OF CIVIL PROCEEDINGS BY AND AGAINST THE CROWN AND DEPARTMENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT. WITH NUMEROUS FORMS AND PRECEDENTS. BY GEORGE STUART ROBERTSON, M.A., OF THE INNER TEMPLE AND THE OXFORD CIRCUIT, BARRISTER-AT-LAW, FORMERLY FELLOW OF NEW COLLEGE, OXFORD, AND ELDON LAW SCHOLAR, Author of "The Law of Tramways and Light Railways." STEVENS AND SONS, LIMITED, 119 & 120, CHANCERY LANE, ΤΟ The Right Honourable RICHARD EVERARD, BARON ALVERSTONE, G.C.M.G., &c. &c. &c., Lord Chief Justice of England, WITH MUCH RESPECT AND ADMIRATION. PREFACE. THIS book is the first attempt which has been made in modern times to deal comprehensively and practically with civil proceedings by and against the Crown and Government Departments, and I submit it, as such, to the indulgence of both branches of the profession. There are many things that are vestigial and some that are rudimentary in prerogative practice, but the change that has taken place in the last century, even in this backwater of the law, may be seen by comparing the contents of this work with Chitty's treatment of a similar subject in his book on the Prerogative of the Crown, published in 1820. He devotes in all two chapters to proceedings by and against the Crown, containing together one hundred and thirty-one pages, and of these no less than sixty-eight are devoted to extents. In his day, the chief business of the King's Remembrancer's Office was the issuing of extents; now extents in chief are of minor importance, and extents in aid are practically obsolete. The practice on the Revenue side of the King's Bench Division is now governed by statutes and rules which did not exist in Chitty's time. Petition of |