Corresponding to the above International train there is an express from Paris on Mondays reaching Algeçiras on Wednesdays. This, of course, might suit the convenience of Eclipse travellers proposing to go to Spain _viâ_ France, and perhaps return _viâ_ Gibraltar. The time occupied by the International train between Paris and Algeçiras and _vice versâ_ is about 49 hours. LONDON TO ALICANTE. The central line of the eclipse quits Spain at Cape Santa Pola about 10m. S. of Alicante (pop. 40,000): it crosses the line of the Alicante and Madrid railway at Novelda (pop. 8000) a station about 20m. inland from Alicante. Alicante may be reached from England as follows:—(1) All sea, _viâ_ Gibraltar and Malaga; (2) all land, _viâ_ Paris, Biarritz and Madrid (1077m.), or Paris, Lyons and Perpignan (1126m.); or (3) part land and part sea, _viâ_ Paris and Marseilles, and thence by steamer to Barcelona and Valencia. As regards the two land routes there is not very much to choose except that the Biarritz-Madrid route is somewhat shorter and much quicker than the Perpignan-Barcelona route. As regards the two sea routes both are probably bad from the standpoint of comfort, the steamers in which the voyage would have to be completed being Spanish coasting vessels, but it is difficult to obtain particulars of them in England. The following are some of the chief places between Paris and Alicante on the Perpignan route:—Dijon (195m.), Lyons (318m.), Avignon (461m.), Nîmes (490m.), Perpignan (623m.), Spanish frontier at Port Bou (650m.), Barcelona (758m.), Tarragona (825m.), Valencia (997m.), Alicante (1126m.). The journey from Paris to Barcelona is accomplished in 23h. by the International Express: the remaining 368 miles take 27 hours owing to the bad connections of the trains. Madrid is 285m. from Alicante, the journey occupying about 29h. USEFUL BOOKS FOR PORTUGAL AND SPAIN. As the result of much inquiry and research, the following may be suggested:— GUIDE-BOOKS. _Handbook for Spain_, 2 vols. 20_s._ (J. Murray.) _Handbook to Spain and Portugal_, Dr. Charnock. 7_s._ 6_d._ (W. J. Adams.) _Guide to Spain and Portugal_, O’Shea and Lomas. 15_s._ (A. & C. Black.) _Handbook for Portugal._ 12_s._ (J. Murray.) DICTIONARIES. JÄSCHKE, R. _English-Spanish Conversation Dictionary._ 3_s._ 6_d._ (Nutt.) CASTRO DE LA FAYETTE. _Novo Diccionario Inglez-Portugueze._ 2 vols. 6_s._ GRAMMARS AND PHRASE BOOKS. D’ORSEY, Rev. A. J. D. _Colloquial Portuguese._ 3_s._ 6_d._ (Kegan Paul.) WALL, C. H. _Practical Portuguese Grammar._ 7_s._ (Nutt.) THIMM, C. A. _Spanish Self-taught._ 1_s._ 6_d._ (Marlborough.) _Spanish Conversation Book._ 1_s._ (Walter Scott.) HUGO. _Spanish Simplified._ 2 Parts and Key. 1_s._ 6_d._ (1A Paternoster Row.) VARIOUS.