'e community. :Tha author ..is-evidently, very. much'in earnest,' but .there -are -times when'-.his zeal : for discovering.-and exposing alleged;' defects and'-evils in the - present, social'' system ' seems to outrun his discretion. He- appear--" to' lmvc a "special dislike of "the' middleman,' the merchant, -aiid shop-"' keeper class,, and thosfe generally .very worthy citizens, the commercial.,travellers—"confederate. traders," Mr. Hinclie'y Rtyles them—como in for some 6ev2ro castigation...- .ITnon-. the iiidustrinl situation generally the author has much to say; He"would solve -"the whole'-, difficulty of the industrial trouble"'by giving "each worker a share .in the ownership, and wirinsr him.-as it were, on to the great dynamo.of life." Mr. Hinchey p6?sessos'"a wonderfully facile and' fluent pen; and there riTO many 'passages in his book which reflect'careful thought and n'ri- evident sincerity of purpose. • It'is a pity that in other places the philosophy expounded is so etiallow and the language eriiployed so violent. ■ '■

For Golfers, "Quick Cuts to Goqd Golf," by "Stan- :■ (Met&uen.' and Go.); is. .the title' handy sized . little volume by a golf expert who has already,, in his "Golf I)o'a and.. Dont's!".'given useful counicl on tlio "royal .and antient game .of. golfe." \ v , 3Dhe author ,- quotes ..the French monarch's remark .to a man wh<> admitted ho.did- not p|ay . cards, "What a ; miserable- old .-age" you.are .preparing. for, ; yonrself/'.,and applies it tp hia favourite, .game.-/ Also, ho ..challenges tlioso •who sneer at golf as being aa "old man's game," • contending it- is as,suitable n pastime .• for -young men iis- for the mid-dle-aged-and elderly. It. is, he says, •'the' only. cnergeite ; out-of-door.- game ,in .which, speaking in racing parlance, you can bring a racehorse-and. a donkey together, and make a good race of it, simply-by the giving of strokeß." "Stancliffo".-' is" essentially practical in- tho advice he 'gives to-young players, and has -much: shrewd and not unamusing comment to'make on what may bewailed the psychological factor-in.' good and tad' play, (N;Z, prlce, Ba,' 6i)«"