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like, are certified by the taxing master, not indeed as being unnecessary, but as meet to be paid, not by the unsuccessful, but by the successful litigant. Hence the latter sometimes finds himself saddled with a bill of so-called "extra" costs, exceeding in amount the subject-matter of the action. Sometimes, also, bills for "non-contentious" business find their way to the taxing master. Of late, these have been much decreased by the order which provides that whenever landed property changes hands for valuable consideration, a commission on the consideration-money shall take the place of the older detailed charges. Settlement, wills, and disputes which do not attain to the dignity of an action, are still the subject of costs under the old system. In these cases, all documents are charged for by the length, and the taxing master has absolute discretion both as to these and as to the letters and attendances which make up the greater portion of the bill.

It is proposed, in future papers, to show at length the evils resulting from the present system, and then to point out the remedy which seems to be indicated by the disease.

UNDER THE PUMP.

A Modern Paladin. By Edward Jenkins, author of Gina's Baby; 1 vol. (Trübner & Co., Ludgate Hill). We welcome the new, cheap, and excellent edition of this remarkably clever book, just published by Messrs. Trübner, for, not only is it in many respects far above the average in literary charm, but the lesson which it yields for those who are inclined to speculative finance is unmistakable. The modern Paladin is a financier of the heroic school, who deals in millions and holds out the bait of fortunes to be had for the asking. But the unique feature in Signor Cosmo's operations is not merely their colossal scope, but the superb Idea, which is to found a "Crédit Financier Catholique," based upon the religious and political instincts of the millions of Roman Catholics scattered throughout the globe. With trenchant satire and no mean amount of humour, the author paints his ambitious, avaricious, cynical hero to the life. Signor Cosmo's goal is to control the Bourses of Europe, through the agency of the Crédit Financier Catholique, and to gain his purpose he pursues an utterly unscrupulous system of corruption, ranging from the enlistment of the services of a pretty danseuse, Violetta, to the unblushing bribery of the Abbé Taille-mêche, with regard to which stroke of diplomacy he cynically remarks that the Holy father will counterbalance la Figurina, and so establish "a moral equilibrium." All are fish whom this Paladin of finance can sweep into his voracious net. The brilliant dévote and leader of Parisian society, the Marquise de Rocheraie; her atheistical, volatile, but devoted secretary, Antoine de la Houppe; Galuchat, the notary; and Dinandier, the huge "golden pig," whose one redeeming virtue is his love for his blind daughter Cécile; Baron Plummer, with his boot polish mixed with Tokay and champagne, his dandiacal luxury, and his shrewd brain; little Abraham Abiram, who would have sold the wood cut for the sacrifice of his son before it got half way to the altar; the young Prince Artus Balthasar; the high-minded representative of the ancien noblesse, the Marquis de Rocheraie; all were regarded as so many tools to be used by the astute and unprincipled adventurer, who descended upon Paris with his chimerical schemes, fortified by the recommendation of a Cardinal and the blessing of the Pope. The scheme of Signor Cosmo is magnificent in its audacity, and includes a Catholic Intelligence System which shall take its information entirely from Catholic sources, so that the history of the time, hitherto

so wickedly fouled and falsified by atheistical and Protestant reporters, shall become a pure stream of Catholic verity. And, for a time, he succeeds. Paris, and the rest of the world, go mad, and the money pours in by millions. But at last comes the inevitable crash. Ruin and misery reigns supreme in all classes of society, and men and women curse the Paladin as they gaze with white and haggard faces upon the bits of paper, once evidence of wealth, but now the mere rags of a balloon that burst, when the giant financier found at last that the people he meant to continue bleeding had become pecuniary corpses from whom no more blood would flow. In the end, Cosmo is strangled by Hulotte, the hard-working wife of Galuchat's concièrge, who has been ruined by the collapse of the Crédit Catholique scheme, and the general verdict is that he has met with the fate which he deserved. Bright and vigorous character-sketches, epigrammatic dialogue, and much clever reflection make the volume of quite exceptional fascination to the student of men and manners, and we can recommend A Modern Paladin to our readers as a work full of interest and rich in side-lights cast upon a phase of society peculiarly representative of modern life.

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The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. "Lotos series edition; 1 vol. (Trübner & Co., Ludgate Hill). -The charm of Munchausen's marvellous collections of exaggerations, with their under-current of satire, is perennial, and so delightful an edition as that which forms the first volume of Messrs. Trübner's "Lotos" series of volumes, cannot fail to prove a most pleasant Even addition to the library of every reader of taste. the binding prepossesses one in its favour, the combinations of peacock-blue, cream, and gold being æsthetically perfect. That so exquisite a little volume can be produced for the very moderate sum of three-shillings and-sixpence speaks well for the resources of the modern printer, and the "Lotos" series promises to be an immense popular success. The present edition is whimsically illustrated by Alfred Crowquill, and the humourous sketches add considerably to the completeness of the volume, and throw a light of their own upon the amusing letterpress. If the succeeding volumes of the series prove as attractive in their appearance and subject-matter as this initial volume, it would not be too much to say that their success is assured in advance, and the public will be considerably indebted to the enterprise and good taste of this well-known firm of publishers.

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House of Commons, 1889, and London County Council (Pall Mall Gazette Office).-This is undoubtedly the most useful and interesting of all the lists of the kind ever published. It is an immense attraction, possessed by none of the other old-fashioned guides, which are after all nothing better than dry catalogues of names, that the publication before us contains portraits of the members, and very readable accounts of their lives and the notable points in their career. It seems a thousand and one pities that its brilliant editor should allow it to be disfigured and its valuo impaired by the political bias indicated in some of the character sketches, though we admit the difficulty of entirely banishing the odium politicum from a work of the kind. We think the publishers would do well to publish an edition in cloth boards at a remunerative price for the library and drawing-room table. It need not be an edition de luxe, but the soft paper cover is a nuisance for books of reference which have frequently to be taken from and returned to the book-case. The addition of the London County Council Guide treated in the same fashion and with excellent portraits is a marvellous piece of journalistic quickness and enterprise. While other publishers are probably just about thinking that such a guide would be useful and interesting to the public and remunerative to themselves, the thing is done at Northumberland Street. The names in both cases appear twice, that is to say first catalogued in alphabetical order of the names of the members, and subsequently in alphabetical order of the

constituencies, with portraits and memoirs of the members. The book as at present published is undoubtedly the most useful and the cheapest sixpenny-worth in the book market. The analysis of the by-elections should be left out in future editions if the editor intends it to be of national use, and to remove from it the suspicion of being intended for purely party purposes. He evidently has, "As in 1885," too much on his brain, and we have no doubt that when he dies a post mortem examination would disclose it to be engraven on his heart. Even if his calculation were correct and founded on a true basis, he would find it difficult to get readers to take the trouble to study it for the purpose of altering the errors of their ways (life is too short), and they would probably reject the whole book in consequence, from a belief, however unfounded, that it was tainted throughout by too strong a dose of partisanship. The portraits of most of the County Council members are true. We cannot speak as well of those of the M.P.'s, though some of them are good. The portrait of the Speaker conveys an erroneous impression, but perhaps he is a "difficult" subject. The best and truest portrait that ever appeared of Mr. Peel was published in PUMP COURT on the first of January, 1886 (though we say it that shouldn't), and this was followed about three or four weeks after by an excellent picture in the Illustrated London News.

Two Daughters of Our Race. By C. H. Douglas, (London: Digby and Long, Bouverie Street); 1 vol.In this unpretentious volume we have a pleasantly exciting story of everyday life, in which the daily routine of country existence is agreeably described, but interwoven with the elements of tragedy and pathos which are rarely absent even from those lives which seem humdrum and commonplace to a degree. Old Haig, the Cumberland farmer and his blind wife, Margaret and Lois, the daughters, and Hester FaneRenshaw, are all clearly drawn characters, and the unfailing Nemesis which follows sin is shown in the story of seduction, abandonment and suffering which the author tells in so interesting a fashion.

Three Friends. By T. R. L. A; (London: Digby and Long, Bouverie Street); 1 vol. This interesting story reveals to the reader some details of the life of Russian military cadets, and of life in German social circles, coupled with plenty of natural dialogue and some glimpses of scenes of historical importance, such as is given in the chapter entitled, "An Incident of Waterloo." Some of the character-sketching is vigorous, notably in the case of Juan von Brennel, and Hortense, Duchesse de Beaurivage, and both the plot, which turns upon the love of these young soldiers for the same woman, and the incidents, which are varied and sensational, help to make up an interesting and readable story.

The Belvidere, or the Warning Maiden. By William Devarris; (London: Digby and Long, Bouverie Street); 1 vol.-Of sensationlism and excitement there is assuredly no lack in this strongly written story. Indeed it is astonishing how much lurid tragedy and exciting incident the author has contrived to crowd into less than three hundred pages. The story opens with an ingenious piece of bewilderment which at once lands the reader in a very prettily complicated situation, a young lady having given sundry articles to a burglar, mistaking him in the darkness for her faithless lover. The burglar promptly murders the lover in a few minutes, and the germ of a sensational plot is evident. Throughout the whole story the reader is kept in a whirl of mystery and excitement, and he would indeed be a glutton who asked for more sensationalism in so small a compass. The character of Laura Leigh, the heroine who is accused of murder, and that of Carl, her faithful lover, are very pleasantly drawn, and that of the wronged and passionate gipsy-girl, Rosa, is vigorous and picturesque, while the studies of the burglars are by no means uninteresting in their realism.

THE growing interest in Oriental subjects in general, and Oriental literature in particular, lends special significance to the announcement made by Messrs. Trübner that they have now made arrangements with Dr. Rost, of the India Office, to edit their well-known and very valuable Record. and very valuable Record. For twenty-four years Trübner's Record has done excellent service in keeping the western world in touch with the literature and literary movements of the East, and in future the scope of the publication will be widened, and its utility proportionately increased. Scientific as well as purely literary subjects will be dealt with, and the Record made as complete as possible. No. 1 of the first volume of Series III. of the publication is before us as we write, and we gladly chronicle the interesting and valuable nature of its contents, which include extracts from Sir Edwin Arnold's "Garden of Fragrance," valuable articles on "Remains of Pagan," by Colonel Yale, and "Buddhist Relics in Western' India," by J. M. Campbell; an article by Dr. Leituer on "Muhammadanism," one by Professor Lauman, on "Oriental Studies in America ; a paper on "Coins of the Early Gupta Kings," by E. J. Rapson, and a host of valuable literary notes and reviews.

Books received: "The Judical Review" for April (William Green and Sons, Edinburgh); "The Ordeal of Richard Feverel," by George Meredith (Chapman and Hall); "Dod's London County Council."

LEGAL HONOURS.

Sir HENRY THOMAS WRENFORDSLEY has been appointed a Queen's Counsel for the Colony of New South Wales. Educated at Trinity College, Dublin; called at the Middle Temple in judge in the Mauritius from 1877 till 1880, Chief Justice of 1863, and practised on the Norfolk Circuit. He was a puisne Western Australia from 1880 till 1882, and Chief Justice of Fiji from 1882 till 1886.

Mr. WILLIAM MACKINTOSH, Q.C., Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Session in Scotland, in succession to the late Lord Fraser. Admitted a member of the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland in 1865. He was for several years sheriff of the counties of Ross and Cromarty.

Mr. JAMES ABRAM MCCARTHY, barrister, has been appointed to act as Queen's Advocate for the Colony of Sierra Leone. Called at the Inner Temple in 1879.

Mr. HENRY SPENCER BERKELEY, barrister, Attorney-General of Fiji, has been appointed Chief Justice of that colony, in succession to Mr. Fielding Clarke, who has been appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of the Colony of Hong Kong. Called at the Inner Temple in 1873.

Mr. E. LEWIS THOMAS, M.A., LL.M., barrister-at-law, of 4, Elm-court, Temple, has been appointed Professor of Law at the Birkbeck Institution, Chancery Lane.

Mr. JAMES KENNEDY DONALDSON, Queen's Advocate for Sierra Leone, has been appointed to act as Chief Justice of that colony.

Mr. CHARLES EDWARD SALMON, solicitor, of Bury St. Edmunds, has been appointed by the High Sheriff of Suffolk (Mr. John Paley) to be Under-Sheriff of that county for the ensuing year. Admitted in 1866.

Mr HERBERT CRANMER HARVEY, solicitor, has been appointed by the High Sheriff of Northumberland (Sir Edward William Blackett) to be Under-Sheriff of that county for the ensuing year. Admitted in 1869.

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Mr. SILAS GEORGE SAUL, solicitor, of Carlisle, has been appointed by the High Sheriff of Cumberland (Mr. Edwin Hodge Banks) to be Under-Sheriff of that county for the ensuing year. Admitted in 1884.

Mr. REES POWEL MORGAN, solicitor, of Neath, has been appointed by the High Sheriff of Glamorganshire (Sir John Jones Jenkins) to be Under-Sheriff of that county for the ensuing year. Admitted in 1867.

Mr. THOMAS HENRY FABER, Solicitor, (of the firm of Fawcett and Faber), has been appointed Clerk to the Stockton, Hartlepool, and Sedgefield Highway Board. Admitted in 1884.

Mr. ONESIMUS SMART BARTLETT, solicitor, has been appointed Clerk to the Magistrates for the Paignton Division of Devonshire. Admitted in 1871. He is town clerk of the borough of Dartmouth, and steward of the manor of Brixham.

Flat.

CAPEL COURT.

ANOTHER Settlement has passed over smoothly, and operators are preparing for new business after the holidays. The rates for the continuation of Home Railway Stocks have been rather high in a few instances, indicating that they are rather largely held. But there is nothing in the condition of the market generally to create any difficulty, and no case of deHome Railways fault has so far been reported. Ordinary stocks are somewhat flat, which is attributed by some to fears of a strike in the coal trade. Of this we think there is little or no danger, the probabilities being that the demands of the men will be granted, and the dispute finally terminated. Assuming the worst, the present decline in prices will be only temporary, and an early recovery will take place. The improvement in trade continues, and traffics are Prospects of Early Recovery, good. We have not at present reached the culminating point, and further advance in prices must necessarily take place. But with each rise increased caution in operating becomes necessary; and it must not be forgotten that the bears must live, and they are astute enough to secure the means of doing so.

Prices of

GREAT Northern "A" Stock has fallen

Principal Stocks to 1133; Great Western to 157; Midland 1454; North Eastern, 172; North Western, 183; North British Deferred, 56; Brighton "A," 155; Sheffield Deferred, 42; Great Eastern, 77; and Caledonian, Chatham Preference, East London, Hull and Barnsley, Metropolitan, Metropolitan District, and South Eastern Deferred also declined to g.

THERE has been a decided all round American Stocks.improvement in American Railroad Stocks, more especially Wabash, and Norfolk, and Western Preferred. Purchases are being largely made on the London Stock Exchange. Norfolk and Western Preferred gained 13; Wabash ordinary and Preferred 1; Louisville, 1; Erie Ordinary and Preference, 1; Central Pacific, 1; and Reading Northern Pacific, Illinois Central, and Lake Shore, and St. Paul, to. A feature of the market is the firmness of Canadian Pacific and Grand Trunks.

THE Home Railway traffics are satisHome Railway factory, although the increases are not so Traffics. large as some had anticipated. Great Northern has £1,023 increase; Great Western, £10,120 increase; Midland, £1,887 increase; North Eastern, £7,776 increase; London and North Western, £7,343 increase; London, Chatham and Dover, £4,360 increase; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, £878 increase; London and South-Western, £9,071 increase; North Staffordshire, £824 increase; Caledonian, £4,466 increase; and North British, £4,002 increase. On the Hull and Barnsley, which is most in need of increased traffics, there is £277 decrease.

THE long and bitter disagreement beCrewe Railway tween the North Western Board and their Workmen's Pen Crewe workmen, respecting the worksion Fund. men's pension fund, has at length been terminated. A communication has been received at Crewe stating that the directors of the London and North-Western Railway had sanctioned the abolition of the Railway Workmen's Pension Fund, and the distribution of the capital of £100,000 among the employés. The company, however, will take back their contributions amounting to about £18,000. The men at present in the service and members of the fund will receive back their money and three-and-a-half per cent, interest. It is proposed that those who have left the service, leaving half their contributions in the fund, shall not receive anything, and the company will sanction the distribution of any balance that may remain after paying back premiums to present members among two mutual insurance societies. There is likely to be considerable unpleasantness over the distribution of the fund, numbers of letters having been received from

former employés asking for the return of their payments, and basing their claim to them on the ground that the fund never became operative. If the men and the company cannot agree as to the method of distribution, it is stated that the money will be thrown into Chancery. It is much to be regretted that the pension fund was ever instituted.

Burmah.

A SHORT time since, the secretary of Railways in the Lancashire and Cheshire Working Men's Federation forwarded to the Marquis of Salisbury a resolution framed at a meeting of the society, after hearing an address by Mr. Holt S. Hållett on Indian railway extension and British trade, urging the Government to encourage the extension of the railway system in India and Burmah, with a view to opening out south-western China to British trade. To that communication they have received the following reply. Although not so much as might have been desired, it is very satisfactory, as showing the earnest sympathy of the Government with the movement for the rapid laying down of railways in British colonies and possessions :

"Hatfield House, Hatfield, April 20, 1889.-Sirs,—I am desired by the Marquis of Salisbury to acknowledge your letter of the 13th inst. I am to say, in reply, that the Government would be very glad to see Burmah and South and Western China united by railways. I fully believe that, if such a measure could be carried into effect, it would have the beneficial consequences which you indicate, especially to the industries of Lancashire and Cheshire. It is probable that when the existing Burmese Railway is taken up to Bhamo, it will receive a further extension up to the frontier; but no decision to this effect has yet been taken, as the possibility of such an undertaking must depend upon the conditions of the regions through which such a railway would pass. They have in past times been very disturbed, and the efforts to obtain a partial survey of the country which has been made more than once by the Indian Government have been frustrated by the uncivilised and turbulent character of the people.-I am, your obedient servant, R. T. GUNTON."

There are other fields in South Africa, for instance, equally as profitable and having the advantage of being undisturbed, which ought to be occupied forthwith.

SHALL we have a strike in the coal Coal Traffic on trade or not? This great question will Railways. Miners' Conference. probably be determined at the National Conference of Miners which adjourned from Birmingham last month, resumed its sitting at Nottingham this week. Great interest attached to the proceedings, as it was understood that some decisive action would probably be resolved upon with a view to enforcing, if necessary, the demand of the men for an advance of 10 per cent. in wages, for which it was decided at the Birmingham Conference to agitate. Mr. Pickard, M.P., presided, and there were present about fifty delegates, including Mr. Burt, M.P., and Mr. Fenwick, M.P. All the mining districts of the United Kingdom, with the exception of South Wales and Durham, sent delegates, and the total number of miners represented was about 252,000, This is less than the number represented at the Birmingham conference, on which occasion representatives from South Wales attended. It is, however, thought probable that delegates from both South Wales and Durham will be present at the sittings. The Conference decided that the proceedings should be conducted privately, and a report afterwards supplied to the Press. The business has been, as yet, of a purely formal character. To-day the Conference will receive reports from the delegates as to the attitude of both masters and men in their respective districts with regard to the demand of the miners for an advance in wages of 10 per cent., and the reports will afterwards be discussed. The issue will be awaited with an interest verging upon anxiety. We have a strong belief that a strike will yet be averted.

IN spite of the general improvement in The Mining all classes of securities, there does not appear the slightest advance in this class of security, but on the contrary, if anything, almost all

Market.

mining ventures are on the downward list. This is particularly the case in connection with South Africans, which strangely enough are suffering from want of either buyers or sellers. Both parties seem pursuing a cat-like policy; they are sitting down by their mutual cribs, watching and waiting for each other to move. Our opinion is that when a movement is made in the direction of Witwatersrandt shares, the Bulls will most decidedly have the best of the deal, and there can be little question that the antagonistic proceedings which took place prior to the holidays, were merely of the try-on character. Salisbury and Robinson are both lower, and Modder fontein's have dropped away to 15. The position of this property is the more astonishing, seeing that the last output from the mine was of the highest satisfactory character. In the miscellaneous market a slight demand has sprung up for Indians at rather improved rates, a state of affairs which is likely to continue, seeing that the produce for these properties is increasing week by week. Our advice to holders of mining shares is that they keep what they have, and wait for better times. With the augmented state of business generally there can be little question that everything in the mining market will advance, and amongst those which must improve will certainly be Indian investments. Amongst the Africans, Modderfonteins, Durban Roodepoort are lower than they have been for a long time, nor can we see why they should run up again to their old figures.

66

ARTHUR'S IDEAL SOAP.-This bubble New Issues. has, we should think, burst by this time. The subscription list was kept open long enough to catch any stray ignoramuses that come under the category described by the Tichborne Claimant as Some men who has money and no brains." But the promoters of this company can hardly be said to fall within the other category of the same notable authority as being "Some men who has brains and no money." Whether they have money. is problematical, but that they have no brains is quite clear so far at all events as company promoting is concerned. If the company had been brought out a little earlier or a little later, and the prospectus had been prepared by men of brains, it is more than probable that very many of the people with money and no brains would have been caught. For the public are by this time generally acquainted with the immense profits on soap making, and, indeed, even exaggerate them. Visions of eclipsing Pears' are calculated to dazzle "the men who has money and no brains," and with a going concern represented vaguely as already making its 20 per cent.,the possibilities were infinite. "It is right," predicated the Claimant aforesaid, "that the people who has brains and no money should get money from the people who has money and no brains." The promoters and their advisers of the Ideal Soap bubble-we mean Soap Company-do not by any means satisfy the conditions of the renowned authority so far as brains are concerned. And it is just as well that it so happened, for "the people who has money" would have assuredly lost it if they had been persuaded into investing in "Arthur's Ideal Soap and other Soaps called' Patent."

THE BARBADOS WATER SUPPLY COMPANY,-Here is another of what, in newspaper management, is called Vickers' Companies, and they are unfortunate people, for they are not likely to have better luck with their water than with their soap. Somehow their companies won't wash. Here is a company promoted to turn on the tap on to acres of sugar estates. We use the phrase "turn on the tap," literally, for this is all that the company seems to contemplate doing, as there is not one single word about irrigation. To ask the British investor to believe that any money can be made by supplying sixty houses miles apart with water for drinking purposes, for this is all that it comes to, is simply too ridiculous. All the water that is wanted for estate use is amply supplied by neighbouring streams, and brought to the very doors almost of the engine house by primitive but effective and economical means. And so far as drinking purposes are concerned, Quashie and Coolie find it no great labour to bring in buckets to supply

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the household jars. The local company, the Bridgetown Water Works Company, do all that is required, and are able to do much more if there was any need. This company supplies the only town in the tiny island (the smallest in the West Indies) with drinking water. So far as the estates are concerned, each estate has long ago, at the time of its settlement, supplied itself with its own conduit pipes from its own stream. But they never thought it necessary to provide the "Busher's" house with a cistern and stop-cock, the adjacent well or stream being amply sufficient for the autocratic "Busher," with a dozen niggers to fill his cooling jar. As we have said, we do not think this company "will wash," not even with the aid of the Ideal Soap.

THE Saint Germain Hotel and Casino Company appeal for £130,000 for the purpose of acquiring the oldestablished Hotel Pavillon Henri. The prospectus submitted is one which, if it were not for the cool assurance which characterises many of its paragraphs, would unquestionably be thrown into the waste paper basket, but when we find promoters asking for capital to run a business, not upon what that business has done in years past, but on a suppositious programme of what might be done under certain circumstances, we cannot but be amused. We strongly advise our readers not to touch the Saint Germain Hotel, or pay a portion of the amount required for the purchase of the property, which is put down at the modest sum of £82,000 cash and £35,000 in shares, or nearly the whole of the proposed capital.

WE have received the circular of Messrs. Lockwood and Co., stock and share dealers, of 5, Throgmorton Avenue. The aguments and facts cited in it with respect to the Yuruari Gold Mining Company seem very cogent. On the eve of going to press it is impossible for us to give this circular the attention it deserves, but on another occasion we shall have to say something ourselves in regard to these Gold Mines,

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LETTERS of allotment of the Five per Cent. First Mortgage Debentures of the New Zealand Midland Railway Company (Limited) have been posted.

SIR RICHARD WEBSTER, the Attorney-General, addressing his constituents at Newport, Isle of Wight, said: They knew he was engaged as counsel in a great investigation into the truth of certain charges which had been made against a number of members of Parliament, and they knew, too, that upon practi

cally all these charges it was impossible for him to address them. They knew perfectly well that he would be guilty of a breach of confidence and gross misconduct in his professional position if he were to discuss those charges before a public audience. He respected his clients and his own position too well to allow him to discuss before his constituents any one of those charges. But one particular incident occurred in the course of the trial, and, acting on the advice and with the concurrence of five of the ablest men who ever practised at any bar, he determined that it was his duty to adopt a certain course. It was now utterly impossible and improper to argue whether such a course was right or wrong, or to show upon what grounds it was being pursued. But what was the consequence? For adopting such a course in the conduct of the case, he had been assailed with the most virulent abuse, and base and infamous charges and insinuations had been levelled against him-charges for which there was not the least foundation; and though he had openly and straightforwardly met every charge in the House of Commons, they were being repeated up and down the country day after day (Shame). He was never ashamed to admit that he earned his living by practising at the bar; but seeing that his mouth was sealed on the public platform what did they think of the men who went about attacking him in the most abusive manner for things he had done and arguments he had used in the discharge of his professional duties, simply because those arguments and things did not accord with their political sentiments? Conservatives had the same right to attack his learned friend, Sir Charles Russell, for observations he had considered it his duty to make in the great speech he had just made before the Commission, but he hoped no Conservative would be guilty of such base and infamous conduct. In the House of Commons Sir William Harcourt brought no fewer than fifteen charges against him in connection with the performance of his duty as the paid advocate of the Times. Every one of those charges he answered, he believed, to the satisfaction of the House. Yet Sir William Harcourt went down to St. James's Hall and repeated some of the same gross charges, adding that he had no doubt the AttorneyGeneral would be grateful to him for mentioning such matters, as it would give him an opportunity of contradicting him.

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BRITISH

EMPIRE

MUTUAL

LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY,

KING WILLIAM STREET, LONDON, E.C.

Incorporated in the year 1847, under Act 7 and 8 Vict., cap. 110, and further empowered by Special Act, 15 Vict., cap. 53.

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The Accumulated Fund, which now amounts to £1,277,266, represents nearly Seven Years' Premium income in hand. : Total Claims paid

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Policies absolutely indisputable after five years, provided the age of the Assured has been admitted,
Policies kept in force by appropriating the Surrender Value to the payment of premiums.
No charge for voyage to, or residence in, any part of the World, except unhealthy climates.
Assurers under the TEMPERANCE SCHEME are placed in a separate Section,

Policies may be effected under the Deferred Bonus plan.

"

LOANS on FREEHOLDS, LEASEHOLDS, and other SECURITIES considered.

£1,609,555

Prospectuses, Copies of the last Report and Balance Sheet, and Board of Trade Returns, &c., can be obtained on application to any of the Agents of the Company, or to

EDWIN BOWLEY, Manager & Secretary,

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Copies of the Report and proceedings of the Annual Meeting may be obtained on application.

Exchange Street, Manchester,
March, 1889.

GEORGE STEWART, General Manager.

SUBSCRIPTION

To the Publisher of PUMP COURT,

ORDER FORM.

33, Exeter Street, Strand, London, W.C.

Please forward me, postage free, a Copy of PUMP COURT, Weekly for One Year from date, for which enclose the sum of Fifteen Shillings,

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