PRINTED BY GEORGE EDWARD EYRE AND WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE,
PRINTERS TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

1870.

CONTENTS.

LETTER OF THE LORD CHANCELLOR

Page

INTRODUCTION

vii

EXTRACT FROM THE INTRODUCTION TO THE STATUTES OF THE REALM

xi

APPENDIX C. TO THE SAME INTRODUCTION

xxi

APPENDIX D. TO THE SAME INTRODUCTION

xxvii

EXTRACTS FROM PREFACES TO VARIOUS VOLUMES OF THE STATUTES

OF THE REALM -

xxxi

- xxxiii

TABLE OF VARIANCES BETWEEN THE STATUTES OF THE

REALM AND RUFFHEAD'S EDITION FOR THE PERIOD COMPRISED

IN THIS VOLUME

-

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE FOR THE SAME PERIOD

THE STATUTES (REVISED)

1

—

LETTER OF THE LORD CHANCELLOR TO

SIR JOHN G. SHAW LEFEVRE.

SIR,
House of Lords, 9 July 1868.
I have had under consideration the subject of a Revised
Edition of the Statutes, a work the expediency of which has been
three times affirmed by Parliament, in the preambles of the Statute
Law Revision Acts.

That series of Acts, embodying the results of labours begun under the direction of Lord Campbell, as Lord Chancellor, and Lord Westbury (then Sir Richard Bethell), as Attorney-General, and continued under that of succeeding Lord Chancellors and AttorneyGenerals, has removed many difficulties that would have obstructed the application to the Statute Book of the process of expurgation.

I have, therefore, with the concurrence of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, determined that an edition of the Statutes shall now be prepared and published, containing, as far as may be, only such Acts as are in force.

I

propose to nominate a Committee to make the necessary arrangements, and to superintend the execution of the work, reporting to me from time to time.

The connexion of your official duties with the forms of legislation, and the attention you have given to subjects relating to the improvement of the condition of the Statute Law, lead me to request you to act on the Committee; and I desire to associate with you the following gentlemen, namely,- Sir Thomas Erskine May, K.C.B., Clerk Assistant of the House of Commons ; Mr. Rickards, Mr. Speaker's Counsel; Mr. Thring, the Parliamentary Counsel to the Home Office; and Mr. Reilly, who was for some time engaged in the work of Statute Law Revision.

Mr. Arthur John Wood, who has been engaged in that work from its commencement to the present time, will be the Editor, subject to the superintendence of the Committee.

Sir John G. Shaw Lefevre, K.C.B.,

Clerk of the Parliaments.

I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,

CAIRNS C.