The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-08 00:00:00

The Star Life Assurance Society,

The twentieth annual meeting of the members of the
Star Life Assurance Society was held yesterday at the
offices, 13, Moorgate -street. City.
Charles Harwood, Esq.,
chairman of the Board of Di-
rect Ors, presided.
The usual preliminary business having been transacted,
the annual report of the directors and the report of Mr.
Jenkyn Jones on the affairs of the society were read to the
meeting. The directors' report was road by Jesse Hobson,
Esq., the Secretary, as follows :
The Directors of the Star Life Assurance Society, in
again meeting their constituents, have great pleasure in
being, able to present a most
gratifying report, at this, the
twentieth annual, or fourth quinquennial, meeting
:
Tee figures which will be presented to this meeting will
refer not only to the operations of the society during the
past yeas, but to those which have occurred since its estab-
lishment in 1843.
The directors have to report, that during 1863 they
received 1,195 proposals for assurance; of this number they
issued 956 policies for the sveurancs of £353,310, yieldine:
in annual premiums £13;114 16s. Id., the highest amount
paid for new policies in any year since the foundation of
the society.
The directors have been compelled, reluctantly, to decline
many of the prop-isals which have been submitted to them,
as being, in tbeir opinion, not eligible for assurance.
As a further illustration of the advance of the company,
the following comparative result is given of the four com-
pleted cycles of five years which have elapsed :
No. of Sums
Pol cies. Assured. Premium.
First period, to 1848.... 2,204 £690,277 £22,606 15 11
Second period, to 1853..2,832 923,156 30,280 9 7
Third period, to 1858 ... 3,191 1,086,040 37,766 14 4
Fourth period, to 1863 ..4,792 1,721,252 60,031 5 0
of this number there remained in existence at the close of
the year 9,370 policies for the assurance of £3,229,841 108.
By the auditors' report it will be observed that the in-
come of the society on the 31st December last, amounted
to £120,489 4s. 3d., and the accumulated fund at that date
amounted to £557,361 9s. 11d., showing an increase in the
fund of £72,381 los. 11d, during the year.
Claims by death have arisen under 107 policies, assuring
92 persons, and the sum of £32,804 12s. ld. (which includes
bonus additions of £1,469 55.) has been paid to the repre-
sentatives of those deceased. Of this amount, £6,000 has
been reassured with other offices, thus reducing the net
loss to the Star by death to £26,804 12s. ld. The claims
which have been discharged, since the origin of the society,
amount, in the aggregate, to £91,348 ss, sd.
It is scarcely necessary to repeat, that to the valuable and
general support of the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion is
this prosperity mainly to be attributed ; and the Directors
think that it will be interesting to the meeting to be
,in-
formed, that a very large proportion of the assured are
either members or hearers of that religious body.
This being the fourth quinquennial period, the Directors
are called upon, by the deed of settlement, to investigate the
affairs of the society, with a view of apportioning the profits
to the policy-holders. For this purpose they have in-
structed Mr. Jenkyn Jones to make a valuation, and give a
complete and detailed report of the assets and liabilities of
the society. That report, which will be mead to you, shows,
as was anticipated, that the business effected is of a very
profitable character, and will enable the Directors to declare
a reversionary bonus averaging rather more than 60 per
cent. upon the premiums paid during the past five years;
the result of which, as relating to each particular policy,
will be communicated to those interested at as early a
period as posrible. As, however, these calculations will
occupy considerable time, it is obvious that such result can-
not be communicated to all the policy-holders in less than
two or three months.

The Directors retiring by rotation are W. H. Smith, W.
M. Ware, A. Bealey, and Edward Ball, Esqs., who, being
eligible, will be proposed for re-election. •

The CHAIRMAN sail it was with more than ordinary
pleasure that ho met the share and policy holders that day,
because the success of the past year's exertions had been
crowned with the most brilliant success. (Hear, hear.)
The new business for the year amounted to nearly 1,000
policies 0f1353,310, which would yield an annual premium of
£13,114 16s. ld., which would be the largest amount paid
for new policies in any yaar since tho foundation of the
society. There was another matter of congratulation, and
that was the increase of the accumulated ,fund. (Hoar
hear.) In order to comply with the terms of the deed of
settlement, the directors, with a view of apportioning the
profits to both share and policy holders, had had to select a
qualified gentleman to whom they could submit the affairs
of the society, and the highly interesting and favourable
report they had had from Mr. Jenkyn Jones fully bore out
the expectations of the directors. (Hear, hear.) The bonus
was a substantial one—(hear, hear)—and although he could
not gratify the policyholders with the specific suns each
would receive yet, he would conclude his observations by
formally moving the reception and adoption of the report.
The motion, having been seconded, was put to the meet-
ing, and carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN next moved the re-election of the retir-
ing directors—via., W. H. Smith, Esq., J. M. Ware, Esq,,
and E. Bealey, Esq., which was also agreed to unanimously.
Thanks having been awarded to directors, auditors, and
medical officers,
A special vote of thanks was proposed and accorded to
the secretary and his very efficient staff.
Mr. HossoN thanked the meeting for the compliment
just paid to him and his staff. They had but one ambition,
namely, to see the society in the most flourishing condition.
He had finished his first apprenticeship to them to-day, as
the present was the eihgth annual report he had the pleasure
jcreading to them. Seven years ago their annual income
was £61,000, whilst it was now £120,000. Their assets at
that period were £202,000, they were now £557,000, and this
alone would show some exertion had been made. (Hear.)
It would always be his constant endeavour to increase and
extend their success by every means in his power. (Hear,
hear.) He had a favour to ask those present; it was
to kindly communicate to their friends that the
amount of bonus payable to each policy holder could
tot be ascertained for two or three months, but
immediately it was known there would be no loss of time
in acquainting those entitled to it with the pleasant fact. If
they would oblige him so far he was certain it would save
him a great deal of letter writing, (Laughter.) The
Shareholders' bonne would be payable about the first week
in April.
A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the pro-
ceedings.

THE COUNTY FRANCHISE,

MR. LOCKE KING'S BILL.

The following is a copy of the bill prepared and brought
in the House of Commons by Mr. Locke King and Mr. H.
Russoll,lto extend the franchise in counties in England and
Wales :

" Whereas it is expedient to extend the elective franchise
to many of her Majesty's subjects who have not heretofore
enjoyed the same. Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's
moat excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent
of the lards spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this
present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the
same, as follows :

"1. From and after the passing of this act, every male
person, of full ago and not subject to legal disability, who
occupies, as owner or tenant, any land or tenement situate
without the limits of any city or borough entitled to return
a burgess or burgesses to Parliament of the clear yearly
value, or for which he is liable to a clear yearly rent of not
less than ten pounds, and comprising a house of the clear
yearly value of not less than six pounds, shall be entitled
to vote at the election of a knight or knights of the shire to
serve in any future Parliament for the county, riding,
part, or division of the county in which such land' or

tenement' is situate; but no such occupier shall be so
entitled to vote unless ho be duly registered as such voter,
nor shall he be entitled to be so registered in any year un-
less he have occupied such land' or ' tenement' of such
value or at such rent as aforesaid, for six calendar months
at least next before the last day of July in such year.
"2. The act passed in the second year of King William
tho Fourth, to amend the representation of the people in
England and Wales, and the act passed in the sixth year
of her present Majesty's reign, to amend the law for the
registration of persons entitled to vote, and to define certain
rights of voting, and to regulate certain proceedings in the
election of members to serve in Parliament for England and
Wales, and the present act, shall be construed as one act."

North Country and Welsh Steam Coal,

Reports of trials of Welsh and North of England steam
coal have been laid before the House of Commons. Mr.
Miller, chief engineer at the steam factory, Keyham, has
made% full report of a series of experiments extending over
four months, and states as the result that it is evident that
the introduction of north country coals to be burnt in com-
bination with Welsh coals in equal proportions would be
attended with desirable results, as means by which all the
Welsh coals put on board a ship might be usefully and eco-
nomically burnt, smoke prevented to a great extent, and a
more rapid evaporation effected ; that is to say, a given
quantity of water evaporated by a given quantity of coal in
lose time, and thus the steam boilers of ships rendered more
powerful. There would be no difficulty in coaling a ship
with the two kinds of coal, The bunkers of one Bide might
be filled with north country coal, and the other side with
Welsh coal. Mr. Anderson, engineer in oharge of her Ma-
jesty's ship Supply, reports in favour of a mixture of from
one-third to one-half north country coal with Welsh. The
consumption ho found the same as of Welsh coal, but there
were fewer ashes. Commander Roberts of her Majesty's
storeship Wye is in favour of one-third north country coal.
He tried a mixture in other proportions, but found this burn
less coal for a given amount of work and produce consider-
ably less smoke, ashes and soot. Mr. Rwnble, inspector of
machinery afloat at Sheerness, states as the result of experi-
ments on board the Fearless, as well as of his experience
when out on trial with vessels at tho measured mile during
the last 12 months, that for economy of fuel and prod using
the greatest amount of steam pressure, the best proportion
is a mixture of two-thirds Welsh and one-third north coun-
try coal, and that this is better than either kind of coal
separately. Captain 13roadbent, in charge of the reserve,
Portsmouth, tried all Welsh, equal quantities of each, and
two•thirds north country coal, and reports in favour of all
Aberdare Welsh coal; he does not seem to have tried one-
third ntiroyeaxndertiNmvoe-ntthsiradrse AgViveelsnh. coal. Full de-
tailsonfonirtoh costouf
o

MISS BRADDON, THE DISTINGUISHED NOVELIST,
has given 2,50 to the Dramatic College, for the building of
a house, which is to bo called after one of her great literary
successes, " Aurora Floyd." This will be a combined me-
mento of her benevolence and of her literary genius.

SECOND EDITION.

SUN OFFICE, HALF-PAST 4 O'CLOCK.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE—This Day,

LIVERPOOL RACES--THIS DAY.

£4O HANDICAP PLATE.

.......... 1
Lord Douglas .
Poland
3
Zara