menagerie. At least, I could do this if the
animals were simply and plainly described as I
suggested.

G. L. S.

* * * * *

Harold H. C., Cornwall.--The fastest large vessels are the new ocean
liners. Several of these have made runs of over five hundred miles in a
day. The new torpedo-boats can outstrip any of the large vessels for
short distances. Several of them have records of about thirty miles an
hour. Seals cannot breathe under water; they are obliged to come to the
surface frequently.

* * * * *

"B. S." asks: "For how long are foreign ministers to this country
appointed? by whom? and how are our foreign ministers appointed? and
what is their salary?"

Foreign ministers are appointed by the head of the Government, and
generally until their successor is appointed. Our ministers are
appointed by the President; their salaries differ according to the
importance of their position.

New Books

In place of quoting our own reviewer in reference to the
"Thieme-Preusser German and English Dictionary," we quote a more able
critic, Dr. A. Weiss, Professor of German Language, Woolwich Military
Academy:

"Its very appearance is inviting. A careful selection of paper and type
and a judicious arrangement of the work have made it possible to combine
the two parts in one handy volume for the sake of those who prefer a
foreign dictionary in that form. All literary requirements of our time
have been considered. Without injury to the etymological point of view,
the meanings of a word are grouped according to their frequency in
modern usage, so that obsolescent and obsolete meanings can be
distinguished at a glance by their position at the end of the article.
The new German orthography has been adopted with certain modifications
which seem to settle the points hitherto open to discussion."

This is not the book so long on the market, but a new vastly improved
edition, and is certainly far and away the best of the moderate-priced
German dictionaries.

Current History

The _Maine_ disaster is to the public almost as much of a mystery as
ever. Little of absolutely reliable information has been made known, and
until something is officially stated by the court of inquiry, judgment
must be suspended.

The court of inquiry began the investigation almost immediately after
its