research and was probably wrong. If the grant were a grant of the seigniory it would carry with it the right of escheat. In a borough such as Cambridge, escheats were rare, because the burgesses claimed to devise their lands like their chattels. In 1279 the jurors of the borough say that they know nothing of an article of enquiry put to them as to farmers of cities and boroughs "who by reason of the farm take the escheats and alienate or retain them." Again in 1294 the jurors, in answer to a writ of ad quod damnum, say that a certain alienation in mortmain would be to the damage of the king in this "that the king will lose the escheat."

It is to be regretted that none of the charters to the burgesses of Cambridge are printed in this book; the charter roll of 8 John no longer exists, and the reader can find no copy of the charter, of which Professor Maitland says so much, in the ordinary works of reference. If the work does not contain so many novelties as previous works by the same author, it certainly throws a most interesting light on the evolution of the modern corporation. The book is well printed, and contains two excellent reproductions of pictures of Cambridge and its open fields by David Loggan, the engraver.

Notes on the Frolongation of Letters Patent for Inventions, with the Patents, Designs and Trade Marks Acts, 1883-8, consolidated rules and forms. By G. J. WHEELER, M.A,, LL.B. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode. 1898. Pp. 309. Price 5s.

The "notes" which form the subject proper of this book are all contained in the first 33 pages. And these pages are in our opinion the most valuable portion of the work. They sum up the law of prolongation in a convenient shape; and evidently constitute the raison d'être of the whole volume-though it may be useful to have the statutes, rules, etc., which form the rest of the book, within the same cover.

NEW EDITIONS.

2nd Edition. The Student's Guide to Procedure in the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court; and as to the Law of Evidence. By JOHN INDERMAUR and CHARLES THWAITES. London:

The authors tell us that "this little work forms one of a series of guides to the Bar Final by the authors. The others

are-On Real Property or Personal Property, on Criminal Law, on Common Law, on Principles of Equity, and on Constitutional Law and Legal History." The student's guide to the Principles of Equity must, however, be distinguished from the larger work of Mr. Indermaur, entitled A Manual of the Principles of Equity, a treatise on Equity, especially written for students, and intended as a complete text-book on the subject. The book at present under review is a "Guide to the Bar Final." The subjects of the examination are well covered by the different parts of the book; and the new edition is quite up to date, as witness that portion of the work which relates to the Summons for Directions.

2nd Edition. The Law of Arbitration; being the Arbitration Act, 1889, with Notes of Statutes, Rules of Court, Forms and Cases. By W. OUTRAM CREWE. London: William Clowes and Sons, Limited. 1898. Pp. 185. Price 7s. 6d.

This is a brief commentary upon the Act of 1889. The Act is illustrated by references to modern cases and to decisions under the old law. Some forms for complying with the different sections are inserted in the notes to those sections; and for other forms the author refers to the appropriate pages of Russell and Redman. The principal rules of the Supreme Court affecting the matter are set out in the appendix. The work is not upon a large scale; but what there is of it seems to have been carefully done.

2nd Edition. A Digest of the Law of Agency. By WILLIAM BowSTEAD. London Sweet and Maxwell, Limited. 1898. Pp. 507. Price 16s.

This book consists of legal propositions in the shape of articles and illustrations thereto in smaller print, à la Sir James Stephen. The first article reads rather like a statute "in this book unless a contrary intention appears from the context, &c." We can find nothing however but good law in the whole work.

:

2nd Edition. The Law of Evidence. By SIDNEY PHIPSON. London Stevens and Haynes. 1898. Pp. 637. Price 10s. 6d. This is a good digest of the Law of Evidence, with a convenient arrangement of instances, "Admissible" and

"Inadmissible" evidence and so forth in different cases handily arranged in parallel columns. In arguing a case which is near the line, this work will be found most serviceable.

3rd Edition. The Workmen's Compensation Act, 1897, with Copious Notes. By W. A. WILLIS, LL.B. London: Butterworth and Sons. 1898. Pp. 96. Price 2s. 6d.

This Act does not come into force until July next. And yet this is a third edition! As there are of course no judicial decisions as yet under the Act, it would be difficult to guess what the writer has found to say in the book. The "copious notes consist in part of tentative opinions on hypothetical cases which might occur under the Act. We do not consider that these opinions have any value whatsoever. Other notes tell us how the sections were originally drafted, which is again a matter of small interest to anybody. Any new Act of importance now always causes a rush of would-be commentators; but a commentary on the lines of the present book seems to us to be a futile undertaking. Nevertheless the author has shewn capability, as well as industry; and if he had only waited a little longer he would doubtless have produced a much more useful book.

3rd Edition. Outlines of the Law of Torts. RINGWOOD. London: Stevens and Haynes. Price 10s. 6d.

By RICHARD 1898. Pp. 298.

These outlines fulfil their purpose admirably.

In the new

edition we naturally look to see what the author has to say upon the great case of Allen v. Flood, which has revolutionised the law with which his volume deals. We think that the author has expressed most admirably the result of that case and its effect upon Keeble v. Hickeringill and other ancient cases bearing upon the matter. The old part of the book is too well known to require any fresh comment.

3rd Edition. Stone's Justices Manual; being the yearly Justices' Practice for 1898: a guide to the ordinary duties of a Justice of the Peace, with tables and appendices. Edited by GEO. B. KENNETT, Solicitor. London: Shaw and Sons; Butterworth and Co. 1898. Pp. 1123. Price 25s.

When once its alphabetical arrangement is understood this is the best of the magistrates' practice-books published, and it

contains a vast amount of information. The first edition of Stone was published in a very small shape, and the volume was for a long time always reproduced in duodecimo. The present edition contains more than a thousand crown octavo pages, and it is completely up to date. Thus on page 124 we find that the work correctly sets forth the power of Justices to close roads under the Military Manoeuvres Act, 1897, and the punishment to which persons obstructing the manœuvres are liable; on page 183 the provisions of the new Chaff-cutting Machines Accidents Act are given, as to the fittings requisite to secure safety and the fencing of the fly-wheel and knives: the chapter on children (pages 184 to 199) has been largely re-written in consequence of the passing of the Infant Life Protection Act, 1897, and the Dangerous Performances Act 1897; amendments of the law as to the separation of jurors in cases of felony are carefully noted on page 477; while on page 678 we find that allusion is made to the Preferential Payments in Bankruptcy Act, 1897; the Police (Property) Act, 1897, is mentioned in several parts of the book, as is also the Burglary Act, 1896, and under the head of "Vermin" the important new powers given to local authorities by Stat. 60 and 6i Vic., c. 31, are noticed, though perhaps the last-named subject is not treated quite so fully as it profitably might have been. Nor have recent judicial decisions been overlooked. Powell v. The Kempton Park Racecourse Co., Ltd. [1897] 2 Q.B. 242, for instance, is not merely referred to, but its effect upon the earlier cases is discussed with care and discrimination. The book may be relied on by magistrates to amply fulfil the purposes for which they require such a manual.

3rd Edition. The Laws of Insurance for Life, Accident and Guarantee, embodying cases in the English, Scotch, Irish, American, and Canadian Courts. By J. B. PORTER, assisted by W. F. CRAIES and T. S. LITTLE. London: Stevens and Haynes. 1898.

Pp. 562. Price 21s.

This is the leading English treatise upon the law of insurance other than marine insurance; but we should like to suggest that some further distinction might usefully be made between those propositions which have authority in English case-law and those which are only vindicated by American decisions. It is true that the law on this subject is much more highly developed in

America than in our own country, as a perusal of the learned work of Mr. John Wilder May will shew; and it was, perhaps, inevitable that the author should make very frequent reference to the American law by way of illustration. But for practical purposes there can be little doubt that the book would be improved by adding-not merely by way of reference, but in the text itself-something which will shew the reader at a glance whether or no in each case the law of England is clear and precise upon the particular propositions under consideration.

4th Edition. A Handbook of Public International Law. By T. J. LAWRENCE, M.A., LL.D. London: Macmillan and Co. 1898. Pp. 171. Price 3s.

This little book is admirable for its purpose. It will help students of public international law by affording an outline of the subject, and it will also tell them what books to read-the latter information being especially valuable to the beginner. It is intended to be read in conjunction with larger works, and, if so used, it will prove most valuable. The questions at the end of each chapter should form most useful test-papers for any readers intending to offer themselves for examination in the subject.

4th Edition. A Treatise on the Law of Collisions at Sea, with an Appendix containing Extracts from the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, the Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea and Local Rules of Navigation for the Thames, Mersey, and Elsewhere. By R. G. MARSDEN, of the Inner Temple, Barrister-at-Law. Stevens and Sons, Limited. 1897. Price 28s.

It is obvious that the subject of this book is one of very great importance. The branch of law of which our author treats was always peculiar and required the exposition of a specialist. And this was not only because particular statutes existed dealing with the subject, but also because the principles of the case-law relating to collisions at sea is different from the common law relating to collisions on land in several important particulars. See e.g., the Woodrop series (2 Dods. 83). From the date of the first appearance in 1880 of Mr. Marsden's book it was recognised that the specialist had appeared who was qualified to give the requisite exposition. But the passing of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, and the coming into force of