On Friday week, but too late for comment in our
last issue,
it was announced that the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Russell of Killowen, had died suddenly after an operation. The news, which was quite unexpected—it was by no means generally known that the Chief Justice was ill—was received with deep regret in the legal world. Indeed it may be said that the best comment on Lord Russell of Killowen's life and work was to be found in the evidently genuine and heart- felt eulogies passed on him in the Law Courts. The late Chief Justice of England was from many points of view a very able Judge, but he will be remembered chiefly as a great advocate. In that field he has seldom been equalled. Not only was he a great cross-examiner, but also a master of forensic oratory. His famous speech before the Parnell Commission showed one side of his genius for public speaking, In his final address before the Behring Sea Arbitration Tribunal he proved that he could argue as well from the cool standpoint of inter- national law as when his feelings were touched with the passion of Irish Nationalism. No announcement has yet been made as to Lord Russell of Killowen's successor. If, however, the choice should fall upon Sir Robert Finlay, England will have as its Chief Justice a. man of the highest character as well as of the highest legal attainments,—a man fully capable of sustaining the splendid traditions of that great office.
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