Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 June 1898 — A Valuable New Book on the War. [ARTICLE]

A Valuable New Book on the War.

The war with Spain is the topic now uppermost in the minds of the people, and, as the navy is playing the most important part in this memorable conflict, every one is anxious to follow the movements of the fleets and acquire authentic information regarding the construction, speed and armament of each vessel. The most accessible source from which to obtain a thorough knowledge regarding American warships Is “The Official Photographs of the United States Navy.” This Is a hand- - some book, with illuminated cover, containing over 200 views made by E. H. Hart,-official naval photographer, together with a large colored map of the East and West Indies, showing all the Spanish possessions and by means of which the reader can locate the position of eakh squadron. It is impossible to enumerate the wide range of subjects covered without naming them all, but it can be said that no feature that is of any importance is omitted. Torpedo boats, torpedo boat destroyers, cruisers, battleships, gunboats, monitors, rams, dynamite cruisers, dispatch vessels and other war craft are shown, exhibiting the American navy as it exists to-day. A complete description of the construction, displacement, size, speed, batteries, armor, crew and cost of each boat enables the reader to form an accurate estimate of our fighting strength. Included with these are photographs of the leading Spanish men-o’-war, also fully described. Perhaps the most interesting portions of the book are views of the Maine, taken before the disaster in Havana harbor, showing the life and discipline aboard the battleship, together with portraits of the officers and crew, supplemented by photographs taken after the explosion, depicting the divers at their work, and other incidents in connection with this sad and memorable event Taken all in all, it is doubtful if so much in the way of immense public interest and concern and so opportune in the scope covered was ever presented at such a low price. The book is sent by mail, postpaid, on receipt of twenty-five cents, by Chicago Newspaper Union, 93 ‘ South Jefferson street, Chicago, 111.