Revieii of Reviews. l/ll/OS. 



Leading Articles in the Reviews. 



THE FRENCH NAVAL MANffiUVRES. 



'1 he most noteworthy article in the Correspondant 

 of September loth is an unsigned study of the 

 French Naval Manoeuvres, which took place from 

 July 3rd to August 4th, between Toulon and Merz- 

 el-Kebir. 



The significance of these manoeuvres, says the 

 writer, wiL easilv be recognised when it is under- 

 stood that they brought into action, under one com- 

 mander, Vice-Admiral Fournier, all the fighting ships 

 of the first line in the French Navy. To these were 

 added — first, the most important section of the re- 

 serves, and next, the five torpedo flotillas and the two 

 flotillas of submarine boats stationed in the Mediter- 

 ranean. In the manoeuvres there was no serious 

 question of strategy or of tactics in the ordinary 

 sense. It was simplv an experiment conducted by 

 Vice-Admiral Fournier in " triangular tactics." 



The writer says the lesson of the manoeuvres is 

 that the ships, notwithstanding the most praise- 

 worthy efforts, were unequal to their task. In future 

 ironclads of the highest tonnage should be adopted. 

 There should be fewer and larger units. It would 

 be much easier for an admiral to manoeuvre eighteen 

 ships of 12,000 tons than twelve ships of 18,000 

 tons, and these twelve larger ships would cost less 

 and carry more guns than the eighteen small ones. 

 The writer also recommends that the field of action 

 be changed. Cherbourg and Brest will play a more 

 important part in war than any Mediterranean port, 

 and he would like to see the manoeuvres of 1907 

 transferred to the Atlantic and the English Channel. 



THE CAREER OF BU BEKIR IN MOROCCO. 



A Reproach to England. 



In '■ Pastels from Morocco," which L. J. B. con- 

 tributes to the October number of Conilull, we are 

 given some particulars of the career of the tyrant 

 Bu Bekir as political agent of England in Morocco. 

 All who are interested in Morocco know something 

 of his misdeeds, but few probably had any idea of 

 the disgrace his life has been to England. 



Here are one or two instances: — 



Sitting, as for years it was his custom to sit, at tiie 

 door of liis " futidak." loolsins out on the traffic that passed, 

 he was shunned and feared by every passer-by who pos- 

 sessed anything that Bu Bekir might covet. Nothine was 

 too small, notliing too big for his greed. I*;obody was so 

 insignificant that his all-embracing tyranny would over- 

 look him, or so nowerful that he would hesitate to attack 

 him. 



A donkey loaded with beans passed the fundak; Bu Bekir 

 told his men to take It. The donkey, at European insist- 

 ence, was given up a few days later, hut its load had dis- 



appeared. A man passed with the day's tolls from one of 

 the city gates ; he was pulled into the house, and the money 

 taken from him. A slave girl, walking up the street, took 

 Bu Bekir's fancy; she was seized by his men, and was 

 still in his house at the time of his death. 



He imprisoned in his own house, and he used the Govern- 

 ment prisons as his own. " Bu Bekir wishes him to be 

 put in prison." was a sufficient order to the Governor of 

 the city; and " Tou are Bu Bekir's iirisoner; you must 

 settle with him," was the answer to anyone who was bold 

 enough to remonstrate or ask for a trial. 



Thus the protection of England in this case seems 

 to have been worse than the injustice of Moroccan 

 government. 



THE DUCHESS AND THE CRIPPLES. 



Social Sii-vitc for .September contains a sketch of 

 the Duchess of Sutherland as " Social Servant.' 

 Her developrnent of the industry of hand-made fab- 

 rics in the Highlands has advanced to such a point 

 that no fewer than 11,000 crofters look to the 

 Duchess for the sale of their cloth. How a day's 

 hospitalitv at Trentham Hall led to her formation 

 of the Potteries Cripples' Guild is thus described : — 



In March, 1900, the Duchess of Sutherland was invited 

 to entertain at Trentham Hall some 300 crippled children 

 from the vicinity of her Staffordshire residence. It was 

 characteristic of her not only to accede cheerfully to the 

 request, but also to suggest that some more systematic 

 assistance should be eiven to these unfortunate children 

 than was then afforded. As an outcome of this suggestion 

 the Potteries Cripples' Guild of Handicraft was formed, 

 with her Grace as President. The Guild had for its ob- 

 ject the succouring and teaching of crippled children re- 

 siding in the five towns known as the Potteries. A start 

 was made with evening classes, and such light handicrafts 

 were taught as these children were able to learn. They 

 made such progress in twelve months that the Duchess 

 was encouraged to open a small workshop for the manufac- 

 ture of artificial flowers for millinery purposes. The ex- 

 periment proved so successful that ia.rger premises were 

 secured, and the industries of repoug^e copper work and 

 high-class printing were added. X French fieuri^te was 

 brought from Paris in order that the girls should learn 

 their craft under the best possible conditions. The ser- 

 vices of a lad.v artist were obtained to teach the lads to 

 draw and create objects of beauty from a piece of copper. 

 Every effort was made to encourage the pupils to exercise 

 their owu individuality. Gradually — very gradually — the 

 spirit born of the slums was lost, and in its place there 

 awoke a desire to overcome the obstacle of deformity V)y 

 the development of brain and the acouiremeut of skill. 

 It was arduous work, but the Duchess had a profound 

 belief in the divine power of art and the possibilities lying 

 dormant in these cripples. Ultimately this belief was more 

 than justified. This policy has resulted in the Duchess of 

 Sutherland's Guild of Handicraft enjoying a uniQue repu- i 

 tation for excellent craftsmansliin. It seems that the very 

 infirmities uuder which the workers labour have given a 

 greater imiietus to the finer Qualities of the brain. So from 

 the spirit of mendicity to the s.nirit of craftsmanship has 

 the crippled child of the Potteries evolved. 



