Page:American Historical Review vol. 6.djvu/830

820 Reznezi's of Books reproductions of old and rare prints, of clippings from newspapers, and of title-pages from original editions of important political publications. The English style is admirably adapted to the popular character of the book. It is clear and direct, dignified yet interesting. The proof-read- ing has been excellent and the printing and binding are what one always expects from the Macmillan Company. Marshall S. Brown. The Frigate Constitution, the Central Figure of the Navy under Sail. By Ira N. HoLLis. (Boston : Houghton, Mifflin and Co. 1900. •Pp. X, 264.) The Monitor and the Navy under Steam. By Frank M. Bennett, Lieutenant U. S. Navy. (Boston : Houghton, Mifflin and Co. 1900. Pp. X, 370.) American naval history has recently received a valuable addition in two books lately published. One, The Frigate Constitution, by Professor Ira N. Mollis, describes that memorable period of our country's history in which our navy, like all others, was composed of sailing ships, and when its many famous deeds were performed without steam power and by the sole favor of the wind and currents. The other book by Lieutenant Bennett of our navy entitled The Mo7iitor and the Navy uruier Steam covers the present period, in which the development of steam and armor engrosses public attention ; the Motiitor marking the opening of that period, in the War of the Rebellion; while the Indiana and her type in the fighting against Cervera furnish tangible proofs of the great strides we have made in the forty years intervening. Professor HoUis's book, The Frigate Constitution, has for sub-title "The Central Figure of the Navy under Sail." The history of the navy during the sail period is in a large degree represented by the record of this great ship, whose various achievements form an almost continuous thread running through long periods of our national life. The author has given us a most interesting book, and one which, while very useful for historical reference, is made especially interesting by the author's correct and pleasing literary style. His deductions and inferences display for the most part logical and exact processes of reason- ing, although we cannot agree with his assertion on page 4 that " Before the invention of the telegraph and the steam engine, campaigns were relatively much longer." We have had no great naval wars and cam- paigns since the later inventions, and there is nothing in the nature of things to make us believe that campaigns or battles will be shorter or longer. This is an affair of men and of nations, and their physical and nervous endurance, rather than of materials and improved mechanics. Fleets, that in the past "dodged " each other by favor of the wind, will do so more easily with steam at their disposal ; we have had an example