Victory (Jaya Stambha), which have been incorrectly translated by Tod. The tour extended southwards to Nimach, and terminated at Agra on the 31st of March. 1884. Twentynine old sites have been explored, twenty-eight drawings and photographs taken within limits of the tour, which was through a country in many parts difficult to travel.

SEPOY'S HAND-BOOKS SERIES-We have received two 32mo. pamphlets, by Lieut. -Colonel W. E. Gowan, forming Nos. 1 and 2 of this series. The first is devoted to "The Defensive-Defence of Posts," and the second to "Organization of Working Parties." They ought to prove useful to those "whose task it is to fit the Sepoy of to-day to stand side by side with his British comrade against all foes of her Majesty the Queen-Empress."

THE TRIAL OF MULUK CHAND.-Mr. F. Unwin has published under the title of "A Romance of Criminal Administration in Bengal" an account of the trial of Muluk Chand, for the murder of his daughter, which created a great sensation in India, in 1882. Mr. Manotudhau Ghose, who acted as counsel to the accused on the second trial, has supplied a narrative of the latter part of the trial, and Mr. W. A. Hunter has added a short introduction in which he reflects on some advantages the Indian Criminal Law has in its administration over our own. The little work ought to be widely read among lawyers and Anglo-Indians.

JAPANESE VERBS.-Mr. G. C. Verbeck has prepared a synopsis of all the conjugations of the Japanese verbs, with explanatory text and practical application. It is published by Messrs. Kelly and Walsh, Limited, of Yokohama. This Synopsis is intended to be a universal parsing table of the verb, not a substitute for any existing Japanese grammar, but as an auxiliary to all of them. After giving tables of the conjugations of the verb, Mr. Verbeck gives specimens of the application of the use of the book by selections from the works of Japanese authors.

QABBALAH.-Mr. Isaac Myer, LL.B., of Philadelphia, is bringing out by subscription an edition of The Philosophical Writings of Solomon Ben Yehudah Ibn Gebirol, or Avicebron, and their connection with the Hebrew Qabbalah and Sepher haz-Zohar, with remarks upon the origin, antiquity and contents, of the latter; also An Ancient Lodge of Initiates, translated from the Zohar, and an abstract of an essay upon the Chinese Qabbalah, contained in the book called the Yih King; a translation of part of the Mystic Theology of Dionysius, the Areopagite; and an account of the construction of the ancient Akkadian and Chaldean Universe, etc., accompanied by diagrams and illustrations." To every person who desires to intelligently understand the origin and hidden meanings in the Old and New Testaments, and the extent of archaic Asiatic metaphysics and philosophy, the study of the Qabbalah, especially its speculative branch, as it has come to us through the Israelites, is of great value and importance. A scientific exposition of the Qabbalah and its origin has not ever been published in America, and many of the learned men do not even know the name, or, if so, do not have any intelligible idea of this system of philosophy; nor of its extent and importance in the history of human thought, religion and cosmogony. With the exception of two books published in England, one by Dr. Christian D. Ginsburg in 1865, and another recently by S. Liddell MacGregor Mathers, ⚫ more especially upon the Kabbala Denudata of Baron Knorr Von Rosenroth; and a few incomplete and erroneous articles in the encyclopedias or periodicals; not anything upon the subject exists in the English language. Even the spelling is not settled, for we have it as Cabala, Caballa, Cabbalah, Kabbala, Kabala, Kabbalah, Gaballa, Qabalah. Mr. Myer adopted Qabbalah as the nearest and most correct rendering of the pronunciation of the Hebrew word np.

Having for many years given attention to the Qabbalistic philosophy, Mr. Myer thought that at this juncture, when a great wave of occult thought is permeating humanity, a book upon the antiquity and extent of this theosophy and philosophy and subjects pertaining to it might interest the learned investigator of philosophy, and the origins of the universe and religion; and if his humble effort should meet with a favourable reception from a generous learned public, he will follow it with others upon the same theme. The present work more particularly supports the antiquity of the Qabbalah and the Zohar, and the importance of them to all thoughtful students of religion, philosophy, mythology, theosophy, occult science, ancient cosmogony, etc. It will contain many diagrams and engravings. Only 350 copies will be printed on laid paper, in octavo, and 150 copies with large margins, numbered, signed, and uncut, and the forms broken up. It is confidently ex

pected that the entire edition will be taken up exclusively for subscribers; if not all taken up in America, the balance will be wanted in London.

THE LIBRARY OF DR. A. M. LEDEBOER.-Mr. E. T. Brill, Leiden, Holland, will sell by auction, in May next, the very interesting collection of books of the late Dr. A. M. Ledeboer, author of "Het geslacht der Van Waesberghe, Notices bibliographiques de livres imprimés avant 1525,' and of the "Alphabetische lyst van boekdrukkers in Nederland tot den aanvang der 19e eeuw."-The catalogue of this rich library mentions a fine collection of works on bibliography, the art of printing, rare manuscripts, hora, incunables, and Van Waesberghes, Elzevirs, etc.

VOLAPUK. The American Philosophical Society have printed the report of a committee appointed October 21st, 1887, to examine into the scientific value of Volapük. This committee, though acknowledging the want of a general medium of intercommunication, which they point out is shown by the Lingua Franca of the Mediterranean, the pigeon-English of the Chinese ports, and other mixed languages, or "jargons." which have arisen out of urgent business needs, think, however, that Volapük does not supply this want. The English language being a jargon of a marked type illustrates what W. von Humboldt remarked early in the century, that from such crossings and mingling of tongues are developed the most sinewy and picturesque examples of human language. In the system of the Rev. Johann Martin Schleyer, the inventor of Volapuk, the committee find something to praise and much to condemn, and the result of their deliberations is the opinion that Volapük is not destined to become the universal language; it is in conflict with the development of both the Teutonic and Romance languages, and full of difficulties to the learner. It has retained the impure German modified vowels ä, ö, ü, the guttural German ch, the complex English th, as well as the aspirated h, or rough breathing. It has eight vowels and nineteen consonants, where five vowels and sixteen consonants ought to be sufficient. Various sounds of the Volapük alphabet could not be pronounced by any Aryan nation without special oral training, which the committee consider a fatal defect. It has mechanism that is superfluous, and if any lesson is to be learned from the history of articulate speech, it is precisely the opposite to what the universal language should and must be. Volapük is synthetic and complex, all modern dialects have become more and more analytic and grammatically simple, whilst the formal elements of Volapük are those long since discarded as out-grown by Aryan speech. The committee conclude by recommending that the task of forming an international tongue should be entrusted to an international committee from the six or seven leading Aryan nationalities. According to Mr. C. N. Caspar, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who has published a Bibliography of Works on Volapük, it already possesses a literature of sixty-six volumes and ten periodicals; and five volumes are announced as in the press, but singularly enough Mr. C. E. Sprague's "HandBook of Volapük, a complete Grammar and Vocabulary," is the only work written in English for the use of Englishmen. There are other works professedly in this connexion, but they are indifferent translations of foreign books on Volapük that cannot be recommended to English students. Notwithstanding the opposition to Volapük it appears to be the best universal language yet invented for commercial purposes, and we think this is fully proved by the wonderful progress it has made since the Rev. J. M. Schleyer gave it to the world. The Committee of the American Philosophical Society find fault with it as a language for speaking, but we are not aware that its inventor intended it for anything but a written one. A universal language easy for all nationalities to read, speak, and write, would be no doubt a great desideratum.

THE FISHERIES AND FISHERY INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED STATES.-A large quarto volume forming Section II. of the subject, which was to be prepared under the auspices of the Superintendent of the Tenth Census, has just been issued. It consists of nearly 800 pages, and gives a geographical review of the Fisheries industries and fishing communities for the year 1880. It is edited by the Hon. George Brown Goode, the present Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and a staff of associates. Section I., "The Natural History of Useful Aquatic Animals," it will be remembered, was prepared and issued in 1885 by the late Hon. Spencer F. Baird, the U.S. Commissioner of Fisheries, and the present volume was then announced as in preparation under the Census Superintendent, as the statistics required for its compilation had been collected by his Department, and we should presume will

appear as a volume of the Tenth Census, as well as in its present form. The total number of persons employed in the fisheries in 1880, either as fishermen or preparing the products for market, was 131.426, of whom 101,684 were fishermen and the remainder shoresmen. The fishing fleet consisted of 6605 vessels, aggregating 20,8297,082 tons, and 44,804 boats. The total capital invested was $37,955,349. distributed as follows:-Vessels. $9,357,282; boats, $2,465.393; minor apparatus, etc.. $8,145,261; other capital, including shore property, $17,987,413. The value of the fisheries of the sea, of the great rivers, and great lakes, was $43,046,053, and those of the minor inland waters was $1,500,000; in all, $44,546,053. These values were estimated upon the basis of the prices of the products received by the producers; if the average wholesale prices obtained had been estimated, the value would have been much greater. The fisheries of the New England States are the most important, and the chief fishing ports are Gloucester, Portland, Boston, Princetown, and New Bedford. Next in importance to the New England come the fisheries of the South Atlantic States. Next come the Middle States, and then the Pacific States and Territories. Forty-three distinct fisheries are recognized in America, each being carried on in a special locality and with methods peculiar to itself. The exports of American fish are small, owing to the demand for home consumption, which is constantly increasing, being greater than the supply. The products of the fishery exported to England consist of canned preparations, fresh oysters, and the products of the whale fishery. Large quantities of canned salmon are sent to China, Japan and Australia.

CANADIAN ARCHIVES. -A very important volume of upwards of 660 pages has been published at Ottawa by the Dominion Government as an appendix to the Report of the Minister of Agriculture (1887). It is edited by Douglas Brymner, Archivist, and contains documents relating to Canadian history dating from 1695 to 1784. Mr. Brymner's report to the Hon. John Carling, Minister of Agriculture, which precedes the copies of the documents, is an historical account of these archives in the form of an introduction to them. This volume of "Dominion" history ought to be in every colonial Parliamentary Library as showing the rise and progress of a colony which is fast growing into a powerful state dividing the North American Continent with the United States, and possessing the "lion's share" of it.

THE CURRENCY AND THE NATIONAL BANKS OF THE U.S.A. The Report of the Honble. W. L. Trenholm, the Comptroller of the Currency, for the past year, 1887, is the largest and fullest we have yet seen, as it consists of two volumes containing one thousand four hundred and fifty-nine pages. This Report, which is the twenty-fifth that has been issued, is divided into five sections. The first contains a summary of the state and condition of all the banks from which reports have been received; the second a statement of those closed during the year; the third contains very important suggestions for the amendment of the laws by which the National Bank system may be improved; the fourth is a statement divided under appropriate heads of the resources and liabilities of the banks, banking companies, and savings' banks organized under the laws of the several States and Territories; the fifth contains statistics of the expenses of the Department of the Comptroller of the Currency, salaries of clerks, etc. Notwithstanding the careful supervision exercised by the Currency Department, eight national banks failed during the year, with an aggragate capital of $1,550,000, and were placed in the hands of receivers. The First National Bank of Pine Bluff, Ark., failed through its President overspeculating in cotton. The Palatka National Bank of Fla. died through inanition, caused by a general stagnation of business in the locality; but in less than sixty days after the appointment of a receiver all its creditors were paid in full, and a balance handed over to an agent of its stockholders. The Fidelity National Bank of Cincinnati, O., was reduced to insolvency through the unfaithful management of its Directors. The Henrietta National Bank of Texas became involved through the failure of its President and four other directors in the cattle trade; but it paid a dividend of fifty per cent. within sixty days of its suspension. The National Bank of Sumter, S.C., closed through the cashier absconding, but it will probably pay seventy-five per cent. The First National Bank of Danesville, N.Y., was wrecked by its President, who absconded to Canada. The First National of Corry, Pa., was crippled by mismanagement several years ago and never recovered, but struggled on till eighty per cent. of its capital was lost: it is probable it will eventually pay its creditors in full. The Stafford National Bank, Conn., lost

upwards of one hundred thousand dollars by its cashier, who is under arrest: it is probable enough will be realized from the assets to pay the creditors in full.

UNITED STATES BUREAU OF EDUCATION.-The Report of the Commissioner of Education, 1885-6, makes its appearance endorsed with the names of two commissioners, the late Hon. John Eaton, who was Commissioner to August 4th, 1886, and the present one, the Hon. H. R. Dawson, who was appointed August 4th, 1886. The present Commissioner says that the preparation of these annual reports has become so increasingly difficult that a revision of the plan on which the future ones are brought out is indispensable, but it will be his object to preserve the spirit and essence of the labour, even if changes in its form have become necessary. The present library of the office of the Bureau of Education contains more than 18,000 volumes and over 50,000 pamphlets, and the Hon. Commissioner asks for an appropriation of one thousand eight hundred dollars for a librarian. The tendency of the work of the Bureau to increase year by year will of course cause an increase in the expense of maintaining it, if it is to be kept up to its present state of efficiency; but the Hon. Commissioner seems to be very moderate in his requisitions for an increased grant. In the present report will be found a summary of the laws on education in the several States and Territories, and besides other items, it contains a list of educational publications, educational periodicals, and an additional list of public libraries to the one in the last report. The letter of Mr. Sheldon Jackson on Alaska is exceedingly interesting, and he says fifty thousand dollars is the smallest amount that Congress ought to appropriate for schools in Alaska, where there are at least one thousand two hundred and fifty children awaiting school-houses and instruction.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. We have received the Library Bulletin of the University of California, Numbers 8 and 9. The first, No. 8, is by Francis H. Stoddard, A.M., and contains references for students of miracle plays and mysteries, and the second, No. 9, contains a list of printed maps of California.

LIBRARY OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY.-In Bibliographical Contributions edited by Mr. Justin Winsor (Librarian), No. 27, will be found, "A few notes concerning the Records of Harvard College," by Andrew McFarlane Davis, which gives the contents of a missing book of the "Records," said to be volume two of the series. This same number also contains a list of books presented to Harvard College Library by John Harvard, Peter Bulkley, Sir Kenelme Digby, and Governor Bellingham.

THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST.-The Anthropological Society of Washington, D.C., propose to issue a quarterly periodical similar to the one issued by the English Society of the same name, and like it will contain papers read before the Society at its meetings. It will also chronicle all anthropological discoveries and the progress of the science in all countries, besides occasionally containing articles by anthropological investigators not members of the Society. The subscription price will probably be 3 dols. per annum.

THE AMERICAN FOLK-LORE SOCIETY. This society has been established for the study of American Folk-lore, and the issue of a Journal designed for the collection of the fast vanishing remains of Folk-lore in America, namely, Relics of Old English Folk-lore (ballads, tales, superstitions, dialect, etc.); lore of negroes in the Southern States of the Union; lore of the Indian tribes of North America (myths, tales, etc.); lore of French Canada, Mexico, etc., and also for the study of the general subject, and publication of the results of special students in this department. The first number will be issued in June. Mr. W. W. Newell, 175, Brattle Street, Cambridge. Mass., is the general editor, and will give full information to applicants for membership.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.-During the meeting of the above Association at New York in August last, the following officers were elected for the Cleveland meeting, which will be held in August next-President: J. W. Powell, of Washington. Vice-Presidents: A. Mathematics and Astronomy, Ormond Stone, of University of Virginia; B. Physics, A. A. Michelson, of Cleveland; C. Chemistry, C. E. Munroe, of Newport; D. Mechanical Science, Calvin M. Woodward, of St. Louis; E. Geology and Geography, George H. Cook, of New Brunswick; F. Biology, C. V. Riley, of Washington; H. Anthropology, C. C. Abbott, of Trenton; I. Economic Science and Statistics. C. W. Smiley, of Washington. Permanent Secretary: F. W. Putnam, of Cambridge (office, Salem, Mass.). General Secretary: J. C. Arthur, of La Fayette. Secretary of the