MB. BOWEN has performed a public ser- vice in writing this book, which sets forth in a straightforward, and at times almost prosaic, way the romantic history of the sea and its ships. We use the word " prosaic " advisedly, for what is more cruelly prosaic than the way in which the author blows Dick Whittington's cat to pieces ? He writes, "It is interesting to note that the fairy tale connexion between Dick Whittington and his cat probably arose from the fact that he made the greater part of his for- tune in the coal trade, which at that time was carried down the coast in small sailing vessels called ' cats.' " So for the first time we learn— (1) That Dick's cat was not an animal, but a ship; (2) That in those days, at any rate, there was money in coal, and that Whittington made his for- tune out of it.

We commend this version of a great story to the notice of the members of the Coal Commission.

Although you may regret this destruc- tion of a national figure, the fact remains that it is a book to be recommended to young and old, particularly the former, with whom lies our future destiny on.

the sea, for, despite the inexorable advance of the science of travelling by air, the time is not yet come when the sea will be regarded merely as the place for fishes to live in and Channel swim- mers to show their prowess. It is, in fact, the very book for school prizes, not only because of the subject and the way in which Mr. Bowen has written about it, but because it is full of excellent illustrations. A number of them are coloured, and many are reproductions of rare and most interesting old prints.

This is the first of five volumes, and it brings the story of the sea down to the end of the seventeenth century. We shall look forward with interest to the succeeding volumes.

We should add that the Publishers have kindly arranged that the funds of the Institution shall benefit by the sale of any copies of this book which are ordered through the Institution..