Arson

the malicious and wilful burning of the house of another, is at common law of the degree of felony. Some part of the house must be actually burnt; a bare intention or attempt will not constitute the offence, but the burning of any part, however trifling, is sufficient. The burning must be malicious and wilful. If aman by wilfully setting fire to his own house burn that of his neighbour, it will be felony. Barns with corn and hay in them, though distant from a house, are within the definition of a house. The Act of 1861 prescribes on conviction for arson penal servitude for life, or for any term not le than three years (now five years), or to be imprisoned for any time not exceeding two years; the offence of setting fire to goods in buildings in such circumstances that the latter were thereby set on fire, would be felony. Setting fire to mines is visited with the full measure of penalty, and the attempt, to penal servitude for fourteen years. Setting fire or attempts to set fire to ships is punishable by the full penalties already enumerated. Setting fire to His Majesty’s ve els of war is punishable by death. In Scotland the offence equivalent to arson in England is known as wilful fire raising. The statutes above cited do not apply to Scotland. Where the crime is punishable capitally by old Consuetudinary Law, the Public Prosecutor can tecengs to demand capital punishment, and usually. O€s SO. Art, 2 system of rules for the acquisition of skill and dexterity in the performance of certain actions. The “arts” as formerly used in the universities meant the seven liberal arts of the ancients, viz. grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, music, geometry, and astronomy. Now-a-days, however, the cla ification of arts has been divided into two parts, the jine arts, in which are included music, painting, sculpture, etc., and all those branches of study which seek expre i or. through the beautiful; and the mechanical arts, including carpentry, watchmaking, etc., and all those pursuits in which genius is not e ential for succe , but which require technical skill or physical accomplishment. The word art is frequently applied in a restricted sense to painting or sculpture only, and information upon Painting, Schools of Painting, etc., will be found under their various headings. For explanation of the terms Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, see the headings BACHELOR and MASTER.