SIR: The undersigned officers in charge of the Law Department submit the following as the report of the department for the thirteen months ending January 31, 1892 :

The office of Corporation Counsel was held by Mr. James B. Richardson until May 1, when Mr. Thomas M. Babson, formerly First Assistant City Solicitor, was appointed to the position. Mr. Robert W. Nason, formerly Second Assistant City Solicitor, was appointed to the position of first assistant in Mr. Babson's place, and Mr. Thomas W. Proctor was appointed to succeed Mr. Nason.

The regular duties of the department have been performed, consisting in the giving of written opinions and verbal advice in answer to requests therefor from the Mayor, the heads of departments, officers of the city, committees of the City Council and the branches thereof, and the school committee; the investigation and passing upon claims against the city which have been allowed by the committee on on claims or the City Council; the charge,

management, and conduct of all cases pending in the various courts of the Commonwealth in which the city was a party, or in any way interested, including trials, arguments, etc.; attendance before committees in settlements, and all the work connected therewith; attendance upon the Legislature and its committees, and the preparation and presentation of drafts of bills, petitions, and orders, for the purpose of securing legislation desired by, or for the interest of, the city; the drafting, supervision, and approval of contracts, bonds, and other instruments relating to matters undertaken by or for the city, or in which it had an interest; the preparation, revision, and compilation of ordinances, and of tables showing changes therein; the examination of titles to real estate, or interests in real estate, in cases where the city has taken or purchased land, and in which its rights or interests were involved; the drafting, preparation, and furnishing of deeds, leases, and other papers relating thereto; and, in general, the charge and management of all legal matters in any way affecting the city or any of its departments.

At the beginning of the last municipal year, January 5, 1891, there were pending in the various courts 401 cases in which the city was directly interested, and there have since been instituted 394, making in all, 795, not including the numerous cases in which the city was summoned as the trustee of third parties. Of these cases 210 have been disposed of, leaving still pending, February 1, 1892, 585, of which the classification and list are as follows: