ONE result of the Great War has been a renewed interest in Lord Stowells personality and in his judicial work. But his biography in Townsends Twelve Eminent Judges, and the combined biography of the two Scotts in Surtees short Lives of Lord Eldon and Lord Stowall, were pubIished in 1848 and are now out of print. The reader therefore who desires to become acquainted with Stowells career is left for a modern biography to a slight sketch in a work called Great Jurists of the World, and to the brief, though, from its authorship, important article in the Dictionury of National Biography. The first aim, therefore, of the following pages is to present an impression of Stowell as a man, from which, suppIemented by the tabular statement at the commencement of the book, a clear view can be obtained of the course of his life. The second aim is to enable a reader to realize Stowells judicial work, to collect and to formulate thoughts and criticisms which a perusal of his decisions arouses, and to define the achievements of a judge and a jurist whose influence on one branch of British jurisprudence-of international as well as of national value-was individual, important, and permanent. Two portraits of Lord Stowell may be seen at Oxford-one painted in 1807 by Hoppner, is at University College another painted in 1827 by T. Phillips, is at Corpus Christi College, In the Library of University College is a statue on the same pediment as one of Lord Eldon. A third portrait by Phillips is in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Newcastle upon-Tyne. CONTENTS PAGE CHRONOLOGIC T A A L B LE . ix CHAPTER I CHAPTER I1 BIOGRAPH C A L -I-ADvocATE-. JuDGE a 16 CHAPTER I11 THEP RIZE C oun A ND PRIZEL AW . CHAPTER IVSTOWELL J U S D ICIALW ORK AN D ITS RESULTS . . 40 CHAPTER V SOME I LLUSTRAT J I U V D E G MENTS . . 5 CHAPTER V1 THE STOWEL C L A SE LAW AND THE DECLARAT O I F ON LONDON . 70 vii LORD STOWELL CHAPTER VII PARE THE S TOWEL C L AS E L AW I N THE GREAT W AR ., SO CHAPTER V111 STOWEL A L S JUDGE OF THE HIGH C OURT O F ADMIRALTY 94 APPENDICES l. REPORTS W HICH CONTAIN LORD STOWELL J U S D G MENTS, AND NOTE O N SOME MS. NOTE BY HIM . 103 INDEX . . 115 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 1745 October 17 1761 February 24 1 6 1 March 3 1762 June 24 1764 November 20 IT64 December 13 1765 June 14 1767 June 17 1772 May 30 1774 ... 1779 June 23 1770 November 6 1780 February I1 1781 April 7 See X Ieiyh Cowt Reading, 1919. Horn at Heworth, County Durliani. Eldest son of William Scott of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, one of the Guild of CC Hoastmen, shipbroker, and merchant, who died in 1776, and of Jane, daughter of Henry Atkinson of Newcastle, merchant she died 18th July 1800. Elected a Durham Scholar of Corpus Christi Collego, Oxford, aRer education at Newcastle Grammar School. Matriculated. Student of Middle Temple. B. A. Probatio mryF ellow of University Colloge. Resigned Fello vship April 7, 1782. Actual Fellow, and Tutor till 1776. M. A. B. C. L. NlectedCamden Reader of Ancient History resigned 1785. Took chambers and lived at 3 Kings Bench Walk, Tern le, and began to keep Terms, but did notyeave xfordfi nally till 1780. D. C. L. Enrolled as ail Advocate of the College of Doctors at Lam exercent in the Eccbst asticd and Admiralty Courts. Cdled to the Bar, RIiddle Temple. hlarriago to blaria Anne, eldest dau hter and CO-heiress of John Ihguall, b., of Erleigh Court, Reading, who pur chased it in 1766 she died onSeptember 4, 1809. The Scotts lived at 5 Colloge Square, Doctorc Commons. Appointed Advocate of tlie Admiralty. Appointed llegistrar of the Court of FacuIties. and O w w s, by E. W...