Railway companies were especially plundered in the exorbitant valuation of lands, and therefore an advocate who could check the valuers by cross-examination was sought after.  Juries were always liable to be imposed upon, and generally gave liberal compensation, altogether apart from the market value.  Experts, such as land agents and surveyors, were always in request, and indeed these experts in value caused the most extravagant amounts to be awarded.  Even the mean sum between highest and lowest was a monstrously unfair guide, for one old expert used to instruct his pupils that the only true principle in estimating value was to ask at least twice as much as the business or other property was worth, because, he said, the other side will be sure to try and cut you down one-half, and then probably offer to split the difference.  If you accept that, you will of course get one-quarter more than you could by stating what you really wanted.  No one could deal with the real value, because there was no such thing known in the Compensation Court.

On one occasion I was travelling north in connection with one of these cases, retained, as usual, on behalf of a railway company.  In my judgment the claim would have been handsomely met by an award of L10,000, and that sum we were prepared to give.

On my way I observed in my carriage a gentleman who was very busy in making calculations on slips of paper, and every now and again mentioning the figures at which he had arrived—­repeating them to himself.  When we got to a station he threw away his paper, after tearing it up, and when we started commenced again, but at every stoppage on our journey he increased his amount.  After we had travelled 250 miles, the property he was valuing had attained the handsome figure of L100,000.

He evidently had not observed me.  I was very quiet, and well wrapped up.  The next day, when he stepped into the witness-box he had not the least idea that I had been his fellow-traveller of the previous night.  He was not very sharp except in the matter of figures; but his opinion, like that of all experts, was invincible.  His name was Bunce.

“When did you view this property, Mr. Bunce?  I understand you come from London.”

“I saw it this morning, sir.”

“Did you make any calculation as to its value before you saw it?”

This puzzled him, and he stared at me.  It was a hard stare, but I held out.

He said, “No.”

“Not when you were travelling?  Did it not pass through your mind when you were in the train, for instance—­’I wonder, now, what that property is worth?’”

“I dare say it did, sir.”

“But don’t dare say anything unless it’s true.”

“I did, then, run it over in my mind.”

“And I dare say you made notes and can produce them.  Did you make notes?” After a while I said, “I see you did.  You may as well let me have them.”