borough for the time being; he is elected annually by the Common Councillors over whom he presides, and he becomes Deputy-Mayor for the year subsequent to that of his mayoralty. Q. What are Boards of Health and Improvement Commissioners ? A. Officers elected by the ratepayers of certain populous towns to conduct useful works and to manage local business. Q. What is the National Debt? A. The money which the Government has borrowed from time to time of the public to defray the expenditure of war. Q. What is another name for it? A. It is called "The Funds," and sometimes "Government Stock." Q. Does the Government pay interest to those who lend this money? A. Yes, and the public in general are taxed to furnish this interest. Q. Does the Government still receive loans of money from the public? A. Yes, any one may invest money in the funds, and will obtain the current rate of interest. Q. What is the Sinking Fund? A. The surplus revenue of the kingdom beyond the actual expenditure, which is applied towards the reduction of the National Debt. Q. What is the amount of the National Debt? A. About seven hundred and ninety-seven millions of pounds. Q. What is the amount of the Sinking Fund? Q. What is meant by the Liberty of the Press ? A. The right which every subject of the British Empire enjoys of laying his opinions and complaints before his fellow-subjects by means of an open press, or, in other words, through the medium of printed papers. Q. Does the English nation value this privilege? A Yes, it does; for in addition to the opportunity it gives every one of publicly expressing his sentiments on any matter of interest, it daily acquaints him with the passing events of the time, and is moreover a powerful engine for the diffusion of general knowledge. "What calamities are the people saved from by having public communication left open to them!"-Curran. "The Liberty of the Press is the palladium of all the civil, political, and religious rights of an Englishman."-Junius. Corporation, a body or society authorized by law to act as an individual (Lat., corpus, corporis, the body). Aggregate, an assemblage of collected individuals (Lat., ad, to and grex, gregis, a flock). Eleemosynary, relating to almsgiving or charity (Gr., eleemosyne, compassionateness). Insolvency, the state of not being able to pay one's debts (Lat., in, not, and solvens, from solvo, to loosen or pay). Borough, a place of strength, a corporate town (Anglo-Saxon, burg, burh, a city). Fund, a sum of money laid as a foundation (Fr., fond; Lat., fundus, the bottom). Stock, something fixed, fixed capital (Ger., stock, a stick; stocken, to become fixed). Army, first standing, in England... Articles of Religion reduced to thirty-nine Bankruptcy Court established Bannerets first created in England 1215 1483 1357 1696 1242 598 627 ... Charters first granted to corporate towns Church of England established Civil Law introduced into England 605 ... ... 1067 1066 ... 1215 ... 1127 Isle of Man annexed to England Knights of the Shire first summoned to Parliament Garter created Land Tax first exacted Law Terms fixed ... ... the penny post Licences first granted Life Guards instituted Lord Great Chamberlain appointed abolished in England ... 1645 ... 1660 ... ... ... : : ... 1765 1660 1101 1385 |