Review of Reviews, 20:2i06, 



Leading Articles, 



185 



OUR GERMANOPHOBISTS: 



Their Monthly Moan. 



Our Germanophobists are very sick this month. 

 Would that they were sick unto death ! The re- 

 markable demonstration of good feeling between the 

 German and British peoples infuriates them, and 

 they rage accordingly in their accustomed haunts. 

 For instance, Mr. D. C. Boulger, writing in the 

 Nineteenth Century, tells us that 



as soon as the German fleet is strong enough Germany will 

 want the colonies of other States. Holland, Belgium, 

 France, and then England provide them in their likely 

 order of attempted acquisition. 



Mr. Boulger grimly exults in the possibility of 

 trouble arising out of the Morocco Conference: — 



If the coming Conference on the Morocco question reveals 

 some fresh unpleasantries they will not be received so 

 quietly as was the attack on M. Delcasse; if Berlin renews 

 her insults thev will not be taken lying down. While the 

 scenery and stage properties are being <*ot ready for a 

 European tragedy the German Emperor makes his effort 

 to lull us to sleep. He must take us for children or for 

 fools. If he wants the goodwill of the people of this 

 country the Emperor William can obtain it only by re- 

 moving the causes of our distrust. On the one hand he 

 has to curtail instead of increasing the expenditure on 

 the German war fleet. Not less important, he must abandon 

 the design of making any unprovoked attack on France. 



These imperative " musts " become Mr. Boulger 

 hugely. Who is he to impute criminal designs to 

 his neighbours, or to dictate what Germany shall 

 spend on her fleet? 



The National Review tells the story — quite cor- 

 rectly — although not without the usual sauce piquante, 

 of how narrowly we escaped war with Germany in 

 November : — 



A German syndicate acquired a piece of property at 

 Funchal in Madeira, ostensibly for the purpose of con- 

 structing a sanatorium, probably with an ultimate v ; ew 

 to the " lease " of a coaling-station for the ever-expanding 

 German navy. The best site in the neighbourhood be- 

 longed to an Englishman. The German syndicate cove f ed 

 this property and brought pressure to hear on the Portu- 

 guese authorities to expropriate its possessor. The German 

 Government joined in the fray — which confirms the sus- 

 picion of an ulterior naval obiecfc — and set to work in 

 characteristic fashion to bully the Portuguese Government, 

 intimidation being carried to such a pitch that the 

 German Minister actually threatened to leave Lisbon unless 

 the Portuguese Government consented to expropriate tie 

 Englishman to transfer his property to the German 

 sanatorium. In this dilemma Portugal appealed to her 

 ancient ally, Great Britain, and received the only poeslb'e 

 answer from Mr. Balfour's Government, viz.. that we would 

 not tolerate such an outrage. Our support enabled Portu- 

 eral to return a suitable reply to an insolent request. 

 Peace was preserved with honour. 



YACHTING ON MODERATE MEANS. 



In the WMd's Work Mr. Albert Sutcliffe tells us 



that there is no greater mistake than to suppose 

 yachting to be solely a rich man's amusement. He 

 justlv sa\s that there is no tonic like bring on the 

 sea — provided one is a fair sailor. The best time to 

 buv a second-hand yacht is at the end of the season. 

 the prices quoted by him being end-of-the-season 

 ones. Many yachts are then on the market, for a 

 variety of reasons, and the purchaser can more easily 

 detect their faults after a long season's, use. As 

 much or more care is required in Inning a yacht 



than in buying a horse. In this, practical paper two 

 instances are given how yachting on moderate means 

 may be enjoyed: — 



A twenty-ton cutter, a sound and safe cruiser with all 

 sails and fittings, and a good dinghy can be bought, 

 second-hand, for £100 to £120. It would need two men to 

 work her— a captain at 35s. pet week, and a second hand at 

 25s.; say, therefore, wages for thirteen weeks' season. £39 

 (the men to live on board and provide their own food). 

 Other items would be: putting in commission, including 

 painting and varnishing, say, £7; men's clothes, £6; 

 season's repairs, £10; laying-up and store, £4; winter care, 

 £5. The total expenditure would thus be £71 for the year. 

 A yacht of this tonnage would have owner's cabin, lady's 

 cabin with two beds, and two sofa berths in the saloon, 

 thus sleeping five persons, besides the two folding cots in 

 the forecastle for the crew. 



Another style of yacht which I recommend more strongly 

 than the above, and in which a beginner will get more 

 practical knowledge of the sea and seamanship, is a seven- 

 ton cruiser. For accommodation she would have two sofa 

 berths in the cabin. There would also be the forecastle, 

 in which would be a cot for the crew, and where the spare 

 sails and gear would be stored, and a cock-pit. A good, 

 safe and sound cutter of seven tons can be bought second- 

 hand for £60, possibly with a dinghy included, good stand- 

 ing rigging, and a complete suit of sails. 



The total cost for the year of such a boat, in- 

 cluding laying up in winter, would be ,£30 10s. 



AN AMERICAN RHODES SCHOLAR AT OXFORD. 



In III acini II au's Magazine most readers will first 

 turn to Mr. S. R. Ashby's impressions of Oxford 

 from the American Rhodes scholar's point of view, 

 which may be summed up in the italicised words, " I 

 am glad to be here." However, he makes various 

 observations and criticisms, which all tend to show 

 how excellently Mr. Rhodes's ideal is being realised, 

 Oxford apparently producing just those effects for 

 which he hoped. 



What seems to Mr. Ashby good is the custom of 

 seniors inviting freshmen to breakfast, even though 

 in their hospitality there seemed a certain lack of 

 warmth ; the way in which sports are engaged in at 

 Oxford, the Oxonian considering it bad form to think 

 only of victory, as in America, and having a 

 more sportsmanlike love of sport as sport; the 

 examination system of Oxford, and the greater 

 thoroughness of the Oxford freshman's trainingi with 

 his wider general reading. On the whole, this open- 

 minded Rhodes scholar admires the absence of the 

 restless spirit of industry so noticeable in the States. 

 The climate of Oxford, damp and relaxing, and the 

 students' comfortable mode of life alike militate 

 against it. "The yen hearth of an Oxonian's " den 

 allures to sociability." And although the Oxonian 

 does his work mostly in the vacation, and the Am- 

 erican in term time, Mr. Ashln is convinced that 

 just as much work must be done for the Oxford 

 honour degree as for the degTee oj any American 

 university. In fact, "the balance between the man 

 intellectual and the man animal is. in nearlj every 



respect, better maintained" at Oxford; and "the 

 spirit of Oxford, though not so energetic, is. T am 

 coming to believe more and more the longer T stay 

 here, none the less productive of good results." All 

 which is just what Mr. Rhodes desired. 



