CONSTITUTIONAL LAW OF ENGLAND.
Constitutional Law of England. By Edward Wavell Ridges. (Stevens and Sons. 12s. 61)—In his modest preface to this substantial volume of over four hundred and fifty pages Mr. Ridges expresses the hope that it will "enable the student of English Constitutional Law to obtain a comprehensive and succinct view of English legislative, executive, and judicial institutions both at home and in the wider dominions and dependencies of the Crown over-sea, and of those principles upon which England's present wide Empire and prosperity are founded." Mr. Ridges has taken special pains to note for the purposes of this volume certain recent Constitutional changes in the country and Empire, such as those due to the reorganisation of the functions and con- stitution of the War Office, the Federation of the Australian Colonies, and the acquisition of the Transvaal and Orange River Colonies by conquest. Thus considered, this volume may be described as not a treatise on, but a dictionary or thesaurus of, British Constitutional law in the modern or extended sense. As it is provided with a full index, it will be found to be most valuable for purposes of consultation. After preliminary chapters on the nature, sources, and characteristics of English Constitutional law, "the legislative and public revenue" are dealt with, every information being given as to the Houses of Parliament—their constitution, meeting, officials—money Bills, taxes. In other chapters Mr. Ridges deals with the Executive, the Judiciary, the Army and Navy, and the countries subject to the British Crown. The admirable manner in which Mr. Ridges arranges his matter, and the crisp lucidity of his style, add greatly to the value of his book.
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