ABSTRACT
The legal mind which has only faint glimmerings of the meaning of a balance sheet, has none of the effect and purpose of a Trading Account. But a Trading or Profit and Loss Account, also answers another purpose of special moment to accountants. Economical consumption, through the somewhat childish characteristics of our working classes, can only be assured by such statistical and analytical methods. Constructive trades are those which are concerned with what are called large constructions, i.e. large works not of identical character. Types of these are builders, road and railway contractors, heavy engineers, and shipbuilders. The references to the Accounts of trading concerns in old Acts of Parliament are all obscure, intangible, and in general terms and a literal compliance with them could be arranged so as completely to hide the information which accounts are intended to show. An architect has to acquire a complete knowledge of the science and art of construction.
