Profit and Loss is the rule by which merchants can tell how to buy and sell, so as to gain or lose a certain rate per cent., etc. The prime cost means the price originally paid. Proportion is the equality of ratios, thus, g 3:5:: 24: 40. = fi.e., Protest. A paper made out by a notary public, declaring a bill to have been refused payment or acceptance. Quotation. A statement of the price of different articles. Rack-rent. The highest attainable rental for house or land. Rate per Cent. The sum paid for the loan of £100. Ratio is the relation which one quantity bears to another of the same kind, with respect to magnitude, as 12: 3; or 12. Receipt. A written acknowledgment of having received money or other valuables. FORM OF RECEIPT. WESTON, NEAR Bath. May 17th, 1882. Received of Mr. Knowles the sum of Twenty pounds, five shillings and sixpence. £20 5s. 6d. ALBERT BROWNING. NOTE. When only part of an account is paid, write at the end of last word, on account. If the receipt be given for wages, write after the amount, for wages due. No. If a payment for rent, write, for one quarter's (or otherwise) rent of due Reduction is the changing of one denomination to another, the value remaining unaltered. Remittance. Cash forwarded from one person or place to another. Reserve Fund. A sum of money laid aside, by companies and others, to meet contingencies. Salary. Yearly wages paid to a clerk, etc., for services rendered to his employer. Salvage. An allowance made for saving a ship or goods, or both, from the dangers of the seas, fire, enemies, etc. Sample. A small portion of any commodity exhibited as a specimen of its quality. Schedule. An inventory of goods. Securities. Documents which secure the payment of interest on money-advances. Specie. Coin as distinguished from paper money. Sterling. A term given to English money. Stock is a general name for the capital of trading companies. It also signifies any sum of money which has been lent to Government, on condition of receiving a certain interest until the money is repaid. The source from which the interest is paid by Government is called the public funds. Government Bonds are the acknowledgments of the debt, given to the lenders in exchange for their money. These bonds may be sold and transferred from one person to another at pleasure, just as any other kind of property, and each bond is usually styled £100 Stock. Purchases and sales of Stock are usually made through agents, called stock-brokers, at the rate of £}, or 2s. 6d. per cent. upon the stock transferred. An annuity is any periodical income, payable either yearly, halfyearly, quarterly, or at any other equal interval. The price of stock is the sum for which £100 sells at any given time. Thus, if the price of the 3 per cents. is at 913, we are to understand that £100 stock is sold for £91 7s. 6d., and the interest of this is £3 a year. The price of stock is said to be at par when £100 stock is sold for £100 sterling. The dividend is the interest of the stock, paid half-yearly. Surety. One who becomes security for a debt being paid. Suspension of Payment is a closing of business affairs from the incapability of the trader to discharge his debts. Tally. A cleft piece of wood to score an account upon. Tare and Tret or Commercial Allowances are certain deductions made from goods which are weighed in the chest, barrel, or whatever contains them. Gross weight is the weight of both goods and packages. Tariff. A list of duties on goods. A table of charges. Tender. An offer in writing to supply certain goods, or perform certain work; also a tender of money to discharge a debt. Tonnage. The carrying capability of a ship. Dues levied at so much per ton. Ullage. What a cask wants of being full. Underwriter. A person who insures ships, cargoes, or other risks, which is performed by writing his name under a policy of insurance. Usance. A certain period after date. Usury. The charge of interest beyond five per cent. Vendor. A seller, by himself or an agent. A purchaser is termed a vendee. Wharfage. Dues for landing or shipping goods at a wharf. FOREIGN WORDS AND PHRASES IN COMMON USE. A la mode, according to custom, fashionable. Aqua, water. Au fait, (ō fay), up to a thing. Bona fide, in good faith. Bon mot (bong' mo), a witticism. Boudoir (boo-dwaur), a private room. Bouquet (boo-kay'), a nosegay. Café (kaf'-ay), a coffee-house. Can'aille (kă-nal'), the rabble. Caoutchouc (koo'-chook), India-rubber. Cap-a-pie (cap-ah-peē), from head to foot. Cognac (kōne-yak), brandy. Com'pos men tis, of sound mind. Congé (kong'-zhā), a parting bow. Connoisseur (con-a-sehr), a skilful judge. Contour (con-toor'), the outline. Contra, against. Cortége (kor-tězh), a train of attendants. Cuisine (kwe-zeen), cookery. Da'ta, things granted. Débris (debrée), remains, ruins. Dieu et mon droit, God and my right. Deo Volente (D.V.), God willing. Ex officio, by virtue of office. Felo de se, self murder. Finale (fee-nah'-ly), the end. Gens d'armes (jang-darm), police. Hic ja'cet, here lies. Ich dien (ic-deen), I serve. Impromptu, without thinking. Interim, in the meantime. In toto, entirely. Lapsus linguæ, a slip of the tongue. Levée (lev-ay), a morning visit. Maximum, the greatest. Memento mori, remember death. Messieurs (mess-yers), gentlemen. Minimum, the least. Monsieur (mo'-seu), sir, Mr. Multum in parvo, much in little. Noblesse oblige, rank entails obligation. Nolens volens, willing or not. Nom de plume, a name assumed by an author. Nonchalance, (nonʼ-sha-lans'), carelessness. Om'nes, all. On dit (ohn-dée), a rumour; they say. Outré (oo-tra'), extravagant. Parole (parole), word of honour. Résumé (ra-zu-mā'), a summing up. Savant (sav'ong), a learned man. Sine qua non, a necessary condition. Tête-a-tête, head to head; a private conversation. Una voce, with one voice. Vacuum, an empty space. Verbatim, word for word. Vi'ce Ver'sa, the reverse. Virtu (vir-too), a taste for curiosities. Vis-à-vis, face to face; opposite. Vi'va, vo'ce, by word of mouth. E |