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REVIEW OF REVIEWS. 



The same may be said of Russia. And 

 so the general spirit of army and navy 

 is one of laissez faire; and it is difficult 

 to see how the modern policy of in- 

 creased army divisions can remedy so 

 vital a defect. It would seem a wiser 

 policy to devote attention to improve- 

 ment of quality and personnel than ex- 

 pansion and outlay. We could, more- 

 over devote more attention to warship 



construction after modern models than 

 we are doing. England and Germany 

 are building new navies as the result of 

 experience in warfare, and we should 

 follow the policy if not the extent of 

 the ambition. But our main needs are 

 men more than money, and spirit more 

 than ammunition. Our nation should 

 become more wide awake to prospective 

 changes and their values. 



ANECDOTES OF SIR HERBERT TREE. 



The genial actor-manager is a hne 

 raconteur and has a ready wit. From 

 the Strand Magazine, in which a chatty 

 article appears about him, we take some 

 typical stories. 



"One evening, during the run of 

 ' King John,' Tree remarked to a friend 

 at the Garrick Club : — 



" ' Is it not strange that I should be 

 appearing in two places at once in my 

 new production ? I shall be on at the 

 Palace in the cinematograph and at the 

 same time on the stage at His Majesty's.' 



" ' I shall go to the Palace for choice.' 

 said the candid friend, ' for then I shan't 

 have to listen to the words.' 



" ' You would not understand them if 

 you did, my friend,' Sir Herbert re- 

 torted. 



" ' Well, no perhaps not, as you 

 speak 'em.' was the genial reply." 



" On one occasion a famous musical 

 comedy ' star,' a handsome creature, who 

 was wont to display more of her hand- 

 some self than of her mediocre talent, 

 was a counter-attraction on one of Sir 

 Herbert's visits to Dublin, and someone 

 said that he could not understand Tree's 

 poor success, as she had played to 

 crowded houses. 



" ' Ah,' said Tree, ' Art cannot cor. 

 pete with Nature.' " 



HALL CAINE AND TREE. 



" No less a personage than Mr. Hall 

 Caine was once made the butt of one of 

 Sir Herbert's little jokes. The famous 

 novelist wished to secure a certain effect 

 in ' The Eternal City.' Miss Constance 

 Collier played Roma, and Mr. Caine, 



anxious to get powerful effect in a cer- 

 tain scene she was taking with the late 

 Robert Taber. said, during a rehearsal : 



" ' I once saw a very striking bit of 

 business. The man picked up the woman 

 and threw her over his shoulder.' 



" Miss Collier looked at him in con- 

 sternation, for she would be rather a 

 \^enus de Miloesque person to throw 

 about. 



" ' That reminds me,' said the actor- 

 manager. ' I saw a play once in which 

 the hero caught hold of the heroine by 

 the feet and banged her head on the 

 floor.' 



"'Splendid! A magnificent idea!' 

 interpolated the enthusiastic author. 

 ' What was the play ?' 



"Punch and ludv.' replied Sir Her- 

 bert." 



A HUMOROUS ANSWER TURNETH AWAY 

 WRATH. 



"Sir Herbert knows how to admire 

 the wit of others. On the occasion of a 

 new production, preceded by a long 

 series of rather wearying rehearsals, one 

 member of the company, who had never 

 had anything but a small part, spoke in 

 so weak a voice when his cue came that- 

 .Sir Herbert asked, in rather a sarcastic 



tone : ' What's the matter. Mr. X ? 



Are you saving your voice for the open- 

 ing night ?' 



" ' No, Sir Herbert.' was the retort ; 

 ' I've never been able to save anything 

 under your management.' 



" ' Humour is greater than vulgar 

 truth.' said the manager, and doubled 

 the actor's salary." 



