Memoirs and Correspondence of Lyon Playfair; First Lord Playfair of St. Andrews (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1899. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVII. THE END. Adjudicating in the 'Statist' Competition--Speech at the Jubilee Banquet of the Cobden Club--Failing Health--Residence at Torquay -- Death -- Letters of Condolence to Lady Playfair -- Burial at St. Andrews. In the year 1896 Playfair completed a task which had occupied him for many months. This was the award of the prize of one thousand guineas, offered by the proprietors of 'The Statist' for the best essay on the means of drawing the Colonies and the Mother Country into closer union. Lord Salisbury and Lord Rosebery had each been asked to nominate a judge to whom the essays might be submitted. Lord Salisbury had nominated the Marquis of Lorne, whilst Playfair was the choice of Lord Rosebery. No fewer than 136 essays were submitted to the judges, and as each was of considerable length, the work of selecting the best was no light one. Nor was this difficulty diminished by the fact that each of the distinguished judges had his own views upon political and economic questions. In their Judgment, dated April 20th, 1896, they mentioned eight essays which seemed to them to be of conspicuous merit. "We had no difficulty," they declared, "as judges, in selecting these eight essays for their conspicuous ability, but we were unable to agree as to which essay would receive the prize. One of us was named as a judge by Lord Salisbury, and the other by Lord Rosebery. Our economical views were known to be different when we were appointed, and it is natural that we should differ as to the lines of policy which would be most advantageous for a fiscal union of the Empire. We propose, therefore, that the prize of one thousand guineas should be divided into two equal sums of five hundred guineas, and that two prizes instead of one should be given for two essays...