Leading Articles in the Reviews. 



559 



on the top of it and projecting a little beyond. 

 This addition has no proper structural function, 

 and it weights the end of the main structural 

 rafter. Nevertheless, unscientific timber con- 

 struction may be picturesque, as in the typical 

 form of Japanese bridge. The beauty of fitness 

 for its purpose, points out Mr. Statham, does 

 not recommend itself to the Oriental mind. 

 To-day public architecture in Japan is becoming 

 Europeanised. 



COPYING JAPAN. 



THE PASSING OF NOGI. 



In the course of his article on the above subject, 

 Lucian Thorp Chapman, in the Oriental Review, 

 quotes Count Okuma's view of the suicide of 

 the Count and Countess Nogi : — 



There was a threefold motive : First, the deed was 

 marked by loyalism of the very highest kind; second, 



Photograph byi [.Hwuine. 



Lord Kitchener and General Nogi. 



the act was a warning to the modern tendencies toward 

 corruption, or falling away from the old ideals of life 

 among the upper classes of our people ; third, it was a 

 rebuke to those in high places in the army and in official 

 life who are becoming more and more absorbed in 

 money-making, in politics, and in the furthering of 

 their aspirations at Court. 



New Methods in China. 



[Berlin. 



Chinese officials are now ordered to wear silk hats. The 



Russian recognises that with a little force the hat is an 



excellent extinguisher. 



Ai GREAT BUDDHIST. 



The late Venerable H. Sri Sumangala, Chief 

 High Priest of Adam's Peak and the Western 

 and Southern Province, Principal of the Vidyo- 

 daya Oriental College, member of a dozen or 

 more learned societies in different parts of the 

 world, was a man — or a saint, rather — beloved 

 for his humble piety and his profound scholar- 

 ship. An unknown author gives an intensely 

 interesting account of the dead saint's life and 

 work in the October African Times. The task 

 most dear to the heart of the great Buddhist was 

 the revival, of Oriental learning. He founded 

 colleges, wrote books, and taught personally, 

 all to further this object : — 



Ven. Sri Sumangala's attainments extended even to 

 science. He was well conversant with arithmetic, 

 Euclid, algebra, trigonometry, and mensuration. His 

 knowledge of Ayudvedie medicine was far more ex- 

 tensive than that of any practising physician, although 

 he never put it into practice. Ven. Sri Sumangala was 

 a formidable controversialist and keen debater, in addi- 

 tion to being a most persuasive preacher. Even in the 

 early days oi his priesthood the fame of his learning 

 had spread far and wide, and envy and jealousy had 

 combined to raise a formidable array of enemies to 

 crush his growing fame. Firm in his own convictions, 

 and undaunted by the established reputations of his 

 opponents for artfulness and cunning in debate, he 

 accepted every challenge, and came out of every con- 

 troversy with honour, often winning over some of his 

 adversaries to his sid^. 



