"Was it here necessary for the plaintiff to prove a demand?
Generally, a request for the payment of a debt is quite
immaterial, unless the parties to the contract have
stipulated it should be made: per Parke B. in Walton v.
Mascall [1844] EngR 1018; (1844) 13 M. and W. 452, 458. Even if the word
'demand' is used in the case of a present debt, it is
meaningless, and express demand is not necessary, as in the
case of a promissory note payable on demand ... . But it is
otherwise where the debt is not present but to accrue, as in
the case of a note payable three months after demand ... ;
or where the debt is not a present debt, but a collateral
promise: Birks v. Trippet [1845] EngR 19; 1 Wms. Saund. 32 In re Brown's
Estate (1893) 2 Ch 300. The promise of a surety to pay on
demand if his principal does not appears to me to be a
collateral promise within the authorities; and I entertain
no doubt that in this guarantee the provisions about demand
are a real stipulation, and not mere words. The surety is
to pay 'on demand' ... ; while, as the guarantee is 'against
loss on the realisation of debentures,' the surety would
need to be informed by demand of the amount he was called
upon to pay. I am of opinion that the creditor must prove a
real demand, and therefore that the Statute of Limitations
did not run till the demand had been made."