412 The National Geographic Magazine 



All the Russias. By Henry Norman, 

 M. P. With 129 illustrations and 

 four maps. New York: Chas. Scrib- 

 ner's Sons. 1902. $4 net. 

 Mr Norman has for man}' years been 

 a student and writer on Russian sub- 

 jects. He has made four separate jour- 

 neys in the Russian Empire — one of 

 nearly twenty thousand miles. His 

 observations and conclusions therefore 

 deserve much consideration. The more 

 interesting portions of the present vol- 

 ume deal with Finland, Siberia, and the 

 economics and foreign politics of the 

 government. 



Of special interest to Americans is the 

 chapter on "Russia and England." 

 Mr Norman does not share the common 

 belief that a death struggle between 

 England and Russia is destined in the 

 more or less remote future. "I am 

 profoundly convinced, ' ' he says, ' ' that a 

 good and lasting understanding between 

 the two nations is not only desirable 

 above all things, but also well within 

 the range of possibility. ' ' Three obsta- 

 cles exist to a good understanding — 

 China, India, and Persia. In China 

 Russia has won what she wanted, the 

 control of Manchuria and Mongolia, 

 and Mr Norman is not sure but she has 

 undertaken a responsibility the end of 

 which has not come. The danger of 

 India, where the real strain between the 

 British and Russian interests lies, the 

 author considers much exaggerated. 

 ' ' I have endeavored to study every fact 

 bearing upon it [Russia's intentions 

 with regard to India] , and after long 

 consideration I have come to the con- 

 clusion that the colossal and perilous 

 undertaking of an armed invasion of 

 India, with a view to conquest, is not 

 part of the plan of any really responsi- 

 ble Russian, either statesman or soldier. 

 I sincerely believe the most 

 influential of all would not have India 

 as a gift. . . . The truth is, in my 

 opinion, that Russia regards her position 

 on the Indian frontier as a lever to 



bring pressure to bear, whenever neces- 

 sary, upon England in other matters. 

 But the notion of. invading 

 India to annex and administer it does 

 not seriously exist in Russia." 



Russia's ambition in Persia is not di- 

 rected against England, but is a strug- 

 gle for air, for sea outlets. Persia is 

 now financially a vassal of Russia, who 

 will soon have her ports on the Persian 

 Gulf. Captain Mahan, Lord Curzon, 

 and English statesmen have declared 

 that Russian ports on the Persian Gulf 

 will seriously menace the Suez route to 

 India and the Far East and would en- 

 danger British power in Asia. But Mr 

 Norman argues that Russian occupa- 

 tion of the Persian seacoast would sim- 

 ply make it necessary for England to 

 strengthen her Indian fleet and build a 

 branch railway or two to the northwest- 

 ern frontier. Mr Norman concludes 

 the chapter with the following sen- 

 tences: " We may await with compara- 

 tive equanimity the development of a 

 rapprochement based upon geograph} - 

 and history, upon sentiment and upon 

 interest. I believe it will come in time; 

 if not today, then tomorrow." 



Glimpses of China and Chinese Homes. 



By Edward S. Morse. Illustrated 



from sketches in the author's journal. 



Boston : Little, Brown & Co. 1902. 



$1.50 net. 



So many books relating to China have 

 been published during the last few years 

 that it is impossible to read them all, 

 and one even wonders if there is any- 

 thing more about this mysterious land 

 and people that can be said. In the 

 present work, however, Professor Morse 

 presents many quaint descriptions and 

 unusual pen-and-ink sketches, in which 

 new glimpses of Chinese homes are 

 given. The author carried his sketch 

 book wherever he went and was wont to 

 sketch hastily what he saw. He has thus 

 been able to depict very clearly the every 

 day life of the Chinaman's household, 



