Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-05
PARCHMENT GIVEN UP.
An Order of the Court Forbids Its I Sc
in England.


From the London Telegraph
Sir Francis Jeune. on Monday last. pro-
nounced a judicial separation between pro-
bate lawyers and parchment. There is not
an absolute divorce, because, although on
and after January next grants and engross-
ments IN the probate division will be on
special paper instead of parchment the lat
ter time-honored material for legal docu-
ments may be used if it is particularly de-
sired. 1t is well that this permission is at
tached to the injunction, for the mind re-
coils from the idea of any branch of the
law being entirely dsassociated from
parchment
Precisely what the object of this change
may be is not quite clear. 1t is stated that
the public will save something like 5000 a
year. This sum would buy a considerable
quantity of parchment in the ordinary way;
but perhaps things different in the
legal market. A sheet of parchment would
cost threepenCe or fOurpence from a sta
TONER. but when it finds its way into a
lawyers bill of expenses, for pence read
shillings. The special paper would cost
about a penny a sheet; 1t remains to be
seen what its legal value will he. Possibly
claimants for probate may have a better
idea of the value of paper than they have
OF parchment.
The question, however, arises whether the
public will regard paper, special as it may
be, as satisfactory substitute for parch-
ment Grants in probate are, of course not
like leases of estates, deeds and other
classes OF legal documents. and are not
often required to Withstand the effects of
time to the same degree. Still the public
prefers to nave its law documents in an en-
during form; and, although it may save
tN.b". the individual will probably save
only few shilings. and would rather have
the more expensive but more lasting mate
rial. Fiction writers would often be hard
put to it If they could not produce musty
4 T. q ~ a,tff r.1
ing that the poor but honest hero is entitled
TO the family estate. But in hard fact the
value o. endurance In the material of legal
documents has too often been shown to
lead the public to put faith readily in any
thing but parchment. Still special PAPER
has been used for some time now for Aft
davits and memorials for the registry Of
deeds Perhaps the time may come when
there will be special kinds of material for
different kinds of documents, according to
lie period over which they are to endure.
ranging from vellum for leases of estates
to tissue paper for promises in love letters
An explanation of the change which has
been given in one quarter is that Somerset
House. whence issue the grants and en-
groSsmentS, is at odds with nature Somcr-
set House wants stout parchment of a uni
form thickness Nature refuses to supp,y
1t. II results from this provision that the
parchment cut from one part Of an ami
another, and 1t cannot be made uniform
Her maJestys stationery office, acting of
course, on intimations from Somerset
House, wants all the stoutest parchment.
but the manufacturers would then be left
to dispose of the thinner material to private
customers, who naturally grumble. More
over, the stationery Office does not wish
to pay higher price for the privilege of
taking the best
The manufacturers of parchment are not
greatly disturbed by Sir Francis Jeune's de-
cree The probate grants and engross mepts
are only part of the vast number of legal
documents, and pe"nle Will still go ON ac
During parchment by the more or less ex
one can foretel.