None of these collections, however, bad ever been published by authority of the state. This led a committee of the House of Com mons, who, in 1800, were appointed to inquire into the state of the Public Records, to recommend, among other things, that " a complete and authoritative edition of all the statutes should be published." And finally, between the years 1810 and 1324, the Record Commissioners appointed, in pursuance of this recommendation, produced a critical edition of the statutes (including the early public charters), ending with the close of the reign of Queen Anne. This is the authentic edition of the statutes. It is supplied with a valuable index, and forms ten folio volumes. In the introduction to that work tluire is a more particular account of the former editions of the statutes and of the means for making such a work as this complete.
The statutes passed in the Imperial Parliament of Great Britain are now printed by the queen's printers, and sold at fixed prices.
These " Statutes of the Realm" arc generally divided into two classes —Public and l'rivate; but they may more conveniently be distributed into three classes—Public General, Public Local, and Private. The two former only come within the term " laws," in the proper accepta ticn of the term. The private acts embody special privileges conferred on individuals, or the sanction of the legislature to private arrange ments regarding property ; and before they can be enforced, they must be pleaded before the courts of law, like contracts, or the titles of estates. The public local statutes, though published separately, and
though the standing orders of the ]louses of Parliament require that, on account of the private interests which they are often likely to affect, certain preliminary notices and other proceedings should take place before they are passed through their stages, are yet, in contemplation of law, in tho same position as the public general statutes.
Formerly all the public statutes, local and general, were published together and numbered consecutively; but from the year 1798 down wards, the local acts have been separately enumerated. From the number of railway and other joint-stock schemes, this branch of legis lation increased so rapidly a few years ago, that it became necessary to simplify and abbreviate it. Steps were taken to accomplish this end by passing what are known as Consolidation Acts, such as the Land Clauses Consolidation Act, the Railway Clauses Consolidation Act, &e., &e., a distinct series being passed applicable to Scotland; but there is yet room for further legislation in the same direction.