Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Beview should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , E . C . — : o : — Tlie Colony we Live in . Adelaide : Frearson and Brother , Printers and Publishers , King William-street . 1878 . THIS useful little pamphlet may best be described as a multum in parvo . It gives within the narrow compass of ten pages a

considerable amonnt of valuable information , chiefly in the form of hints as to the class of people who are most needed in the oniony , the measures most needful to increase its prosperity , and the anomalous fashions by which life in Sonth Australia is distinguished . Having pointed out the qualifications indispensable for an efficient colonist , and having paid a well deserved tribute of praise to " the trusty

yeomanry to whom the stability of her prosperity is confided , " the pamphleteer goes on to note the class of immigrant which is most needed in S . Australia . He deprecates most strongly the far too common practice in the mother country of sending out young men of good families to make their way in an entirely new sphere , and he describes it as beinaras " unwise as it is cruel and selfish ; " it often

meets with the saddest results , and cannot ho too strongly reprehended . Ho says they are " as ignorant of the requirements a life so utterly different from their early one calls for , as they are unfitted for it ; away from all control of family and friends ; no longer restrained by the wholesome fear of losing cast with ihe associates of their old sphere , they become discouraged , indifferent , careless ,

and too often drift into the dangerous loafing class , whence they rapidly sink to their ruin . " All men , however , of this class do not turn out thus unsatisfactorily , and the writer acknowledges that many examples are nofc wanting " of men well bred , well educated , and gently nurtured coming ont here to seek for a more promising field for endeavour than is offered to them in the old world , and who ,

joining at once the great brotherhood of workers , beat ; out , through countless vicissitudes , trials and privations , a path for themselves to honourable positions , and in time become a power in the land . In their successful battle with difficulties they have gained self-control , and consequent strength of character . In witnessing and sharing with tho poor tbe hardships often so patiently endured by them , they

have learned to sympathise more widely with their fellow-beings , and to help and support them in time of need . This is the class of men who , valuable everywhere , become priceless in the new world where so many elements of contention and discord exist—where so many and various are the interests to be reconciled—so many the claims to be adjusted ! Would that our legislators were chosen

from such patterns , and possessed the self-respect , calm judgmentdignity , the tact and forbearance of the true gentleman . " The subject of education , with a view to the mental development of the colonists , is mentioned , and regret is expressed at the want of liberality shown by the colony to the scholastic class . " It is a fact aa grievous as it is anomalous that some of our school teachers are

worse paid than upper servants . Can this be right ? Is it wise or just ? We are rich , wo aro prosperous , we need education ; wo wish for the best kind ; why not pay the best price for it , and thus bring to our help first-rate talent and experience ? What inducement under the present regime do we offer to young people to qualify themselves highly for the task of tuition ? We are said to be a generous

community ; let us then be so to our good friends the school teachers , and in time we shall reap a rich reward . " "We fully endorse the remarks of the writer , but seeing the old country is shamefully indifferent to the adequate remuneration of teachers , male and female , we can hardly wonder at a young colony following in the same track . Here , in England , the average governess is oftentimes treated worse

than a servant , for governesses are plentiful , and servants are not ; it is not surprising , therefore , thafc the successful English colonist , more often than not a man of low degree , should look down with contempt on a common teacher . In speaking of the drawbacks due to climate and other conditions , the writer points ont how in many cases they might be greatly

mitigated . For instance , he asks , " Why not take advantage of the experience , born of time , and gained by those who inhabit climates which approximate to ours , and avoiding exposure to the mid-day sun , turn some of its most oppressive hours into a time of rest or siesta ? " A little further on he remarks , " To see a man walking about the streets of Adelaide in the white heat of its summer day , with thick , dark

clothing on , must impress strangers with grave doubts of his sanity . "Why not take an independent stand , and instead of following , sheeplike , tbe lead of others , even to our own detriment , initiate customs and fashions of our own ? " The question is a most reasonable one , and the only excuse we can offer in behalf of the South Australians for not adopting a fashion of their own , aud one suitable to the conditions of life as they are in that colony , is that most of them are

English born , and prefer following in the footsteps of their fathers to obeying the instincts of common sense . It will be gathered from the foregoing that this little pamphlet is what we described it at the outset , and as the price is only six . pence , those of our readers who are interested in matters colonial , will do well to expend that modest sum in the purchase of a copy . It does not contain mnch that is new , but its advice is sound enough , and worthy to be followed by intending emigrants .

Under the Red Ensign . By Thomas Gray . London : Simpkin , Mar . shall and Co . ; Kent and Co . ; J . D . Potter ; Wilson ' s ( late Norie ' s ) : and Pewtress and Co ., 15 Great Queen-street , W . C . 1878 . IT is impossible to exaggerate the importance of a work of this kinr to sailors , and those who may desire to go to sea , as well as to thos ^ who have relatives either at sea or about to place themselves unde" The Red Ensign . " Mr , Gray , from the official knowledge ho has

Reviews.

trained in the Board of Trade—tho Government Department to which tho guardianship of our Mercantile Marine interests is entrustedspeaks with an authority which can only be derived from his actual and practical experience of the subject . He is , in fact , the very man of all others whom a parent or guardian about to send a youngster to sea , or the youngster himself , should consult , and there is no better

way of doing this than by purchasing this useful book . Ifc tells him not only what he must do , and whom he should consult , but likewise what he must scrupulously avoid doing , and of whom he must under no circumstances seek counsel . The first and two following chapters are especially addressed to " Parents and Guardians , " who are told plainly the kind of boy thafc shonld eo to sea , and how they should

treat those who evince an irrepressible desire to do so . They are also undeceived as to the dangers of a sea life , which Mr . Gray says , are " grossly exaggerated and misrepresented . Undoubtedly , " he adds , " there are shipwrecks and sufferings afc sea , but what portion of humanity is free from danger or exempt from suffering ? A passenger ship is as safe as a passenger train . Miners are as liable to severe

suffering as seamen ; and , as a matter of danger , it is quite as , if nofc more , dangerous to attempt to cross the crowded thoroughfares in our cities and towns , than it is to go to sea in a foreisrn-going British ship . " The principal dangers which beset the British merchant sailor are not those he experiences when following his profession , bnt are those he is liable to when ashore . These are f nil v described in Chap .

terVI . Chapter II . is entitled " What to avoid , " and the po-it of infamy under this head is properly assigned " the Advertising Crimp . " Mr . Gray ' s advice is to the point — " Before you enter into any arrangement with any one who advertises in tho way I have described , cut out the advertisement and se d it to the Board of Trade , and ask whether the advertiser is known , and whether

he is licensed by the Board of Trade to supply seamen and apprentices to ships . " The reason for this is also given . " Some of these men have been convicted more than once , aud such of them as sail pretty close to the law are pretty well known at headquarters . " Tho inquiry must be addressed to the " Assistant Secretary , Marino Department , Board of Trade , London , "

and will be answered forthwith . Then is quoted a most important section of an Act of Pai liament , which we take leave to reproduce . " All superintendents of Mercantile Marine offices appointed nnder the Act" ( these are public officers at public offices at every port ) , " shall , if applied to , give to any persons desirous of apprenticing boys to tho sea service , and to masters and owners of ships requiring

apprentices , such assistance as is in their power for facilitating the making of such apprenticeships , and may receive from the persons availing themselves of such assistance , such fees as may be determined by the Board of Trade . " The fee is fixed at five shillings , so thafc for this modest sum the desired information can be had from the official headquarters—which is the best of all sources of information , and no

one need trouble the crimp and incur the monstrous charges he is certain to make . Other sections are quoted , showing the penalties improper persons or those acting improperly render themselves liable to , so that any one who has reason to believe he has been victimised knows how to obtain a legal remedy against the person who has imposed upon him . Chapter III . tells the reader " What to Do , "

that is , where to go for information ; whether a youngster should be apprenticed or sent to sea as a boy , what wages the different classes of sailors receive , and the cost and extent of an apprentice ' s outfit . In Chapter IV . the Merchant Service is described , and the reader is told " What sort of people the boy will mect in it , and how to treat them . " This , and Chapters V ., VI . and VII . are addressed to " Tbe

Boy . " Chapter V . treats of " Wages , " Chapter VI ., amostimpor . tant one , of " Rights , Duties , and Obligations , " while Chapter VII . contains much sensible advice on the subject of " The Naval Reserve , " showing how desirable it is that all sailors of good character who are attached to their calling should join and the advantages they will derive from so doing . So much for the Book or Pamphlet itself .

But there are no fewer than fifteen Appendices , numbered A , B , C , & c , & c . Appendix A shows the comparative safety of the merchant service . Appendix B gives cases—the names only being omitted and " Blank Dash " substituted—of crimps who have been punished by fine or imprisonment . Appendix C contains " Forms of Indentures of Apprenticeship—England and Scotland ; " and D the " Forms of

Apprenticeship to the Sea Service . " In E we have a list of training ships of all classes , while the other A ppendices contain particulars respecting Wages , Food , Berthing and Accommodation , Examination for Certificates as Officers and Seamen , Rights of Seamen in regard to Seaworthiness of Ship , List of useful Books for a Boy , Sua ., & o . In short , Mr . Gray , in his ' Under the Red Ensign , " has provided a

most useful compendium of valuable information , which will be of service both to parents and guardians , and to their sons or wards , as the case may be . He is , as we have said , one who is quite competent ; to write such a book , his official position enabling him to speak with certainty of whatever it is desirable should be known by the public . We thank Mr . Gray , accordingly , for the opportunity he has afforded us of making acquaintance with a work of such general usefulness .

In the "Model Lodge' men will come together as brethren in fact , as well as iu name . They make their Lod ge the rallying point of mutual interests and affections . It is a sort of famil y , wherein each member feels that he has a rightful place and a relation of love to ¦ sustain with every other member . In the Lod ge of this character , members do not have to go about asking to be introduced to each

jther , or wondering how it could have happened that some coarsegrained and objectionable person could havo been admitted to tho ights and privileges of the organisation . Theirs is a homogeneous > ody . All are acquainted and willing to recognise each other whenever and under whatever circumstances they may meet . No stranger

m comi within the gates of their Temple except by tho hearty usent of their entire membeiship . They do not forget their pledges t . help and stand by each oiher , but are faithful alike to the demands of a true friendship and a noble Masonio profession . —• Freemasons RepositQPj ,