The National Register.
London, England, 1822-03-25 00:00:00

To the Editor of the St. James's
—...._

SIR,—You have inadvertently inserted in yonr
respectable Journal of the 7th instant a very cede/Hewn,
article, (signed, " A Prudent Matit) directed against the
Norwich Utlion Offices.
This "Prudent Man" commences by some backnied ob-
servations, which do not requite notice, and proceeds to •
say, that " the National Union has finished its
shorter period in the • .ante way,' (in bankruptcy), as
its Parent, the Norwich Union for mutual insurance,
after having blazoned forth ha prodigious wealth in every
nook and corner of the Empire, is obliged to give up the
ghost," &c.
Now, Sir, so far from the " National Union" being the
child of the " Norwich Union," it was " a little ailten-
tut e" set up in direct opposition to the Norwich, by a
discarded officer of the latter. And the " Prudent Man'
is defied to prove (liberal as he is in his insinuations) that
the Norwi..ll Society Iss " blasoned forth" one shilling
which it did not possess. As to giving up the ghost, I
shall streak snore on that head presently.
The most objectionable feature, !tweet". r, of the letter,
is, the attempt (by loose phraseology) to lead the reader
into a supposition- that the Norwich Union Office is at
once a Life and Fire (assurance Institution—with the in-
tent of injuring the Union Lien Insurance Society, which
is perfectly distinct from the NJrwieli Union Fine Office, •
and has not experienced any alteration of plan wha:ever.
That such is the ohjest most be evident—otherwise why
introduce the Birmingham Life Office—the Commercial
Li feOffice—thel'hilatithiopic AnnuitySociety..-Dr.Price's •
observations (applying wholly to Offices connected with
contingency of life)—and the question of reduced rates—
(since the Fire Office never reduced its premiums.)
Ile talks about Ilse" bursting of this bubble," (the Fire
Office) forgetting that the " bubble" has realized to,alto
persons imitable.. a saving of One Hunched Thousand
Pounds, (three .s as much as has ever been paid back
by the County), and that this " bubble" stands nearly at
the head of all the Fire Offices in the empire! '
He says, that the " Managers of the departed Norwich
Union" are " contending in Chancery with the Member*
for the Fragments of the Ohl Society"!! t Beavo!!!
The " contention," Mr. Editor, was (as yon will find veri-
fied on oath) between the great body of a Society com-
bining sixty thoussoid persons, and FOUR obscure indivi-
duals, who were nut legally Members at all !—who, there
is reason to believe, were merely the tools of the ex-Se-
cretary—and who were put out of Court, saddled wilt the
Costs!
lie finishes by speaking of " bankrupteiee,""and " ter. •
giversations," and of the necessity of " the public" en-
quiring into the " character mid conduct" of those who
offer protection, " before they" (meaning, I presume, the
public) commit their interests to hoods " which have
proved unfaithful."
New in reply to this most libellous paragraph, I call on
the writer to come forward and point out, if it is in his
power, one single instance in which the Union Fire Office
ilia failed in its engagements, or " cotnmitted an act of
bankniptcyt—and a* to " unfaithful hands," I DARE
him to prove any thing which call cast a shade on the its-
tegrity of the Directors of that great Institution.
Bait 1 will now advert to the state of the Union Offices.
The Norwich Union Fire Office has a capital of 550,Ittan.
—pays this quarter 15,4001. duty—(about as much as the
County pays in half a year)-1146 increased in business
thrice as •li as the County—and is conducted by the
hands (let the public decide if "unfaithful") or severs •
Aldermen of Norwich, four eminent Rankers, &c.—and
the funds are eon usted to the lion. Col. Wollehollif, Sir
Jacob Astley. Bart.,'('. W. Coke, Esq M.P., R. H. Gur-
ney, Esq. M.P., Cliaa. Harvey, Esq. M.P., J. C. Curwea,
Esq. M.P., Atc. &e. &c.
As to the Lite Office (the real object okras attack)lst
my opponent produce (if he call) proofs thattlie Provident
Office has been as prosperous as the Union Inistitetion.—
The latter HAS TREBLED trs IIUsINE'SIe (N SIX
YEARS—is in the receipt of a I teed thousand• pounds
per annum—has a capital of HALE' A AIILLION:s-nnil.
as to the scale of its mortality, defies comparison with any
Office in the Empire!

I am, Sir, &c.
A WORE '• PRUDENT MAN.'

P.S.—There is a difficulty in instituting a compariaon
between the Union and Provident Offices.—The tootle.? -
publishes its accounts and proceedings ; the latter is re-
markably shy of figures, thought the community is- often
favoured with accounts of complimentary resultstioise
passed at meetings of persons who seem delighted wins
the " management" of the " Alanaging ector.'
The insurers with the Union tots meet sometimes—but
the grounds of the satisfaction which they express with
the management of those whom the advocate of the Pro-
vident insinuates are unfaithful, are before the would on
black and w kite —each insurer, for example, who attended
the late meeting in London, came there with an account -
in his hand, exhibiting facts—indisputable statements of
money transactions, not mere general declamation or
loose estimates ; and the result of a immure consideration
of those accounts was, the public expression of approba-
tion recorded in their advertisement, which appeared iii
the newspapers a few days atter.

2irtbz.
Al his house iu Clargss street, the lady of 11. Jearops, mt. of a

daughter.
Mrs. strati, of Perry street, of a daughter.
At Clapton, the tatty ui' J. I ickell, esti. of a son.
At Sullulk place, Mts. I. G. bridae, of a daughter.
Ihe lady ut Julio Cl.nk, esti. ut Ileadlicutt street, Mecklenhatib
square, 01 a son.
Mrs. SAIllt• Borchelt, of Percy street, of a son.
At Lambeth. G. Calthrop, eel. to J toe, only daughter of tho LAM
T. Cuclalnot, coy. of heanninctuu common.
At Noroich. Octavos, youugest son of tile late Dr. W. Gerson, at
'lnuit). suttees:, Cambridge, to Cannes inc Npeuccr, second tlaughtes of
N. /stilton, ems. of Ifavrhargh hall, Nortulk.
At Camber well, Paul tiuuly, esti. to Min Harriett; Maria Sondem,
of the also% e
Mr. t.eouge Wise, of Wood street, Cbeapsida, to Miss F.Uerhy, of
Sunderland.