excellent as it was, comprised within its jurisdiction only a circuit
of forty miles round London. He proposed to extend the metropolitan
district to a hundred miles round London; which would add a fifth to the
business of the commissioners, without inconvenience to them. For
the country, it was proposed to appoint commissioners at five central
points, in five great towns, beyond the London district, invested with
the same power which was at present reposed in the London commissioners.
They would perform the same quantity of duty now performed by the London
commissioners, having a similar range and a similar jurisdiction." The
course respecting the law of lunacy was somewhat similar. His lordship
remarked:--"The law of lunacy was administered like that of bankruptcy,
the London commissioners having jurisdiction for twenty miles round the
metropolis; and the country commissions being like those of bankruptcy,
directed to persons of little or no experience, though the inquiries
were of the nicest and most delicate character. He proposed that two
commissioners should be appointed, for the purpose of executing
all those commissions, not only in the metropolitan districts, but
throughout the country. From an examination of details he was satisfied
that those two commissioners would be amply sufficient for discharging
those and other important duties connected with lunacy. The payment of
commissioners by fees would be abolished, and they would be added to the
visitors at present appointed to inspect the condition of lunatics. They
would be taken from among the highest members of the bar." Concerning
the county courts, his lordship said that he was averse to any sweeping
change: his measure went merely to extend their jurisdiction. They were
presided over by the county clerk, whose jurisdiction extended to forty
shillings. "If," said his lordship, "I appoint a particular place,
and give them a jurisdiction to the extent of five pounds, and appoint
persons of respectability and learning, I think I do not innovate upon
ancient institutions." His lordship proposed further, that for the
recovery of debts to the amount of twenty pounds, persons should be
appointed judges of these courts, who should not reside in the provinces
where they administered the law, but that they should make circuits,
like the judges of the land, into the provinces with which they were not
acquainted, and where they had no local connections or prejudices. His