JOURNAL

OF THE

Institute of Bankers.

(FOUNDED 1879.)

VOL. XXIII.-YEAR 1902.

London:

BLADES, EAST & BLADES, PRINTERS, 23, ABCHURCH LANE, E.C.

-

1902.

MESSRS. JANSON, COBB, PEARSON & Co., 22, College Hill, E.C.

The Institute of Bankers.

JANUARY, 1902.

INTRODUCTORY.

HE Members of the Institute of Bankers have this year been unfortunately deprived of the pleasure of listening to the Inaugural Address, our President, as we have all heard with regret and sympathy, having been incapacitated by illness from undertaking it. We have lost, therefore, among other things, that which has come to be looked upon as a half-yearly statement of our position and prospects, and it is proposed now to make a few remarks with a view of supplying in some degree the omission.

It has been said that "happy is the nation that has no history; i.e., a nation of which it may be said that it pursues the even tenor of its way, unelated by temporary prosperity, and undepressed by disasters. So with our Institute; its continued growth in influence and usefulness is marked by no startling events, but by a general progress in various directions.

The satisfactory increase in our number of members need not be dealt with in any detail, but it may be said with confidence that finality has not by any means been reached in this matter. It may be noticed, also with satisfaction, that the suggestions thrown out by our President have to some extent borne fruit, and that some of our ordinary members and associates, who have risen to positions of authority and responsibility in their banks, are now properly seeking election as Fellows of our Institute.

The number of candidates for our Examinations continues to make satisfactory growth. Last year there was an unprecedented increase of no less than 287, bringing up the total to 1,238, and it is not impossible, estimating from such data as are available, that this record will be exceeded in 1902.

It is not difficult to account for this, as the banks and the junior officials are everywhere showing an increased interest in the matter. More and more banks are adopting the plan of giving £5 and £10 as prizes to such of their clerks as pass the Preliminary and Final Examinations respectively; among the latest who have expressed