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NOTICES.

Each Notice should be written on one side only of a separate piece of paper. Every Notice under the head of Correspondence must give full name and address.

Correspondents are requested to write their address clearly in ordin ary longhand. If they wish to receive replies in Phonography, a star should be attached to the name; thus, John Smith.*

Notices of all kinds must reach Bath at least eleven days before the date of the Journal for which they are intended.

Every communication addressed to the Editor of this Journal must be authenticated by the name and address of the writer.

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Correspondence, etc. 1d. per line of ten words. Advertiser wishes to meet with phonographer in Streatham or neighbourhood for mutual speed practice. Mace, 11 Pathfield rd., Streatham, [10] London, S.W. Advertiser engaged in shipowner's and broker's business desires correspondence with others in similar capacity, view to mutual improvement and extension of knowledge. Address, James, c/o Mrs Gibson, 6 Cumberland st., Glasgow. [13]

Gentleman desires to meet with a phonographer in Brighton, for mutual improvement and practice. A. G., c/o 24 Upper St James's st., Brighton. A French lady (Parisian) diplômée, wishes to meet with very good phonographer to exchange French lessons for advanced Phonography lessons. Phonographer residing in the W. or W.C. districts, or in the neighbourhood of Regent's Park preferred. Mademoiselle, 22 Princes rd., Regent's Park, London, N.W.

Exchange of Pictorial Post Cards desired (longhand), foreign and colonial preferred. Miss Marion Blair, 23 Stalbridge avenue, Sefton Park, Liverpool. [10]

Correspondence desired on pictorial post cards (longhand), foreign or otherwise. D. Brocknell, 44 Borough rd., Kingston Hill, Surrey, England. Pictorial post cards.-Correspondence desired; replies to all. Miss C. Base, Eagle House, 19 Union rd., Vicarage lane, Stratford, Essex. Correspondence desired on pictorial post cards in the Corresponding Style (local views preferred); prompt replies. J. W. Hildred, 21 River Head, Louth, Lincs. [10]

Associations. Id. per line of ten words.

Phonetic Shorthand Writers' Association (London District I.P.S.). The Arcadian Restaurant, 8 Queen st., Cheapside.-The principal Shorthand Association in the kingdom. Meetings held every Thursday evening from 7 to 10. Regular speed practice conducted at various rates by experienced phonographers. Lectures by well-known shorthand writers; discussions, etc. Speed examinations held periodically. Centre for Society of Arts shorthand examination and for Pitman's medal competitions. (Members sit at these examinations and at the I.P.S. Teacher's Exam. at reduced fees.) Shorthand library and other advantages. Fees, including speed practice, 10s 6d per annum or 3s per quarter. All phonographers (ladies or gentlemen) are eligible for membership. Prospectus, with full particulars, on application to Secretary, H. J. Cork, 2 Reedholm road, Stoke Newington, London, N.

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Typists' Section, I.P.S. (the N.U. of Typists is incorporated with this Section). Examinations for teachers and typists, lectures, demonstrations, discussions, employment bureau, advice on typewriting matters, etc. Annual subscription, 5s; members of I.P.S., 35 6d. Rules, Examination Syllabus, Forms of Application, etc., from the Hon. Sec., Geo. Colebourn, F.I.P.S., 50 Hillside rd., Stamford Hill, London, N. [17]

Evercirculators and Libraries. id. per line of ten words.

An evercirculator is a manuscript phonographic magazine, consisting of articles written by the individual members, one member acting as conductor. The book passes round, and each round members contribute an article and remarks, or take part in the discussion. A leaflet containing further particulars forwarded from the Phonetic Institute, Bath, on receipt of id stamp. [x] Evercirculator paper in three varieties, of superior quality, five quires Is 6d; headings and title-pages, 3d per doz. ; covers, cloth is, leather is 6d. Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, Ltd. [x] New evercirculator. Advertiser desires to form one devoted to educational work, study, examinations, etc. Students of shorthand and other subjects invited to co-operate. W. H. Fenton, A.C.P., Grammar School, Southwell, Notts.

Model Evercirculator.-Just starting, for both sexes; quite a new thing. Devoted chiefly to physical development and English pastimes, etc. Full particulars, stamp. J. Harrison, 11 Station st., Lewes, Sussex.

The best Library is the Telegraph, established ten years, circulating all the magazines, including Australian magazine; quarterly subscription, Is 3d; always vacancies, particulars stamp. Conductor, J. H. Simmons, 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London. [21]

The 20th Century Commercial Library, over 160 books available for the use of members. Shorthand, typewriting, French, German, Spanish, and commercial books, together with copies of all English and foreign shorthand magazines. Subscription one penny per week. Splendid opportunity of studying large selections of works at a small cost. Full particulars for stamp. J. H. Simmons, 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London, S.E. [21] Shorthand writers, desirous of improving their speed, should join the Kelvingrove Shorthand Circulating Library, circulating all the best magazines, Australian, etc. Terms, is 3d quarterly. For full particulars apply David Cook, 157 Kent rd., Glasgow, W [15]

The Gordon Shorthand Library circulates all the leading magazines. Subscription 6d per month, is 3d per quarter. A month's trial solicited, Particulars free, Conductor, A. T. Bean, 1 Victoria rd., Stoke Newing. ton, London, N.

Second-hand Books, Shorthand or Phonetic for Sale, or Exchange, or Wanted, id. per line of ten words; Miscellaneous Books, 3d. per line. Reading practice for the forthcoming examinations, etc., 6s worth shorthand magazines, all different, post-free for is 6d, sent abroad to any part of the world for 2s money order. J. H. Simmons, 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London, S.E. [13]

For sale, Book of Common Prayer, is, Tom Brown's Schooldays, is, both in Pitman's Shorthand, equal new, the two is 9d post-free. J. H. Simmons, 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London. [14] For sale, Pitman's Shorthand Weekly, vols. 8 and 9, nicely bound; also Book-keeping Simplified. What offers? Austin, 1 Albany villas, Leatherhead.

Bargains, post-free; all good, clean_condition.-Pickwick Papers, Pitman's Shorthand Library, 2 vols., 4s 6d; Script Phonography, Is; Defence of Phonetic Spelling, Latham, 1872, 1s 6d; Plea for Phonetic Spelling, Ellis, 1848, 2s; Reporter's Reading Book, Reporting Style, and printed key, is; Teacher, 2d; Reporter's Assistant, cloth, Is; Key to Reporting Exercises, cloth, 6d; Progressive Studies, cloth, is; Biography of Isaac Pitman, Reed, cloth, new, is 6d; Reed's Leaves from Note-Book, vol. 2, Is; Reed's Reporter's Guide, is; Literary Manual, Russell, is; Gospel Epik, Barham and Pitman, Is; Lucid Shorthand, Spencer, is; Williams' Shorthand for Everybody, is; Phonographic Reporter, 1884, Is; Brown's Phonographic Monthly, vol. 4, 1879, 2s; Świftograph, Abbott, Is; Heather Simple Shorthand, is 6d; Fonografic Star, 1842, 2s; ditto, 1851, 2s; Dimbleby's Shorthand Dictionary, 1894, 2s; Pitman's Commercial Geography, new, Is; Howard's California Calculator, Is; Manual, 6d; Easy Readings, 3d; Book of Psalms, 6d; Light-Line Phonography, 1s; Marr's Shorthand Writer's Pocket Guide, 2s; Shorthand Celebrities of the Past, IS; New Testament, is 6d; Phonographic Lecturer, vol. 2, 2s 6d; Phonographic Pulpit, 5 vols., scarce, 15s; History of Shorthand, I. Pitman, 1891, Is; Phonographic Journal, vol. 3, 1844; Phonographic Correspondent, vol. 2, 1845, 4s; New and Improved System of Book-keeping, Barn's, 10th edition, 2s; Phonotypic Journal, vols. 3, 4, 5, 6, 35 each; Phonographic Examiner, vol. 1, 1853, 2s 6d; Macaulay's Essays in Phonography, scarce, 7s 6d; Robinson Crusoe, Ford, new, 2s; the Shorthand Clerk, Evans, Is 6d; Trial Wm. Rogers, reformed spelling, I. Pitman, Is; Bible, reformed spelling, Pitman, 4s; Emanuel Swedenborg, phonetic edition, I. Pitman, Is; Pitman's Teacher's Handbook, Is; Lowe's Shorthand, is 6d; Reed's Reporter's Handbook and Vade Mecum, is 6d; History of Rasselas, Reporting Style, is 6d; The Pentateuch, shorthand, is 6d; Sloan Duployan Instructor, is; ditto Learner's Reading Book, is; ditto Exercises, Is; ditto Reporter's Rules and Abbreviations, Is; Transactions of the Shorthand Congress, 1887, new, 7s 6d; Reed's Two Trips to India, is; the Vicar of Wakefield, an exercise in Phonography, is 6d; Reporters' Magazine, bound, vols. 5, 13, 16, 3s each; Legal Shorthand Writer, Stoddart, is; Wm. Harding's Stenography, Is; Lewis's Ready Writer, 2s; Moat's Shorthand Standard, 38; Dot and Dash Shorthand, 6d; Phonetic Journal, bound, 1876, 77, '78, '79, '81, '84, '85, '86, '87, and '90, 2s each. T. Tate, 66 Kendal st., Carlisle.

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Sale or exchange, De Wet's Three Years' War, 5s; Charles Smith's Algebra, Hamblin Smith's Trigonometry, Haugh's Higher Arithmetic, Is 6d each; Book-keeping Simplified and Key, is 6d; Todhunter's Differential and Integral Calculus, 2s 6d; list of others free. Wanted, Pitman's Business Training, Shorthand Instructor and Key, Commercial Geography. Bellarby, 82 Mayfield rd., London, N.E.

For sale, last year's vol. of Phonetic Journal, unbound, in good condition. What offers? J. Whitehouse, 22 Peartree st., Goswell rd., London, E.C.

For sale, Pitman's Abridged Shorthand Dictionary, is 9d; A Christmas Carol, 9d; Pitman's Commercial Arithmetic, Is 9d; all new, post-free; or 4s the lot. What offers, 105 copies Phonetic Journals, clean, from 30th June, 1900? J. Kirker, 1 Roe st., Belfast.

Wanted, Pitman's Book-keeping Simplified, and Advanced Book-keeping, in good condition. State price to K. A. Russell, 16 Allen st., Aberdeen. Illustrated Spanish books for sale. W. Jones, 22 Bloom st., Liverpool. [10] For sale, Barnard Smith's Arithmetic, Competitive Geography of British Isles, Currie's English Composition; quite new. What offers? S. Booth, 29a Virginia st., Southport.

Would exchange any two of the following for gold nib fountain pen, or three for good Swan fountain pen: Hughes's Stylo pen, mounted, 5s; Shorthand Dictionary, 4s; Pitman's Typewriter Manual, Shorthand Instructor (20th century edition), and Longmans' Advanced Book-keeping. J. Garside, 55 Charles st., Dukinfield. [10]

Wanted, in exchange for Business Correspondence in Shorthand and Key, combined (quite new), the Primer of Book-keeping and Key to same; or what offers? G. Harker, South parade, Northallerton.

For sale, nos. 4 to 52, inclusive, Phonetic Journals, vol. 61; also 11 Shorthand Weeklies, vols. 19 and 20. What offers? J. L. Thompson, Soothill terrace, Dewsbury,

For sale, a Pelican fountain pen, with fine point suitable for shorthand, in good condition; price 6s 6d, or best offer. E. Austin, 1 Southgate st., Bath.

For sale, vols. 10 to 18, Pitman's Weekly, splendid condition, bound, Is 9d each, or 135 6d lot. Several other shorthand and commercial books for sale, cheap; list on application. D. Webster, 5 Albion st., Morley. [10] To collectors. For sale or exchange, the following duplicates: Stenography, or the Art of Shorthand, published by Lackington 1802; Mavor's Universal Stenography, 1807 edition; Bennett's Shorthand Explained, 4th edition; Harding's Stenography (Taylor); Davidson's Shorthand, 1847; John Thompson's Stenography, 1863; Dot and Dash System (Noble), 1880; Locke's Rapid Writer, 1882; Anderson's Shorthand Systems, 1883; North's Gurney, 1884; Reed's Biography of Isaac Pitman, 1893. Alex Paterson, Bond rd., Barnsley.

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A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT.

When last winter the London Chamber of Commerce organized a series of lectures dealing with various aspects of business life, and the machinery and methods that constitute the details of mercantile transactions, and invited young men engaged in City offices to attend, the response was remarkable. The splendid halls of the chief of the City Companies were placed at the disposal of the Chamber, and on evening after evening those halls were crowded with interested and enthusiastic audiences. The addresses given were not calculated to tickle the ears of those who came to listen; they were not designed to charm the intellect with a brilliant outflow of animated rhetoric. They were intended to convey information-information concerning the details of business, and to make clear the nature of a multitude of transactions of which the outside world hears much, but of which it really knows nothing. And the lecture halls were thronged, not only with clerks, young and middle-aged, but with hard-headed, experienced and white-haired men of business-men of reputation and standing in the heart of the Metropolis. The committee of busy City men who arranged the lectures felt themselves rewarded by an amount of success that was far greater than they could have expected, and Sir Albert Rollit was moved to compare the spirit shown by those who attended to that exhibited in the Middle Ages, when the streets of certain great towns were thronged by eager students.

This winter the experiment has undergone another development-a development calculated to test the strength and endurance of the desire for information that had seemed to be so widely exhibited a year before. Courses of lectures on special branches of business have been given in addition to the disconnected addresses which formed so striking a feature of the previous winter's campaign. A course on the subject of "Marine Insurance" has lately concluded. In Great Britain, possessing as it does, the greatest shipping trade of the world, there are multitudes of workers to whom, in one form or other, questions connected with marine insurance come up, more or less frequently, for consideration. But who could have anticipated that as many as 460 students would have entered for this one course of lectures on that subject? Yet that is the number officially announced by the Chamber of Commerce as having been enrolled. And these were not free lectures. A new course has lately begun, entitled "The Stock Exchange and its Machinery," and there seems every reason to believe that the entry of students will be exceedingly large. In these times when so much of the business of the world is conducted, not as in old days by private firms, but by Joint Stock Companies, when an enormous proportion of the population is interested as stock-holders, debenture-holders, or shareholders in public companies, when therefore transactions with stockbrokers are common, and the Stock Exchange attracts the interested attention of multitudes, a knowledge of its machinery, its methods, its techni calities, and its functions, may be useful to almost everybody. But to those who are engaged in the daily work of City life such a knowledge is becoming more and more indispensable. And so there is reason for the confident expectation that the particular course of lectures which we have mentioned will meet with considerable success.

The experiments which the London Chamber of Commerce have been making of late years, like many other experiments made elsewhere during the same period, represent an effort to bring education into close contact with practical life, to relate it intimately, and, in the long run, organically, with the actual life of men and women. Education and practical life have hitherto been things apart. Both will be improved when they are recognised as integral parts of one great whole. In this truth is to be found the soundest and most invulnerable argument for and justification of the movement for what is now everywhere termed—per. haps imperfectly termed-Commercial Education.

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H.R.H. Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein has kindly consented to distribute, in April, the prizes awarded to the successful candidates in the Junior and Senior Examinations in Commercial Education conducted by the London Chamber of Commerce.

A new appeal has been made on behalf of the proposed commercial education scheme of the City of London College. A capital sum of £25,000 is needed for its establishment, towards which a City of London charity has made a grant of £15,000, on condition that 10,000 is otherwise obtained, but only half this sum has been raised.

Mr T. Gill, F.I.P.S., Lancaster, has been presented with a beautifully illuminated address on his resignation of the chairmanship of the Infirmary Workpeople's Committee, after an association with the movement for thirteen years. The address was presented at a public meeting, at which speeches were delivered appreciative of his services.

A few Sundays ago a stenographic policeman in Maidstone was "taking down" the sermon of a certain special preacher, when he was perceived at his task by the rev. gentleman, who, breaking off in his discourse, appealed to the note-taker to cease, as "it distracted him." It is doubtful whether, under the circumstances, the policeman was not more embarrassed than the preacher, says the Kent Messenger.

The report of the Evening Continuation Schools Committee for the twentieth session, 1901-2, presented to the London School Board, showed that during the past session the students in commercial subjects numbered as follows: languages-chiefly French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Italian-11,992; book-keeping, 15,362; shorthand, 26,635.

Earl Spencer, in distributing the prizes and certificates to the successful evening students of the Battersea Polytechnic, congratulated the institution upon its 300 educational classes during 1902 in more than 100 different subjects, and attended by 3,292 scholars. Although education had a much higher aim than merely to fit men for commercial life, yet if we were to retain our commercial and industrial prosperity, it was essential that we should come up to the standard set by other countries.

Those interested in the course of lectures in connection with the London Chamber of Commerce (Incorporated) on "The Stock Exchange and its Machinery," by Mr G. H. A. Branson, barrister-at-law, should note that the dates have been altered to the Fridays of March, namely the 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th, and that the addresses are given at the London Institution, Finsbury Circus, London, E.C. The original dates were contango days, and it was felt that many clerks in the employ of members of the Stock Exchange would, for that reason, be unable to take advantage of a course of lectures specially arranged for their benefit.

The directors of the National Bank, Ltd., have set an excellent example which it may be hoped that others interested in the progress of commercial education will be stimulated to follow. Mr Victor C. B. Jones, a clerk in the employ of the Charing Cross branch of this bank, has been presented with a grant of five guineas in recognition of the success which he has attained in the commercial examinations of the London Chamber of Commerce. Mr Jones is the first candidate in the Senior Examination conducted by the London Chamber who has been granted the distinction of the Higher Commercial Education Certificate. This certificate includes English, French, German, mathematics, commercial history, commercial geography, political economy, commercial and industrial law, and the machinery of business, in which subject he obtained special distinction.

A new prospectus has just been issued of the Yost Shorthand, Typewriting, and Business Training School, Temple Courts, Temple row, Birmingham, of which Mr S. Carter, F.I.P.S., has recently become the principal. The School has been removed to new and up-to-date premises, lighted by electricity, and the accommodation for students is greatly increased. Since the removal we learn that the School has given gratifying proofs of its vitality, and that new students are constantly joining. The day school furnishes facilities for individual tuition in all commercial subjects, and arrangements are also made for evening school and private instruction.

The Editor of Vim (Mr J. E. McLachlan) in the February number notices the publications of the Society of Medical Phonographers, and makes the following appeal to correspondents: "As the editor finds it easier to read bad shorthand than bad longhand, he will be pleased if correspondents will write to him in the medium first mentioned. This invitation does not extend to matter intended for the printer. We, in this country, enjoy to a remarkable degree the very great advantage which arises from the practice of one system of shorthand. In America there are numerous systems (or modifications), and correspondence in shorthand cannot be carried on with such freedom."

TYPEWRITING NOTES.

A good black copying black ribbon for typewriters is badly wanted. We know of no really reliable ribbon or pad of this kind at present on the market.

The London Magazine for February deals with "First Attempts at Great Inventions." The article is illustrated, and gives an account of Sir Charles Wheatstone's telegraph typewriter of 1851. There is, by the way, an excellent specimen of this machine in the South Kensington Museum.

Visitors to the South Kensington Museum should not fail to notice the excellent collection of typewriter models shown there. It is one of the most complete extant.

The attention of typewriting students and their teachers is directed to our second monthly competition for typewriter students for money prizes, particulars of which are announced on page xi. No. 2 closes on 28th March, and all students who have sent in papers for No. I should take particular care to follow this up with the working of the present paper. The standard of merit of the papers already sent in is so high that competition for the prizes will be very close indeed.

The rumour is spreading that there is a No. 9 Remington on the market, and the impression has accordingly arisen that the Nos. 7 and 8 are superseded. This is not the fact. There is, it is true, a No. 9 Remington, but that is simply a No. 7 machine with eight extra characters. It was originally built for the Russian language, in the writing of which a large number of characters are needed. The machine is, of course, equally well adapted to any language with a large alphabet.

It is expected that the new Remington factory at Ilion will be completed by the end of this month. It will be remembered that the extensions which were begun early in 1902 were undertaken with the object of doubling the scope of operations,

Referring to the special device and "attachment" that some inventors have introduced with the object of making the typewriter more available for manipulation by the blind, Mr W. C. Corbett-Dyer, in his lecture the other day at the St Bride's Institute, said that they were generally a mistake. The only special adaptations wanted were a studded scale, (one of which he exhibited attached to a Remington machine), and a slightly lengthened tabulator.

Even blind typists, notwithstanding their general reputation for accuracy of work, do it seems, sometimes make mistakes. Mr Corbett-Dyer mentioned one of these. An operator attributed to Cromwell the remark "Take away this babble!"

The

The Daily Express for 5th February had an article entitled, "Who are Workmen ?" referring to the cheap tickets issued to workmen by some of the railway companies in London. There are, it appears, curious distinctions drawn between workers and workers in the issue of these tickets. typist is apparently not a worker, in the interpretation of the word held by the railway companies, and cannot secure a workman's ticket, though many classes of women workers share with working men the privilege of cheap fares by certain early trains.

Speaking at a dinner held in connection with a recent ploughing match at Blagdon, Mr R. E. Dickinson, M.P., supported the views expressed a short time before by the Duke of Devonshire in regard to the desirability of encour aging agricultural education under the new Education Act. He trusted that the "County Council would try and make the education in the rural schools beneficial to agriculture, and thus check the idea of migration to the towns. At one time, the schools only produced book-keepers, typewriters, and post office officials; now it should be otherwise.'

The Cambrian Leader recently gave the following interesting notification: "Sir Arthur Acland-Hood is making a rather daring experiment in his resolve to banish five-line whips, and to substitute, in case of a really important trial of party strength, three lines under an appeal. But perhaps the most risky thing is the adoption of typewriting in place of caligraphy. It is, of course, pleasanter both for the sender and receiver, but will such a note carry the same importance? Time was when solicitors thought it dangerous to their reputation to use a copper-plate heading, or even to have a brass plate on their portals. There are several old-fashioned lawyers with great influence in the West End who still think it beneath their dignity to adopt modern inventions, and if you asked them to accept a typewriting machine they would inquire whether you thought they touted. It is only a matter of time, however, to clear away these prejudices."

Is there still any general prejudice against the use of typewriters? Certainly, not nearly so much as there was; but there are still a large number of business men even who class the typewritten letter with the printed circular in their first estimate of the value of a letter reaching them. They admit that they prefer the typewritten letter, once they have grasped the fact that it is not a circular, but they cannot get over their first impression readily.

HOW TO PASS THE SOCIETY OF ARTS

EXAMINATION IN TYPEWRITING.

On Wednesday evening, 18th Feb., Mr A. E. Morton (Examiner in Typewriting to the Society of Arts) delivered a lecture at Pitman's Metropolitan School on the above subject. Mr de Bear, the Principal, in introducing the lecturer, remarked that Mr Morton had been connected with the typewriter and instruction on it almost since the advent of that machine into this country. It would be well for intending candidates at the forthcoming examination of the Society of Arts to take careful note of the lecturer's advice, especially as to the precise value he attached to the different sections of the work.

Mr Morton, after giving an analysis of the tests set by the various examining bodies, discussed the special points in practice making for success. He advised intending candidates to thoroughly learn the performance of the several mechanical operations of typewriting in a correct and grace

ful manner, and to perfectly master the care of the machine. He pointed out the faults in manipulation which examiners detect, such as irregular touch, and incorrect manipulation of the key-board. Candidates were advised to study punctuation, spelling, division of words, paragraphing, the uses of the various characters, especially combinations, and the arrangement of the key-board for special requirements, and to practise the effective distribution of matter over foolscap Faper (the size on which the test must be worked), and to acquire a good style of commercial correspondence and a knowledge of postal rates and regulations. Typewriting students were recommended to devote considerable attention to all kinds of badly written manuscripts, and to learn the correct display of documents employed in company formation, miscellaneous specifications, legal and other documents. After giving hints as to the supply of machines, paper, and the necessary accessories on the evening of the examination, and instruction on how to act in the examination room, the lecturer proceeded to illustrate his address by means of the oxy-hydrogen lantern. Several beautiful and perfect specimens of typewriting, the work of medallists (P.M.S. students) at past examinations, were exhibited as models to be copied ; these were followed by some specimens of the work done by "failures."

A hearty vote of thanks, proposed by Mr de Bear, and seconded by Mr Walmsley, the head instructor of typewriting, concluded a highly instructive and most valuable lecture.

PHONOGRAPHY AND ITS UTILITY TO

FOREIGNERS.

Mr Arturo Gandolfi, of Genoa, writes as follows: I read with interest the article in your issue of 31st Jan. regarding the utility of Phonography to foreigners. I can fully endorse what the writer says. I am an Italian, and notwithstanding that I carefully studied the rules, it was impossible for me to pronounce correctly, and I contented myself with writing English. A correspondent in England suggested that I should study Phonography, and I obtained the "Teacher," more for curiosity than with the idea of studying it. After I had read the first pages, as I found it interesting I took up the study, and in about four weeks I sent a letter to the Journal in shorthand, which formed the subject of a notice in the number of 5th April last, under the title "Phonography mastered by an Italian." This notice, and the facility with which the system may be acquired, encouraged me to study, and I can now write Phonography pretty well; not at a high speed as I have never written from dictation, but sufficient for the object I had in view, namely that of learning a correct pronunciation. Of course the study has also greatly improved my spelling, as we Italians have a tendency in our language to write as we pronounce, and vice versa. I can now understand an Englishman, a thing that was impossible for me before, as I have never been in England. I have recommended Phonography to some friends, but they will not study it, and they ask how is it possible to write correct Phonography when one does not know how to pronounce correctly? This seems correct, but there is my example to prove the contrary. I studied Phonography without a teacher, and never studied English, but I believe I can write it as well as any other foreigner who had never been in your country. My study of English was to read novels. Your language is very easy to learn, as far as writing is concerned, perhaps the easiest of all. I can write and speak other five languages, so I can speak with a little knowledge. Last July I inserted an advertisement in the Journal asking for correspondence. A sudden change in business obliged me to give it up at once. I hope I advised all my correspondents, but if I have left any, I crave their pardon.

THE METRIC SYSTEM. It is stated that in the present session the Chancellor of the Exchequer will support a bill for the introduction of the metric system.

THE OLD BAILEY AND SHORTHAND.

The old prison and the court-house that are now on the point of disappearing under the destructive hands of the housebreakers, have a peculiarly long and special association with the art of shorthand. It is in connection with the Old Bailey that we find what was probably the earliest instance of the appointment of an official shorthand writer to take notes in a court of law. There seems to be a little uncertainty as to the precise date at which the Corporation of the City of London first appointed Thomas Gurney as reporter to the court. The appointment was made, according to Thomas Allen Reed, about the year 1737, or perhaps a year or two earlier. In those days the art of newspaper reporting had not arisen, and but for the full reports that came into existence through the facile pen of Thomas Gurney, no authentic record would have come down to us of many important trials. In the "Session's Paper," as it was called, were printed many of Gurney's reports, and historians and writers of fiction have had recourse to those fruits of the stenographic skill that produced them, and of the enterprise of the City authorities who were enlightened enough so long ago as to avail themselves of his skill. This publication began to appear before the appointment of an official shorthand writer, and there seems reason to believe that some of the reports prior to Gurney's appointment were prepared from the notes of a stenographer. As long ago as the year 1732, some of the evidence set out in the printed "Session's Papers" was given in the form of question and answer, and the reader was told that "these trials are taken in a fuller and larger manner than ever yet any trial was done in the Session's Paper,' and it is pointed out that for that reason they would be of great use to lawyers.

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Going through the subsequent reports, many of them verbatim, or nearly verbatim, Mr Reed, with his keen professional sense, noticed a little circumstance which shows how faithful the reporter of those days was. A Frenchman was giving evidence in one of the cases reported, and the transcript attempts to reproduce his pronunciation. "I vas but a vary leetel vile gon out of de shop," he is made to say, "and ven I vas come back into de shop again, I see dis man de preesonare," and so on. One would like to know whether the shorthand notes themselves recorded this pronunciation, or whether it was supplied by the stenographer during the process of making his transcript.

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Thomas Gurney retained his appointment for many years. In 1754 he made an appearance in the witness-box. This was in the course of the trial of Elizabeth Canning, who was charged with perjury. The shorthand writer, or as he was then termed, the minuter," was required to prove from his notes the evidence given by the accused in a former case, in which the perjury was alleged to have occurred. This trial —the trial for perjury—was also recorded by Gurney, and to show the care with which the reports were prepared for publication, a note in the "Session's Paper "describes the transcript as having been "carefully examined and compared with the copies of two other shorthand writers who were appointed to attend the said trial." This seems to show two things: (1) that shorthand writers skilful enough to take evidence in court were more common in those days than most people imagine; and (2) that the practice of taking a "check note was in vogue. The full report mentions the names of the "two other shorthand writers.' These were Samuel Rudd and Isaac Harman, and the latter at all events was one of Gurney's assistants, who had taken notes for him on previous occasions.

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The shorthand writers of that time appear to have been willing to take the public into their confidence rather more than their successors in the present day would be disposed to do. Possibly the dexterity of the shorthand writer was not generally taken for granted then as it is now. At all events, it would not be thought necessary, and it would probably be thought slightly undignified on the part of the professional shorthand writer of the Twentieth century to add to a

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transcript and to add for publication a statement that the note-takers were "all eminent shorthand writers," and that their notes were " carefully examined together.' But such a note appears at the end of one of Gurney's reports. Here are two other notes from the "Session's Paper" in later years. They speak for themselves. "It not being intended to print this trial so fully, we were so unfortunate as not to take the speeches of the counsel for the prisoner at the time of the trial, but Mr Serjeant Hayward's happened to be taken in shorthand, and he has since permitted it to be printed." "So unfortunate" is delicious! And obviously there was an "unofficial" shorthand writer present too, and one sufficiently capable to take down the speeches of counsel --which are believed to have been usually somewhat rapid oratorical performances. The second note (made in the year 1761) states verbosely, "The preceding trial is printed at large and verbatim, as delivered by the witnesses for the Crown and the prisoner, without the least alteration or abridgment in any part of it. This was thought necessary to be mentioned for the information of the public."

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There was, unhappily, an instance eight years later in which the shorthand writer (let us hope it was not Gurney himself, but a comparatively inexperienced member of his staff a raw recruit, perhaps,) had to confess to some errors. The confession is a very candid and a very full one. After mentioning the errors, which had appeared in the report published in a previous "Session's Paper," the frank stenographer writes: The above errors are some of the many that occur in the former part of this trial, especially in that part of it where the shorthand writer has given from his minutes, uncorrected, what he understood to fall from the Judges and Recorder, which he confesses has not been (sic) usual to do, without their permission or supervision, and which he should not have printed on this occasion if he had not been anxious that the public should have an exact copy of his minutes, that there might be no suspicion that he had suppressed anything which had occurred in this remarkable trial. The conclusion of Mr Justice Aston's speech, and the last part of what fell from the Recorder, he is sensible is very imperfectly taken." Well, well-we all make mistakes-and even shorthand writers are fallible. But we do not all confess to our errors quite so freely!

Since those days the amount of shorthand work at the Old Bailey has been enormous. In the new courts that are to rise on the ruins of the old, shorthand will, no doubt, play a far more important part still. But the Old Bailey is probably the only building in the world of which it can be said that shorthand has been used there professionally and continuously for the greater part of two centuries.

CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS
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Applications for forms in all the above cases should be addressed to the Secretary, Civil Service Commission, Burlington Gardens, London, W., and previous papers for each examination can be obtained from Messrs Eyre and Spottiswoode (or any bookseller), price 6d. per set.

OUR PRIZE COMPETITIONS.

Prize of New Testament in shorthand for the best specimen in the Reporting Style written by a lady phonographer (No. 3).

1.-Miss F. Humpert,

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