The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-09-26 00:00:00

MR. MITFORD'S HISTORY OF GREECE
(COIITINIJ ED). •
This day is publildted, iu quarto, price 21.25. in boards,
THE FIFTH VOLUME of the HISTORY
of GREECE; eusoprehesding the ratite Reigu of
Alreander the Great.

By WILLIAM MITFORD, E.g.
Printed for T. Cadets and W. Davit's, Strand.

whoas may alm he had,
1. The FOUR PRECEDING VOLUMES; including
the Histo►y ur Greece (rum the earliest Accounts to the
lkatb of Philip king of Macedonia. Price 71. 4s. is boards.

2. The Same Work, liandeonarly printed in eight Volumes
Syn. price 41. 4% in board*.
3. An INQUIRY INFO the PRINCIPLES of HAR-
fiIONY in LANGUAGE, and of the MECHANIS3I of
VERSE, Mater,. end Ancient. The Second Edition' with
Improvements cud large Additiuss. Sim. price 7s. ILL in
board&

This dey is pulthrbeil.bautkatutly rimed, iu 3 large 'via.
svu. illuskated wah Map. and Fat-Stutiles of Bablical
litaaascripi., price 21 2a. its boards,
A N INTlvmucTioN to Ike CRITICAL
Il sTUDY am! kiNOWLEDGE of the HOLY SCRiP-
'MR E 4.
ny THOMAS HARTWELL HORNE, Ail.

This IVork, un which the Author has hero engaged for
many years, is offend so Bible Rewires g' neratly, and to
the Clergy and than preparing for Holy °flirts in pull.
radar, as a Houma of what is oust valuable is Biblical Cri..
tiri.ns, aelect..l Coo the lahoun of the must emitter's Cri-
i le., both Brit.str and furtive'. It ii divided into three
par's, via.
Part I. romps IN 4 a coneke View of the. Heography of
Kiriljue. um' of she Heliports. %Loaf; and Civil
State of Ow Jews; she priacipal Eseuts irccurd.
tst in the Goble.
Part H. pst sews a ropiness Investigation of the Piirciples
of Sr.ipture Interpretation, and their Arpiiessnor to the
Hi`l", soils Protthettral, Typical, Doctrillllt, rod mural Parts
of the Sacred 11'ritings•
l'att 111. is approlwiatril In the Analysis of the Bible, in.
churls': aa Arrooot of she Canon of Sclipttire • tocellser
04,11(SItical Prefaces and ,e7;lsuivus to each hook, "you au
proved plan.
Au Appendix is swiljnined, entosioiqg ISO Arl4k/1111 a the
MSS. mud I:Amon* of 11w Old and Ne* Testa.
PIiSSIS, su.l otioe. Phlrliograt'atical and Critical information
rclattre to tbe Holy ccripi r..
guicJ for 'l'. Cadell and W. Harks, in the Strand.

NORWICH UNION
•
FIRE AND LIFE INSURANCE OFFICE.
• .
c'csterday a ndraerows4iod respectable Meeting
or the Insistent at the Norwich Office took place at
the City of London Tavern, its pursuance of the
following advertisement :
" Norwich LING). Firs sad Life lantrante.—The Cow.
mitts, appointed (at the Meetiog of tosiirrra held at the
Turk Hotel, Bridge-street, on the 27111 of July) fur the ape.
dal pawpaw of luverientittir the late Claws mode spinal
the Norwich Cann Fare and Life Office, regime the mead.
arm of tie lasswers al the City of Landes Tavern, is Bi-
shopper-street, on Friday, the 15th iustant, (or the purpose
of receiving the Report of skis Contaditce. The Chair will
he token at It &elm* precisely.—lnsureri ate requested to
iriag with thew their ISOPliteS for the cement year, without
which nu person nut be admitted.—Faemmice ARNAUD
CLASILI, Seertiart to Ike Leaden Cosansitiee.—York Hotel,
Sept. 11, ISIS."
At twelve o'clorit the large room was nearly filled,
and @hardy after the Comniittee entered.
Mr. PATTI:Mitt (of Norwich) then rose and said,
that he was au early trustee to the Norwich Union
Offi..e, and had been at all times extremely anxious
fur it. welfare and prosperity. He begged leave to
move that Thomas Denary, E.g. be requested to
take the Chair.

This motion was unanimously adopted, and Mr.
Banst.str, in taking the Chair, hoped the Meeting
would pay due attention to the business they were
met to transact, and afford him every asoistassce in
obtaining a patient heating fur every Gentleman
who wished to address thew.—(Heer„ heir.)
Mr. Parransom then moved." That the Report
of the Committee be stow read."

This motion was instantly adopted, and
Mr. F. A. CLAItItt proceeded to read the Report,
which was a must voluminous ducat/tent. entering
into a minute detail of the rise and progress of the
Norwich Union losorance Society. and embrac-
ing a full account of all the branches of it-
nese and the mode of transacting it, since its
firma-
two tweisty-oue years ago. It commenced by set-
ting forth the circum.tance which led to the ap-
pointment of this Committee. end alluded to the
transactions of the George and Vulture Committee,
and correspondence which had taken place between
the Chairman of the York Hotel Committee and
Mr. Alderman Thorp. It then enumerated
the several cases or claimants which had
come under the consideration of the Commit-
tee. and the speedy and satisfactory adjustment
of them all, with the exception of some few
which came too late to be admitted into the Report,
or were held back until this Meeting was over, by
consent of the claimants, from the impossibility of
their getting •n earlier consideration. It stated,
that the Board of Directors, at Norwich, had in-
stantly recognized and placed its confidence in the
London Committee, for the purposes referred to
it; and further tended every co-operation in their
power to promote the inquiries of the Committee.
IVith respect to the coustitut of the Norwich
Union lusurance Society, the Committee were of
opinion that considerable alterations were called
fur in it, to give effect to the beneficial views which
the Corporation was, front its nature, formed to
realize. On the precise course which ought to be
pursued in making these alterations, the Commit-
tee had not yet decided, but they thought the full-
est investigation into the mode of condor nog the
business of the Society was imperatively called for,
and dust a revision of the several Deeds. Settle.
ments, Acts of Parliament, and other articles au.
pertuiniug to the Corporation, should be immedi-
ately made. The Committee repressed its full
conviction, tlmt the Board of Directors, at Nor.
wick. would co-operate in carrying intolliect the
itecessairy measures required for the bauefit of the
establishment. The Committee. in the course of
their inquiry, had found that the departments at
Norwich. and generally through the country, pos-
sessed effective insulgetuent; but that theY thought.
in the London department, Mr. Bigoold. sen. did
not at all times ppy that implicit deference to the
Norwich Board, which the Committee thoiight
they were entitled to exact. They, however, high..
ly praised the zeal and attentiou of his soils to the
interests of the concern. The Committee disap..
proved of the mode of depositing in banks, or *Hy
trading time, such sums es had been so disproved
or heretofore by this concern, even though certain
interest were allowed; although their by no means
Meant to cast any reflection on the Messrs. Bignolds
its this respect, whose accounts were kept to a
prompt and satisfactory Disinter. . Thet also
thought, that the plait of the Treasorerahip should
undergo revision; and the Committee further sl-
tutted to the circumittauce of the reversion provided
by Mr. Bignold, pen.. for his soot,. whentrer he
quitted the office of Secretary to this department.
The Committee, is alluding to this enema-
deuce, paid the highest complbuesits to the intel-
ligence and honour of the soul of Mr. Bignold.
They thought the Surveyorship should also IA
placed on a loctiti lousing it was. uccooliiig
to the present mode. Thr present Actuary war
highly praised fur Ins plan of conducting the col-
culatima—his omnipotent was described as being
most judiciothi. In alluding to Ilie ito ... . ,gtiun of
certain Nuble.sisesi a. trustees for the concern, with-
out these personages holding ail communication
with the managers, or feeling themselves at all re-

,
receipt, of premiums received by the Society.
amounted to 404,677/. Li.. 6.1. Their total expen-
diture e 66.999/. 16.. 2,1. leaving. • Whiner of
137.677/. 19*. 441: in favour of the Fire Department.
This balance was reduced by veveral incidentsl
items of expenditure to the sutn of 508,9061. I i s. 9 I.
Such was the adrplus balance in the Fire Department
when the acconntv were made up last Christina...—
The Committee then described the mode in which
this sum was ineested: 10,0 i 0/. was in the .5 per
Cents.. 4,0001. in the 4 per Cents., 12,008/. in the
3 per Cents., besides smaller sums in the South's:sok
Bridge Company, and sii different parts of the coml.
try on solid available security.—The Report then
went into an average of the profits realized by the
Norwich Union superior plan of outmost insurance,
and pointed out what the .Committee conceived
were its advantages over every other Insurance Com-
pany. On, a calculation of the whole twenty-one
years, the Report .stated the average profit of the
Company to have amounted to 341. per cent. It
stated that the loaves of the year 1817, from fires
(the work of incendiaries, a. was seasonably be-
lieved). were unusually great :
Is the Life Depatlisest, Ilie•wbele itinotist
received by Life Prelliiittall was £294,303 11 7
By Asesities • ....., • 61,437 IS 5
By llscieworeete to Chi1dren......... 6,369 13 io
Fur earl... laterals 9,556 18 8
Interest on Mortgages
Os other Seed Mier 13,499 IV 10
Dimio. fur Prompt Payment 6B 15 6

j 39.1,325 I I
Of ibis amount the following sums had been paid
away:—
Os Deaths
Densities to Representatives
Cusississioa to Agents, histories, &c
J.
AMMO 19 4
This halionce was reduced, by sundry other inci-
dental expenses in the Life Department here, to
237,1801. 17e. gd.
The Report recommended the universal adoption
of officio., surgeons and scrutinizing agents, as tend-
ing much to the interest of the Society. By proper
attention to these offices, the mortality had been re-
duced so low us in ten years not to exceed 95 per
cent. on the premiums paid by insurers, while in
the Equitable, and other Officer, the demands
amounted to 63 per cent, lost year. the Commit.
tee stated, that in this branch of the Norwich tie-
pertinent there was not n single claim in dispute,
notwithstanding the extent of their business in all
parts of the empire. The Co ttttt iitite regretted
that the enemies of the Society forced Ilietn to
compare other Insurstice Offices with this—they
took the Equitable as furnishing the fairest ground
of comparison, as both were fintuded on the prin-
ciple of mutual insurance. The Eqn,intble was.ro.
toblished in 1762. In 1776, that is, 14 years utter
its establishment, its number of policies was 913.

In 1786, 2,100. Now, its the Norwich Office, in
the course of tett years only, the number of life
policies was 4.500; the lire policies bore the same
proportion. The Committee further stated, that
there was no ground whatever for any imputation of
improvidence upon the Norwich Office, for Its af-
fairs were conducted with the uttnost care and cau-
tion, and they, in fact, were in the habit of reject.
ing a great number of offers for insurance. The
Report specified the total assets of the Norwich
Company as amounting, on the 24th of March last,
to 366,0871. 9s. 6d. and deposited in the hoods of
various available secutities, under the control of
the Directors at Norwich. The Committee strong-
ly recommended that the agents (whom conduct
was described as having been correct and punctual)
should hereafter be required to transmit their re-
turns quarterly, as it was found their profits cot-
tied the Directors to expect these payments in ouch
a period. The Committee had also the satisfaction
to state„' that the Directors at Norwich had prompt-
ly adopted a recommendation for tranoferriiig im-
mediately to trustees, duly appointed for the pur-
pole. the wheile of the 'reunites belonging to the
establishment: Tile youtiOr Messrs. Rignolds
were reidy at olive to tusks the transfer of the
securities on their hamlet, as Oats Ha the Solicitor
appointed to prepare the deeds had finished them;
but the Committee !Skewed outvote regret they
could not close their Report without recommend-
iug the immediate retirement of Mr. Higinild,
senor, from the 'Ace of Secretiiry to the London
department, as a step intfispensishly necessary.
The Corrimittte ridded their conviction that the
Institution would continue to make a progressive
*dunce, and hold itself as the first Society of the
kited in the Vented liingdotu.
Mr. F. A. CLARKS then sin!, that there was a
veil • Appendix to the Report, cootainiugalt
abundance of letters front local Committees, and
statements respecting the braticlis of the con-
cern.

The CHAtaiteti mid. that es it was intended to
print the Append!tt, complete with the Report, for
the information of the ineurera ut large, the Meet-
ing would perk •pa divenee with its being read now ;

Mr. PATERSON there moved, that this very able
Report, whicli was so highly creditable tic
lat ttttt ra end induatry of the Committer, be primed
with the Appendix, for the use of the subscrobers.
Mr. Alden:tan, THORr. M.P. rose ID Second
this motiesto--(Great applaure.)—The worthy Al-
dermal; spoke as 10flOab 1 .itruntre you, Sir,
that in seconding this motion, I feel very great sa-
tosfactiou in bearing my.: testimony to the !Omuta
and pusiserri of your Committee, fr which the
present Report lois vs 11111 l ated. / arks tier more
happy iu doing so, because the Coornorat tee to which
I belonged was considered originally. as aetilig sic
hostility to yoonrs-o-at least such was our intpression
of your opinion of its ut.the George and Vultare.
Now so far lfntH this being the case, the result
proves that our Committee, rusetrrd of being arriv-
ed against your., we. actually acting eith you, arid
we were both together pursin•og one rolject, namely,
to see if these esisted atty, evil+ in the op magement
of the Norwich Union— End if there doolou vou.ntre
what remedy shutsl4. he applied so remove them.
'flu. Report lutist be highly.grasii, nog to 1110 MIL
particularly. re.pecting the funds of die luau ty.
Every Gentleman who has heard it rota wary no*
retire home perfectly ardihrted that sufficient (midi
exist to meet every imssiblv demand. I feel A also
necessary to disclaim the tiosiiri.otion that the gout-
mittee to which I belonged were either coo-operating
Of connected in any initinikr•with sissy of the.other
Insurance Offices; this I totally deny, and I myself
never conversed even on the matter with !unionise
belonging to rosy other establi.limettt.—"(Berur./
We first met for other purpose.; we thought that
a slur bad been coot upon the Office by the unties
ces.ary posopoonetpeot and rnjection of cl.irnoo, which
we thought ought to hate.been viteinicrl to.. Out
solo object was to see 1114 t these C.T.:lllv were. pro-
perly inquired into, and the result Inn. proved that
the inquiry has had a most I:toe/lend retort, both
the plover adjustment of these.cloriiiir. and the de-
velopment of the stability of tree liortstuttaia.—
(Applanse.)—ln dischniniug that we weik. ruler
connected with, or hall/ONCE& by, 'my other office
in the course of. our inquiry, I expect in return we
shall have justice done to our cation% What
did we slate in, the outset pf our ',rowers:jug.; We
used. that clam a were unfairty rrjo-virot. tloo they
were unnecessarily litigated. Dots not your It port
tosapport our opinion, and verify the fact ? :noose
claims your Committee have honourably attended
to, and for doing so you shame the thanks of.eovery
honourable rind thereat ttt i t 01.—(nriipkorre
stated that errors existed in the isailiag• mesa, of the
concern. We did soot state.that it was not solvent,
we. merely stated our belief in the
.tet.teuci• ..f
abuses ; you prove • that belief to have
!Uprooted, by pointing out various !sometime, wlitvli
you thiiik the concern must apply to place itself its
that stsitints which. it.is entitled r•o hold use the em-
pire. Weerre most glad to flied flout you prove, fled
in your niqpiry in so effectual 4opriiiirr, used leave
demonstrated the berietici3.l chat:otter of flit' Insti-
tution, and removed out from the viol of that pull-
ing and quackery, which .lielol out u profit of SP
per cent., whereas we how see it is 341, which must':
certainly is a very flattering amount. I repeat, that
our Committee has led the way tro the establishment
of this must beneficial esp. oii of ,Pie, affairs of the
Society. I therefore ;host cordially second the mow
tiou,"—(Greal uppiarse.).

Ofiathe emotion bring put from the Chair, that
this Report he received and adopted.
Mr. BAKST rose to address the Meeting---(a per-
sou called out.“ Are you a subscriber to the Nor-
-1 am." retailed Mr. Barry, •' if I were
not. I should not be so indecorous es to 'nuke my
apprarsiice here this day. If I were not a sub-
scriber, and interested in the prosperty•of the con-
cern. I would not stand up litre to-day.")—/Near.)
—" I agree with the worthy Alderman in the praise
he hies bestowed upon this laborious nod voluminous
Report—a Report which I'll challenge the annuls
of insurance history to furnish a parallel, either for
its length. or its able. review of the intricate 'Awns
of such an establishttistit. • I ant ready to bestow
every complinseut on the labour and ulnas of the
Committee—Lam seedy to give the reward they
deserve to the Gentlemen who composed it. I say
this with the fullest sincerity. But there ere one
or two short passages in it respecting an individual
to which I cannot give my assent, and ai I mean
to tuner au sinendmesit to them. I entreat your ails-
dour while A assign the reasons which iliflueseve the
course I am now about to take.--(..S'onee irrief•rap-
60aq—I sipper, to you as Esiglishinen ; 1 hope
and expect you will give me a intbent hearing. nod
spot suffer prejudice to sursnount Tater ewudniir
sued good sense. I luipe will fairly efreii'i-r
your judginents. and that illeteiripee will slot
overpower aigslisiesit. 1 know that it is &wrap:
difficult to ask sewn to get rid of the
they have conceived ; but for the rake of justice to
au injured nisei; I implore you, on the pievent oc-
casion, to listen to the triage reasou: 1 agree to
the Report in every thing it contains i5p0e5.„1,5,.,;
to your flintier., to your flourishing rimdituoti, owl
also respecting the proposed amendments iu tne
constitution of the Soviety. Its all 111401.U.141414
dr-
pending on the frail control of man, it esheetak.a..
ble to a course ill tittle iu r%Clieat vorli4ll ateal•e.;
and they *mist. Iviirss.Ort.nre 140104 CO ,4114k4,1 ine
progies-wely leitia•teel. h.fe ear Ire a!wit't to 1..
thedy, hut we nre at the same time &atom; to psis.