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PREFACE.

A BRANCH of law, which is the creation of statute, can best be treated by means of notes on the statutes which have created it. This method preserves

the writer from discursiveness and the reader from confusion, and it has been adopted in this book.

Mr. Sutton's "Tramway Acts of the United Kingdom," which for many years held its ground as the only work on its subject, was first published in 1874, and reached a second edition in 1883. Since that date the general introduction of mechanical traction and the passing of the Light Railways Act, 1896, with its resultant effect on tramway matters, have almost entirely changed the condition of tramway law in this country. I have therefore found it impossible to retain any of Mr. Sutton's work but its plan. The text is new.

The original book contained the Irish Tramway Acts, which in 1883 were but five. Since then they have expanded into a code of fourteen Acts or portions of Acts, and the necessity of keeping this work within reasonable limits has compelled me to omit them. But, by way of compensation, I have endeavoured to deal as completely as possible with the law relating to tramways and light railways both in England and in Scotland, and have referred to a considerable number

of English and Scottish cases directly bearing on the subject, which have not been dealt with previously. The matter has also been illustrated by Irish, Colonial and American cases, where these seemed to be useful; in particular, with regard to electrical interference, a fairly full list of American authorities has been given. Further, I have endeavoured to present a connected discussion of the principles of locus standi in their application to my present subject, and to disentangle the details of tramway and light railway rating.

On details of light railway procedure I have made considerable reference to Mr. Oxley's useful reports in respect to the applications to which they extend, namely, those made up to May, 1899. The most recent variations in the standard sections of light railway orders have been incorporated, but these are still subject to frequent alteration.

My best thanks are due to Mr. J. G. WILLIS, of the Board of Trade, and to the officials of the Light Railway Commission for information courteously supplied.

1, KING'S BENCH WALK, TEMPLE.

September 2, 1903.

G. S. R.

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