The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-05-29 00:00:00

dry.

COUNTY FIRE.OFFICE

MI.
Pin*tozmr LIPII-OPPICR 111.VIIIIR.

Ibis dimmer took place 045 Friday last, at the Freirovis.nts*
Tavern. The tempos, consisted of about 200 Gentletsiew.
lord Brashrooke was is the chair, eopported by several per.
eons 0/distinction. After the resat preliminary tussle were
gone through, his Lordship rose, sad prefaced the nest
tout, a Continued prosperity to the ProvWeot Life-Mare."
by observing, that it was now Glance"' Teen since that lost'.
tutiow was &Jaded ; that it bail proresJe4 from the first
' year in oninterrnpled harmony and prosperity; that It bs.l
been conducted with pimplier economy, and had only bun
removed from a house where the mottos of Firm paid was
reader 50/. • year, to the present commodious building,
when the business hail secomidsted to an «Meld dot leo-
dewed larger premises indispensably necessary.
The glee of "tiles s Thumper" followed. when
Sir 3. B. NIOILLAND ruse and said, Om' sAer having paid
due honour to die parent, they ought not to Ariel She child.
In this degree of relationship he considered the Conmy
Fire Office to stand with the Proiardesit Life..office. and they
were kindred tuo iu prosperity. •.They had hulls been forte.
nate in twiny respects—fortunate in the heeds into whiFh
the active management was ',laced. and riotous's. in the pa.
teenage of a distinguished Nobleman, the late I smented
quis of Buckingham, wish whom the Counvy Fire-Office was
a great favourite.
The catch of " AA! how Sophia; or, s lions, tea fire,"
was tin u sung with admirable spirit. by Messrs. Pyle, Joules,
Watson, nod Timsey, and loudly taro; ed.
Lord Nuetext, in proposing the health of the T. wore,
and Directors, restarted on the advantage which both
Offices had derived from having emileyed their sortie's for a
series of years gratuitously. it was a *object of complaint
in many similar lestablishments, that too much of their
re-venue was absorbed by Officers whose services were but
occasionally rendered cr required. This ought not to be
the case in Institutions •hieb were &rimed to enable good
tither. to protect their families. from two of the greatest
domestic calamities to which they were liable, namely, the
destruction of their properly by lire, and the death of the
parent on whom they were dependant. It appeared in his
Lordship that these two important objects were elfi.esed
through tie Cniaely and Provident Office is as beurficrut
and secure a manlier as could be devised.
„the Hon. A next gave
" The Healthi of the Auditors."

Colonel Ducwarr, iu proposing the health of the Chair-
man of the day, paid ausay dese►►ed complinseuts to the
character of that respectable Nolitemati. Fie said it was
mutt gratifyier to see Noblemen and Gentlemen of rank and
independeut fortunes, taking as active part In these two
iustilutione. At the head of another Institution, similar
fu ohject, the mown of several Noldemeis also appeared;
but when that Office was put on its trial, they dtaeleisned
the use that bad been made of their same,. Mere they had
associated themselves freely. lie thought such association
an important cooside►stiou for the public., because they
might be assured it would not pities with unwo►thy eowdect
In the Office. This toast was drunk with diners, and *Ayr
a suitable return of thanks from the Noble Chairman, and
t glee,
Sir tV. E. {Weeds( proposed the health of the Managing
Director, Mr. Barber Beaumont.
In this be was followed by Colonel NUOENT, who said
that having been a Member of the Office from its faunae.
lien, and a Director fur many yeas., he had had euaretant up-
portunitie, of wisuessiug and admiring the talents, asaiJuity,
and incorruptible integrity of that Gentleman.
After the cheers which followed this toast hail iinhsided,
Mr. BEAUMONT addresacel the company, and in neatening
thauke said, that from the first conception of the County
Fire-Office soil Provident Life-Office, to the present hoar,
his conscience told hies that he had endearment', to the
best of his abilities, with diligence, fidelity, and zeal, to
render the Institutions eminent for their kind, and beneficial
to the !Wernher, generally. Success had crowned those en-
deavours beyond what he had ventured to promise or dared
to hope—and he felt that within him which said, that so
long as he had life sad health, and se less as his nuatersions
with lif Setiediesettediawed, so long be should eudeentoor to
uphold the prosperity which had been already acbieved,and,
if practicable, to raise it still higher. The institutions had
excited much interest with the public. Of the 50.000 per-
sons who bad sought indemnity from the County Fite-Office,
sot one had bees disappointed. The Directors bad
bad the blush of a litigation, and seldom a elif-
fereace with any claimant. Afforiliug then this specimen aud
pledge of a liberal line of conduct—offering the public the
guarantee of an ample permanent capital, in addition to the
fluctuating fund arising from the premiums—possessing an
efficient Direeloeh inferior in rank and character to none in
the kingdom—swat yielding to all persons who continue
imaged seven yews, whether upon I or seven years po-
licies, a coustaat Tours of their deposits, which Lad never
beau lest than 20 per rent. and oftener 25---the preference
whirls the Public gave to the County Fire.Offiee was out sur-
prising: that preference was aseert•ined to a herniae' by the
returns from the Stamp Office The i of duty paid by
all the sixteen Loudon offices duels( the last year over the
preceding was 4,8381. 6s. 2d., of this sum 2,4211. 13.. 2d.
was the portion of increase paid by the County Fire-Office
alone; al that the increase of this Office had exceed. d that of
all the others put together. Exalting as lee did m tire tide of
success which bed so tong dtatiuguished the County Office,
be wished to guard against disappointment from reverses.
The business of fire insurance, in a general way, had fur many
years ceased to be a profitable one. -lt was demonstrated
to be in most cases a losing tote. Of the various new
offices which bad been established aim* the County Fire-
Office, not one, be believed, had paid COMEIOII interest for a
coutinuance, and their shares could only find a sale as a dis-
count, which, in some iostaticee, had been 10 per tent. for
years together. Mr. Earlier Beanuiont then Wok a view of
the success of the Provident Life. Office, which, founded and
conducted on similar principles to those of the County
Office, bail produced similar results. lie add. J, it should
never be forgotten, that the original Provident Ito:notion,
Or Bank fur Savings, wee a twin ,sister of the Pluvirn.i.t Life.
Office. Its beneficial goose'', under Scotch 1111 l 1.1111. Lad
extended from one feud of t►e kingdom to the Whet, sod was
the soundest benefit ever conferred by pabbe imerfereoce tin
the iadoutrious and frugal part of the community.

A beautiful silver candelabra was ofeerwsrds presented to
Mr. Beaumout by Lord Braybrutke, with very high twin-
neilsllls. It bore the follow►r's inscription hysented
the Members of lbe County Fire-tlifice to J. 1%. B.Ernotoulit,
Esq. as a mark of the high sense eutertstmd of his very
assiduous and ♦aleable services is auperinicuding atid
bringing to so f We a termination tbe hatless of the
new Office."

In returning thanks tar this presets., the Managing Dtryftitt
passed a warm eulogy or, Mr. Abrgbarn, the richiteet mud
surveyor, and Iliessrs. 'lir.ls, the buthleis rif the °Mee anal
concluded by proposing their !writhe, which was deluded\
applause. ir :. IL '
Mr. Alderman IVAITHMAN tbe• gave the ling& at glia
-Stewards its a tint sprecb.
At ter o'clock Led Brsylirooke quitted the Chair, aril
BeflilliOni being called to it, the Meeting passed
inneeher burr in bush cony, Iy, and then separated,- well
Oared wish their entertains's. nt.

The Excellent, 74. is to be cat loan and.re.
tittered as a fourth rate.
Front the returns laid as the table of the• House
of Ctiinnsons, it supper., biking. the »hole tsiarter's
Revenue of the tinned Kingdom, ending 5t
WYO. that it is eilkhityttliothand•tkaundstven.then
the I;ke period of 18 Ilk,: notwithstanding 'the intim-
. sitiowof three wiliiimi,isfqsddit'tyukil,taktes.
On Tuesday the to of the. ;oth hussars- to
which C. STUART IVORTILRII.: Etc or attached. on
their way trunk Barnsley to Itgtheshibitilartoisk of
an tXetilelit repast, prosijitA try 1514Sid_ity f
that Gentleman. from Wertio• okepoLejtio
father. the . womb), • Mosby, •See'Alet toottoty ,of
York. • --•• •