The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-01 00:00:00

therefore, to be recalled. (Hoar.) Peopleeweee afraid to
mention the limns of Lord Reglan. He Was an amiable
geritlemen and kind-hearted peen, but not say he
had the same respact for Lord Raglan mi a general., tt, was
:suffieieutette say that LOH Re'glan Wee-hboUt,l7o yeare of ago.
For a man of that agee--who had net seen- active.aervice for
30 yOars, 'Mad who, he' believed, 112ir riot' in'the Peninettla
eoininanded: e.vee a regineit, he hawing_ acted as . mil i ta'ry
secretary to the Duke of Welliegton-r-it
,was impossible to
command an army in the field. It-atiOnntedgo a crime,
indeed, to intnest to him the. lives of thapsande eof Iris ttl
low-creatures—(e'leei s)—and if a Mat weie efialcf to Cane
forward and speak the truth 'on this stehieet; in: Which the:,
honour, the. interest; and the diguity-of the country were
at stake, he was unworthy of Calling himself a 'public-ream
(Cheers) exposed -to.oditun fen sa'yieg these
things; but what. cared he, if he were doing :meld of duty?
(Cheers;) He Raid that the blood of the'Engliebinen. who
fonght,at Alma, at Pelaklava, 'and ateLikernme was not
to be put in the scale
.Withthe colincsies asd'givilities of
some dozen fo.niiiieS in London. - (Cheers.) Tbeefirst
ties in a general were deeison And firineess, and iu those
two great qualities Lord tagliln was eminently deficient.
He had a great inany.othei.zOod qualities ; but, as ageneral
Lord Raglan neither inspired confidence in others nor ap-
peared to feel much confidence in himself. As long as the
Government avoided grappling with such difficulties as these
they were no jou,g, ',entitled to the confidence of the public.
He doubted el lather the inquiry by the committee of the
Hottse'of Commons could, without great prudence on the
part of its members, proceed tothe full extent without
clanger to the interests-of the country, or without causing
great misfortunes. Lord Palmerston might have prevented
the appointment of that committee if lie had chosen for
the'metribers of his Government men who possessed the
confidence of the peoPle, and if he had exhibited a pro-
gramme of measures of stringent and effective reform-in
the army. (Hoar.) If we were about to patch up a dis-
honourable peace it would not be lasting, and before many
years we "should have A terrible war, and be position
less favourable to meet it. Ho scouted the idea of the
" four points" being sufficient. Were we not to ask for an
indemnity to the Turks, but allow them to be the victims
of aft Unprincipled eggreesion ? Men were -wanted ate the
lie4mi all4:8 w 1.2. re :tie/elms; aCtlefietia.inazel...ofe these
'spirit of the age, and if a Minister had the courage to se-
lect such men be need not fear family interest or party
intrigue. He would be eepported by the people, and made
the strongest Minister that ever held office in this country.
(Cheers.) To-morrow evening his noble friend Lord Gode-
rich; a sincere friend of progress, was about to test the
political opinions of the Government by his motion in
favour of a system of promotion in the army by merit.
The same principles ought to be adopted not only in the
army, but in every department of the public service. Eng-
land must demand that the great interests of a great country
should n .t be sacrif cad to the little interests of little men.
(The hon. -member sat down amid enthusiastic cheering.)
Mr. W. CLARK moved the following resolution :
"That this meeting entirely approves the course adopted
by kr. Layard, and fully agrees with him in the necessity
of a radical change in the system of army promotion."
Mr. 0. DTUCHLANDS seconded the resolution, which
was put from the chair and carried unanimously.
The Rev. J. FARLEY moved that a petition be presented
to Parliament, signed by the chairman on behalf of the
meeting, iii accordance with the preceding resolution.
Mr. It. DICKENS seconded the motion; which was car-
ried.
_ _ _

The proceedings concluded bps vote of thanks to the
chairman.

BRITI9ff EMPIRE MUTUAL LIFE ASSU-
RANCE ASSOCIATION.

The annual meeting of this association was held. yester-
day, at Radley's Hotel—Mr. John•Gover in the chair. The
attendance of members was very large.
The CHAIRMAN, after an eloquent enforceraent of the
duty of mankind to care for each other, and to disseminate
in their various circles of life the principles of forethought,
prudence, and provident habits, amongst their neighbours,
proceeded to, remark that three things were: indispensable
in order to render life assurance serviceable to society at
large.. In the first place, it must be offered' on the' most
advantageous terms ; in the next place, they must present
facilities for'the attainment of life assurance, it must be
plainly setbefore the publiute induce them to take it up;
and, in the third place, they must offer the greatest secu-
rity for the payment off—the policy insured' whenever.it
became a claim. To his (the, chairman's) mind nothing
more dreadful could be conceived than that when the time
came there should not be the means of meeting that claim,
which might perhaps be the only provision which bad hem
made by the insurer for his widow and bereaved children.
(Hear.) In his own history he had employed a journey-
man who, to provide for his wants in old age, had con-
nected himself- with three dirent societies, but he had
outlived the wrecks ef,.those societies.; .and now that be
was too old to join any other,-the union-house, was his only
asylum, 'Therefore; they must' offer unctilestinnable 'Secu-
rity for the discharge of the policy when it becanze.a claim.
The British Empire Association had connected with it all
the features to which he had-referred-in 'a high and emi-
nent degree. .It offered 41141:less upon the most advanta-
geous forme. listpreiniums were aiflew as was consistent
with safety.l. ThapOlicy.and the_. stamp were paid fOr by
the company, and the medical fee of 10s. 6d. for policies
under 500/., and of one guinea :above Matsu* was also
paid by the company ; and 1.101 the premiusso,paid, loans
of money were granted to members, which to the middle
class of tradespeople, was often of the greatest service;
and they made, large prctits from the, interest of their
the• -of 'which profits Were returned
• -1 ~Ma

lite assurance at- cost price-=cheaper tnaL _
colild obtain it. (Hear.) The British Eaipire:Association
offered. great facilities to a man disposed to avid himself
of .life assurance, and its security-was Undeniable." It had
been said that, thallifficalty under which a mu al assur-
ance association was formed was, that there was no capi-
tal- stoelt With Whith'-to ' Meet 'claims!. f"di 'deatiit which'
occurred.in-the first year of its establishnient: -In a..
son of efiidetiiic,'Policies might become claims almost as
Boothe twerninter. was paid. had -al soon am
policy for 3,0001. at the
.first meeting of the company, and,
at the-next meeting' t claim; from Whet fund was it
to be paid, inasmuch ae th-premiums.oolledea, during the
year might net amount to` that sum. It was then that the
directerestoodpersonally'as the skurity for the'paytkient
of the clai,ive It wap, therefore„ iteportao,tt4s4 those who
joined terdrixi a' matterassuranee company should be men
of. mopeds/der what.would have been t position of
the British gmpire Associationlif in the first month ;4).4.
estitibliffilifieht they' hid 'claiin for 1,t)60). or' ZOOM'? It
nwt• have.been,from the Pc:4*sta of tile; dicectori, •.But
that day was long gone by with regard to.this institution.
They:had now:arrived at the' eighth 'airilversaryW their-
existence, and they had now, to speak of the boneurpr the
property of the'direeturs as !afaiiding security for the paY-
mentipg tko claims „that, came upon them s 'but they had
now to speak of money ready to meet every kind of claim
that could come upon them. They had a-reserve- fund of
upwards of 6,0901.;
,in a4ditiou to this, they, bad an awn-
niulated lurid of about 70,0001.; and they, had. an annual
iucome,,up to'the 31st Of December' last; of 86,5681; It'
would not do for proprietary companies in the present day
to talk 'about the dangers attending mutual assurance
associations,' ,for this society they had upwards
of" 100,0001. to meet claims from deaths. They had,
therefore, before them a great duty to care ' for
the good of their fellow=men, by directing their at-
tention to some available means to provide for the
wants of .their families, after they were departed; and
this institution had just
_those. features which were
adapted for, and made it attractive to, the people who
needed it. 14, their caPaciti of members of the institu-
tion, it was their duty to bring before those with whom
they were brought into contact,' the advantages which life
assurance v'hu, otticailatbd confer: Thek ought to do it
on the ground iii tbilbtolene4, if/ Order that People might
take out curies ; for, in so doing, they wools 5.:•,..ntit0 the
sorrows that were always attendant upon death: They
prevented titio miseries oCPOverti after the head and stay
of the family, as depatued, aiid lie wiluld Reif them *hat
satisfaction WAS eiltatto that which a man felt within Ellf
own breast updn t -e reflection that he had been instrn-
tAntal 'he tear frOut the- widow's eye, and that
through associations of this kind tlietanailj wai furnished
with means to prOvide things honeit in the sight of all me 4
16: thekappoO,OfJhoee ,ivho night otherwise be destitute?
qtr: ..17: 0. I': NicOotk (the aeteart) said he, asW much
pleased to have the opportunity of meeting se lacge un as:
semblage joined,in an assurance. institution. It was, he
belieipdiltheilaNgeSt. rcieetipg lin • had ever attended con-
iti,;cted agstttande dbjectsj RN the ptetkeneA of o niany
Members testified to the interest. !which they took in thts
Brittsli gn.4ire- Association, and he had great pleasire
ineitwessinjt his nonviatien, that this society did offer all
the adiantages!whiCli the chairman had so 14;611 p6infed
ent, to them. He had made a Most, searching investiga-
-0 the Whol9 affairs- of the company, and he must
flay it Had iidt Vegh his fort unei te. nieet„wi fh many Com-
Patties in the eighth Jeer of .their progies,a,ciffetrinkdo viany
bYiiPtoniq Of health, vigour., and promise for 'the future ;
asid, to whpmsoever the-credit -,might be due; certaiply.
great a:edit was dile fdr the skill and judgment ,exer-
eised in brining so large an amount ot very titoiltahle
assurance business. _ (Hear; hear. and- cheers.) It was
to. be remarked , that; in, the early career of this so-
-614, it was neikfto iioosaible that any laishap could
have occurred from, the, faking id of- dee;ths; •The
great misfortune in associations of this natures generally;
Ives the 4isparitY ofthe policing }ssaed., a this instifAtion
that kind of irregalarity; tied not been Permi,tfid„ to itziste
and it was ratter remarkable that, in the Aiiieiloo air/
considerable amount of large assurances, their. income
shotlld' have reached its present amount, which, for an
eight yetirs' existence, was a very considerable one. Even
the old established eompallea,,el atict. eteellent reps..
tatien had!net, itioceeded, in the same space of time; iaob;
taming so large an amount of new business as had been ac-
complished by this society—(hear, hear)-=and with the re-
port which they had before them that day, they ought to
consider their prospects for the future most-encouraging,
and Oat there_ was-Avory,:prqbability,.of their doing a trenchuTget,bdineia in the nett eight yeare; 114 consideredtliat
they Were now in such a Position ai to be placed beyond
all risk fir the, future, and those friends who
been disposed ,thena Cogld nO longer howemado.
so. Might Mentlon that tiliere was m..thia
mie featUre. which Was particularly worthy rl''uu
might have
that was with regard to the calculation as
to
octat presentfull
value of the Premitinis. If they Were MeaSure
value of what they would probably realise,they would l',le
---s-
Worth a ;huh larger sum than .b.s.t,ltee,4 set Fek4,4o' them
in the balanceishoW. Te iniotibt,"l4o6'doiliii
sheet was 442,000/.: but if the gross premiurnihad been
valued; 'that sum would have been put at 50,0 001. or
60,000/. more.: But the best authorities err thi subject had
laid it down that that element of Value should not be an-
ticipated, and where it had been antleipited; it lied been
subjecte4 to the :most severe -criticism i This -association
was qufte free from that element, and he would add, that
every other element used in determining the value of their
assets had been subjected to the severest scrutiny ; and the
societylnight rely upon the! statement brought forward as
being in no way exaggerated, - but' was one Which placed
the present and fntire• members, in that position in
which
the members of. a mutual issociation'Ought tdbe'placed.
staTthede stebcarte ttahr ye ,ialrforp.oJsalas,.relcNeGiyi.odin,bryeathid tsheetnnprepaonrty,Lblti
(Hear, hear, and cheers.) . ' "
.expectations of
un suimd ebrearblyb ei xn
ge e e:—ld, 0
3t e
for
ieraere tohrasv, et
hcoo
the
it
which, 876 policies, have been issued,
243,968/. ; of
assuring 195,759/ the' preininthe thereon 5,9]181,
90ti,i14,44:px0,