The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-08 00:00:00

Law Amendment Society,

The third general meeting of this society was held
last evening at 3, Waterloo-place, Pall-mall, Sir
Richard Graves M`Donnell in the chair.
After a few remarks from the Chairman, express-
ing diffidence in occupying the position of chairman
after an absence of many years from England, a
paper was read by Mr. Robert Wilson, on " Transfer
of Title to Land." In it he submitted that posses.
sion was presumptive evidence of ownership irre-
spective of documents, and on the other hand every
departure from the simplicity of ownership was
caused by documents, therefore he proposed they
should register possession as the simple representa-
tive of a title that was simple, and as a basis for the
registration of the documente by which for the time
being a title is complicated. He explained that one
of the great obects he had in view was to endeavour
to turn back the attention of Mr. Torrens' papers on
the " Transfer of Land and Registration of Titles,"
applied as supplementary to the Irish Estates Court
Act.

Mr. HENRY PALMER (secretary) stated that be
had Land
recently
made inquiries into the working of
the Transfer Act, and that it appeared that the
applications to the Land Registry Office represented
property to the value of nearly two millions. An
estate had been very lately entered of the value of
£700,000, and those of the value of £50,000 value
might, ou an average, be registered with en inde-
feasible title for about £5O as the expenses of the
office. The principal charges would be for adver-

tisements, mapping, and surveying. The minor ex-
penses of the office would be the value of the stamp.
He further stated that it was not correct that the
majority of the applications were by proprietors of
land sold for building purposes.
On the motion of Mr. I'. Webster it was agreed
that all discussion on the paper should be adjourned
till the first week in January, when the discussion
on Mr. Torrens's paper would also come on.
The report of the committee appointed to con-
clude the negotiations with the Social Science Asso-
ciation for a closer union with that body, on the
basis of the draft agreement submitted to the last
meeting, was read. It recommended that the
united associations should be called, the National
Association for the Promotion of Social Science,
with which is united the Society for the Amend-
ment of the Law." And that the first department
of the united association should be styled, "The
Department of
Jurisprudence and Amendment of
the Law."

The meeting was then addressed by several
gentlemen as to the details of the amalgamation of
the society, and votes of thanks were passed to the
officers who had, and those who were now, serving
the society.
The proceedings concluded by a vote of thanks to
the chairman.

SUDDEN DEATH OF MR. W. SALT, ES.A.,
A 1.11.81., THE BANKER.—Much surprise and re-
grtit was caused yesterday, not only in the City but in the
British Museum, by the announcoment of the sudden death
of Mr. William Salt, junior partner in the firm of Messrs.
Stevenson, Salt, and Sons, the well-known banking firm in
Lombard-street. Mr. Salt was at the British Museum on
Saturday, investigating matters relating to the topography
and antiquity of this native county, Staffordthire; and was
seized with a fit in church on Sunday morning, from the
effects of which he died. Mr. Salt was a well-known and
familiar visitor of the British Museum reading room, from
his love for local antiquarian lore. He was a fellow of the
Society of Antiquaries and an active member of the Royal
Society of Literature, besides being a zealous supporter of
every charitable institution. He is known in the literary
world by the number of old books he has presented to or
obtained for the British Museum. In 1844 he printed a
curious supplement to Dr. Harwood's edition of Sampson
Erdeswick's '• Survey of Staffordshire," the text of which
in many parts he revised. The copy in the British Museum
bears the inscription from his own hand, " Only twenty
copies of the list of MS. printed. No. I—British Museum."
Mr. Salt was much respected in commercial circles, and
highly esteemed among literary men for his amiable dispo.
sition and pleasant manners. He was a year or two short
of 60 at the time of his unexpected death.