The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-19 00:00:00

DIRECTORS.

John Downes, Esq. (Messrs. Downes and Scott), Upper
Thames-streat, Director of the National Provincial
Marine Insurance Company.
George Haines, Esq., Merchant, 36, Lombard-street.
John Inc,,ledew, Esq., Cambridge House, Lee Park, Kent.
William Knight, E q. (Messrs. William Knight and Co.),
83, Lombard-street.
Henry Ledga-d, Esq , Forest-hill, Kent.
George S. Symons, Esq. (Messrs, G. S. Symons and Co.),
20 and 21, St. Dunstan's hill.
John E. Tibos, Esq. (Messrs. J. E. Tibbs and Son),
Threadneedle—streia, Director of the Staffordshire Roll-

7 -
ing Stock Company.
James Lunhani, Esq. (Messrs. James Lunham and Co.),
251, High-street, Borough.
Jaboz Voss, Esq, ().I.essrs. Yeas, Meek, and Co.), Eater-
square.
Walter Brodie, Esq., 13. Delamere terrace,. Hyde-park,
late Member of the souse of Representatives, New
Zealand.
(Influential names in Manc..
tester and Liverpool will be
immediately added t,a the Direction.)
BANKERS—The Metropolitan aid Provincial Bank, 79,
Cornhill, E.C•
SOLICITORS—Messrs. Bennett and Stark, 4, Furnival's
Inn, Holborn.
Qld Broad-street,
BROKERS—Messrs. Scrutton and Son, 81,
AUDITORS—Messrs. Cash and Edwards', Public
Accountants, 13, Tokenhouse-yard, B. C.
GENERAL AND RESIDENT MANAGER—Mr. Robert Steers,
SECRETARY—Mr. George Drew Hodges.
TEMPORARY OFFICES-48, Lombard .street.
This Company has for its purpose the transaction of the
importam:- and remunerative business of Fire Insurance,
and that ory, to the exclusion of other branches of busi•
ness not unusually associated with it, under the same direc-
tion, and operating on one and the same capital. The
Directors are satisfied that the scope for the business of fire
insurance presented by this country and its dependencies,
is, as a commercial specu2ation, deserving of paramount
attention ; and, the contract being one terminable annually,
the profits or loss arising determine in like manner, year by
year, and exhibit at once a c0..-aPanY's financial position
and its resources.
While the partial remission of ti's fire insurance duty
now in the contemplation of Gevernuaent, and applicable
only to the insurance of stock-in-trade, will afford a com-
paratively limited relief from the onereua oppression, the
Directors have resolved to allow upon payment for every
policy, and afterwards at each renewal, an immediate dr aw.•
back, which, in many instances, will amount to a total ex .
tinction of the entire duty of three shillings per cent.
To the public at large, and to the greater proportion of the
manufacturing and mercantile community, this arrange-
ment will prove a highly acceptable advantage. The draw-
back allowed by a few of the older offices by way of per
tentage on premiums, at intervals of years, is of im-
portance only to those who are rated at premiums ranging
chiefly from one guinea per cent, upwards, and is partici-
pated in only by those who may have premiums to be re-
newed at the period of the making of these returns ; whereas
by the principle adopted by this Company, the owners of
the classes of risk of the more ordinary occurrence, are
they who will be the more substantially and at the same
time promptly beneficed.
The concession to be thus made to the public will eerie
tainly be the means not only of increasing in their respec-
tive amounts insurances now existing, but of multiplying
to a very large extent the number of insurance contracts in
this country and its colonial connections.
The insurable property in this kingdom alone, including
its enormous and increasing importations arising from the
wise interchange of tariffs, is believed to approximate to
£5,000,000,000, whereas £1,300,000,000 only is insured ;
thus leaving nearly three-fourths of the insurable amount
altogether unprotected from loss.
It would be difficult to find any class of investments which
has yielded such large profits as the shares of well-con-
ducted fire offices. The shares of the older offices have in-
creased in value immensely, being, in one case, at a pre-
mium of about 1,300, and in another of nearly 2,000 per
cent, on the sums originally paid up. The increased value
of the shares of offices established within the last 20 years
stands at from 80 to 200 per cent.
It is under these circumstances, and considering the im-
mense field presented for operations to come, that the direc-
tors have taken advantage of so favourable an opportunity
to offer to the public the benefits of the principle of business
now adopted by them ; and they have every reason to
believe that by its special feature and the public support
which that must necessarily invite the undertaking will
speedily be productive of the best monetary results.
The executive will be entrusted to officers of tried experi-
ence in the business of fire insurance, andthe directors have
already matured arrangements for the immediate establish-
ment of five hundred agencies.
The directors desire to give the most unqualified assur-
ance to the public that nothing of the nature of frivolous
objections to prompt and liberal settlement of claims for
compensation will ever be entertained or countenanced by
them.

Forms cf application for shares may be had at the offices
of the Company, or of the Brokers, Bankers, or Solicitors.
In the event of no allotment being made, the deposit will
be returned in full,

FORNI OF APPLICATION FOR SHARES.

To the Directors of the Independent Fire Insurance

Company, Limited.

Gentlemen,—Having paid to your the sum of
, being a deposit of X! I er share on shares in
the above Company, I hereby request that you will allot me
that number; and I agree (according to the form prescribed
by the Articles of Association) to accept such shares, or any
less number you may allot me, to pay £1 ifs. per share on
allotment, and to execute the Articles of Association when
required ; an I I request that my name may be placed on the
Register of shareholder for the shares so allotted.

Name in full
Residence
Profession or business
Date