LAW 432 LAWRENCE Exchequer of the Lloyd George Coalition Ministry in 1916. In addition to being a member of the War Cabinet, he con- tinued as active leader of the House of Commons. He secured the passage of enormous budgets necessary during the war. Following the general election of 1918, he ceased to be Chancellor of the Exchequer and became Lord Privy Seal. He took a prominent part in all war measures passed in the House and in 1920 was also active in the discussion of Irish and other questions. LAW, JOHN, a Scotch financier; born in Edinburgh, Scotland, April 21, 1671. His father was a goldsmith and banker, and proprietor of the estate of Lauris- ton, near Edinburgh. Law early showed a most remarkable talent for arithmetic, algebra, and kindred sciences. At 20 he removed to London, but was soon com- pelled to flee, in consequence of a duel in which he killed his adversary. He went to Amsterdam, where he studied credit operations. About the year 1700 he returned to Edinburgh, a zealous advocate of a paper currency; but his proposals to the Scotch Parliament met with an unfavorable reception. He now visited different parts of the Continent, where he won and lost vast sums in gam- bling and speculation, but sought in vain to win the favor of governments for his financial schemes. At last he settled in Paris, and, in company with his brother William, set up in 1716 a private bank. This was soon so successful and pros- perous that the Duke of Orleans, the re- gent, adopted in 1718 Law's plan of a national bank, and issued prodigious quantities of bank notes, which enjoyed perfect credit. In 1719 Law originated his "Mississippi Scheme" and was made a councilor of state and comptroller-gen- eral of finances. When the bubbles burst he became an object of popular hatred and found it best to quit France. He died in Venice, Italy, March 21, 1729. LAW, WILLIAM, an English divine; born in King's Clilfe, Northamptonshire, England, in 1686. He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He wrote against Bishop Hoadley, and was also the author of some valuable prac- tical books, as, "A Serious Call to a De- vout and Holy Life"; "A Treatise on Christian Perfection," etc. He died in King's Cliffe, April 9, 1761. LAWFELDT, or LA VELD, the scene, close to Maestricht, Belgium, of the de- feat of the combined Austrian, Dutch, and English forces under the Duke of Cumberland by the French commanded by Marshal Saxe, July 2, 1747. LAWN TENNIS. See TENNIS. LAWRENCE, a city and county-seat of Douglas CO., Kan,; on both sides of the Kansas river and on the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe, and the Union Pacific railroads; 40 miles W. of Kan- sas City. It is the farming trade center for Douglas and parts of two other coun- ties ; and is principally engaged in manu- facturing, which is greatly promoted by the excellent water power furnished by the river. It is the seat of the Kansas State University, Haskell Institute, and Indian Industrial School; contains a hos- pital, public library, and several public parks; and has flour and paper mills, barbed-wire, ice, shirt, sash and door factories, and foundry and machine shops. There are electric light plants, waterworks, several National and State banks, daily, weekly and monthly peri- odicals. The city was settled by an anti- slavery colony from the East in 1854 and during the Civil War was almost entirely destroyed by Confederate raiders. Pop. (1910) 12,374; (1920) 12,456. LAWRENCE, a city and one of the county-seats of Essex co.. Mass,, on both sides of the Merrimac river, and on the Boston and Maine railroad; 29 miles _N, W. of Boston. The river at this point has a gradual descent of 26 feet in a distance of half a mile, affording excel- lent water power. It is dammed by a solid granite wall 900 feet long and 30 feet vdde, the water being drawn off through a system of canals and distrib- uted to the various factories. Lawrence is a great cotton and woolen milling cen- ter, and has extensive manufactures of foundry and machine shop products, wall paper, stationery, cars, carriages, sew- ing machines,^ steam engines, boilers, hardware, belting, hats, boots and shoes and flour. The city has an admirable public school system, public library, court house, waterworks system, numerous public parks, daily and weekly newspa- pers, electric lights, and electric street railways connecting Andover, Haverhill, Lowell and neighboring towns. The charitable and educational institutions include the City Hospital, Roman Cath- olic Hospital, Essex County Truant School, and High school. Pop. (1910) 85,892; (1920) 94,270. LAWRENCE, JAMES, an American naval officer; born in Burlington, N. J., Oct. 1, 1781; entered the American navy as a midshipman, 1793; was with Deca- tur as his 1st lieutenant in the engage- ment against Tripoli. While in the Mediterranean he rose to the command successively of the "Vixen," "Wasp," ' "Argus," and "Hornet." While cruising with the latter off Delaware, Feb. 24,
