the passing of Contracts which are pretty numerous : but, happily, this formality does not involve any responsibility on the Magistrates; hence, there is no danger of remorse, or cause for uneasiness from the "silent monitor," the whole resting entirely on the shoulders of the parties and their Ecrivains; the latter, like the jewish scape goat, being laden with all the sin, if any, of the transactions.

Saisie in Guernsey.—This is a remedy granted to a creditor when his debtor becomes insolvent. There are three kinds of saisie. The saisie is called mobiliere, when before the renunciation, the creditor has obtained an Act of the Court, and takes possession of the debtor's estate, the revenue of which he applies towards the liquidating of his own claim, the debtor still retaining the property of the estate. The saisie is héréditale when the debtor has renounced, or by process of law, been forced to give up his estate in favour of his creditors, of which the said saisie becomes administrator, without prejudice to his own personal claims. The saisie becomes pro· prietaire when he who held the saisie mobilière or hereditale, has by some act which is deemed binding, made it his own; or when in the regular process, one of the creditors has accepted the saisie. In either case, the saisie proprietairè is in the place of the original debtor, and answerable for all the debts that can be proved. [Martin.]

an

Savings Banks.-The 9 Geo. 4, c. 92, intituled "an Act to consolidate and amend the laws relating to Savings Banks, dated July 28, 1828, and 3 and 4 W. 4, c. 14, intituled " Act to enable depositors in Savings Banks, to invest money with the Commissioners for the redemption of the National debt, and to amend an act of 9 Geo. 4, c. 92, to consolidate and amend the laws relating to Savings Banks, dated June 10, 1833, extend to Guernsey, Jersey and Mar, and have been transmitted to the authorities of both Islands, and registered in Jersey, by order of the States on the 7th April, 1834. By an Act of the States, passed in June, 1834, which received the Royal Assent, certain functionaries of the Island were appointed to act in the place of those mentioned in the Parliamentary statutes, which are unknown in the Island, and the rules of the Bank have been certified by the Barrister, Mr. Tidd Pratt. In Jersey, the States voted annually 2000 francs, and in Guernsey £70, for the support of their respective institutions.

Seal of the Island.-This is kept by the Bailiff who cannot use it unless assisted by three Jurats. It is kept in a purse, sealed with the private seals of the three Magistrates who

were present at the last opening. When occasion requires, the Bailiff delivers the purse into the hands of the then assisting Jurats, who finding the seals entire break them open, and having done with the public seal, put it again into the purse sealed as before, and return the same to the Bailiff or his Lieutenant, as the case may be. The seal is affixed with green wax, to all acts or deeds, or whatever else shall require it. The right and power of using it for ratifying contracts or deeds of bargains and sale, and other purposes, was granted by Edward the First, as may be seen by the following translation of the Patent, addressed to the Bailiffs of Jersey and Guernsey: :

Edward,, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine, to the Bailiff and Jurats of the islands of Jersey and Guernsey, greeting. Whereas our subjects of the above named islands have suffered very frequeutly heretofore divers losses, and been exposed to no small dangers, sometimes on sea by shipwrecks, and sometimes on land by depredations, and by various other casualties, chiefly because we have had no seal hitherto in the islands, by which the briefs of our subjects in those parts could be attested, and their affairs be more speedily investigated and adjusted. We, being desirous, for the common good of our subjects in those parts, to provide a known and certain remedy for their dangers and losses, have willed that a certain seal of our own should be there used, and which we have caused to be provided and transmitted, in order that, for the future, such briefs as our subjects of the aforesaid islands have been accustomed to enroll in our chancery in England, and which for the future they may wish to enroll, and such agreements and contracts as may have been executed in the same place from time to time, and which heretofore have been only verbal, and not reduced into writing, shall in future be signed by this same seal. And wherefore we command you to receive that seal, and cause it to be publicly made known by proclamation throughout the whole land of the aforesaid islands,that all our subjects of those parts, who may wish henceforward to have our briefs, may enroll them there according to the ancient mode of registry of those parts, as heretofore they may have been accustomed to do in our aforesaid chancery. And you, the aforesaid Bailiffs, will cause briefs, and agreements, and contracts, to be signed with that seal, and send a transcript of the registry to us under that seal; and cause all the premises for the future to be held and faithfully observed in the form prescribed. In testimony of which we have caused our letters patent to be

issued. Witness, myself, at Westminster, the 15th day of Nov., in the seventh year of our reign."

Seamen's Benefit Society.-The following regulations enacted by the States, to supersede the duties levied for the support of Greenwich Hospital, received the Royal Assent, July 31, 1885, and were enrolled in the book of Orders in Council on the 12th Aug. following:

AT THE STATES OF THE ISLAND OF JERSEY.

The year 1835, the 28th day of May.-On the representation of the merchants and shipowners of this island, setting forth that the duties levied for the benefit of the Royal Greenwich Hospital are abolished, and, considering that there is no fund applicable to the relief of sick, worn out, or wounded seamen, of the widows and children of seamen killed or drowned in the service of the merchant shipping of this island; the States have authorised (with the sanction of His Most Excellent Majesty in Council,) the shipowners, and masters of vessels registered at the Custom-House in this island, and others, to form a Society, which shall bear the name of " Benefit Society for the Merchant Seamen of Jersey ;" and in order to create a fund for the said Society, the States have ordered that there shall be levied on the wages of each seaman serving on board of a vessel registered at the Custom-House in this island, the sum of 74d, each month of service; and the States have, at the same time adopted the following law, to serve as a fundamental rule to the said Society.

Article 1.-To date from the 1st day of July, 1835, every Captain of a vessel registered at the Custom-House in this island, shall be bound to pay, each voyage, to the person authorised for the purpose, the sum of 74d. per month, for each seaman employed on board such vessel, for as long as it [shall have been in active service, the said Captain being hereby authorized to retain the abovementioned sum of 7d per month on the wages of each seaman employed on board of his vessel. The fractions of the month shall be reckoned.

Art. 2.-Immediately after the confirmation of the present law, a general assembly of Armateurs, Shipowners, and Captains, having commanded in the long run, vessels registered at the Custom-House in this Island, shall be convened, by means of the public papers, published in this Island, on Saturday, in the french language: and the said assembly shall choose from among themselves a President, Vice-President, a Committee composed of nine members, five depositaries, in whose name the funds levied for the benefit of the said Society shall be placed, and shall take such other measures as they hall deem proper to establish, and put into activity, the said

Society; There shall not be at the assembly more than one proprietor for each vessel, which will give a vote for each vessel, whatever be its capacity.

Art. 3.—The President, Vice President, and members of the Committee, shall remain in office for three years; at the expiration of this term, a new election shall take place; in choosing a new Committee, however, three of the old members at least must be reserved.

Art. 4.-The Committee shall choose, among its members, a President, a Vice-President, and a Secretary.

Art. 5.-The Committee shall appoint a Receiver, who shall not be one of the members of the Committee, and shall fix his salary. This Receiver shall be charged with levying the said sum of 74d, per month, as also the contributions of the sub. scribers, the donations and fines which may be adjudged to the benefit of this fund, and shall place every quarter, the sums which he shall have received, into the hands of the Secretary, who shall perform the functions of Treasurer. No one can be elected or appointed Receiver or Treasurer without giving good and sufficient bail for the payment of the sums deposited with him.

Art. 6. The Committee shall meet the first Tuesday in every month, or oftener if necessary, to deliberate on the claims which may be addressed to them. They shall examine the accounts of the Treasurer and the Receiver, every six months; namely the first week in the month of February, and the first week in the month of August, each year, and shall place, in the name of the depositaries nominated by the general assembly, as often as possible, the sums in the hands of the Treasurer, into the public funds of this Island, or any other public funds, or it shall be employed in the acquisition of landed property in this Island, according as the said Committee shall judge proper.

Art. 7. The deliberations, as well of the general assembly as of the Committee, shall be decided by the majority of members present.

Fifteen members shall constitute a quorum at a General Assembly and five members at a meeting of the Committee.

The President of the General Assembly, as well as that of the Committee, shall have right of vote at their respective meetings, as members; and in case of the numbers being equal, shall besides have the casting vote.

The said deliberations, as well of the General Assembly as of the Committee, shall be regulary registered in two separate books, kept for the purpose, and in case the President and Vice-President should be absent, either from the General

Assembly or the Committee, the members present shall choose a President for the day.

Art. 8.-A General Assembly shall be convened every year in the course of the month of March, for examining and approving the accounts of the Society, and shall have the right to make such regulations as they may judge proper for the same, which regulations shall have force of law, provided always that they are not in opposition to the letter or spirit of the present Act; it being specially understood that the funds of the Society cannot, under any pretext whatsoever, be appropriated to any other use than that prescribed by the present regulation.

In case of the death, or resignation, through illness, of the President, the Vice-President, any one of the members of the Committee or the depositariss, the said Assembly shall replace them.

Art. 9.-In case of the death of the Receiver, the Secretary shall fill his situation until the next meeting of the Committee, when a new Receiver shall be appointed.

Art. 10.-Every person without exception quitting this island, and receiving pay on board of a decked vessel, whether to go fishing or any other trade, shall be reputed seamen of this island, to the end of the present Act, and bound, consequently to contribute, as such. Persons mounting open boats, shall be admitted to contribute, if they judge proper, by getting themselves inscribed at the Receiver's.

Art. 11.-The Captain, in paying the due mentioned in Article 1, shall in the mean time be bound to deliver to the Receiver a list of his crew, or list of persons serving or having served since the last payment, on board of his vessel, which shall state the name, christian name, age, place of birth, and capacity of each officer, seaman or other, serving or having served on board, as also the term for which he is to pay, conformably to a schedule annexed to the present Act, which document shall be attested by the oath of the said captain, if the said Receiver requires it. In default of the captain complying with this formality, he shall be liable to a fine of five pounds stg, which shall be given into the hands of the Receiver, and be applicable to the benefit of the Society. In case of the death of the captain, or of his leaving the vessel during the voyage, the officer replacing him shall be bound to observe this formality, on the same penalty.

Art. 12.-Every subscriber, contributing annually the sum of two pounds sterling, shall have a vote, besides that to which he might be entitled as armateur proprietor. It being