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

10-t

No. 19,476•

LONDON, THURSDAY E'VE, MARCH 1, k 865.

PUBLICATIONS.

MR. LAYARD AND HIS CONSTITU.EIVTS.

Yesterday a numerous meeting of the electors of Ayles-
bury assembled in the County-hall of that borough in pur-
suance of a placard announcing that Mr. Layard. " desired
to explain his-views and express his opinions, upon the
state of public affairs at this important crisis." At half-
past 3 o'clock. Mr. Layard entered the hall, accompanied
by Mr. Acton Tindal, the Rev. E. Owen, jun., M.A., Cap-
tain Smith, R.N., Capt. • Atkinson, Rev. G. Philliniero,
&c. Mr. Acton Tindal was voted into the chair.

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therefore, to bo recalled. (Hear.) PeOple were 'afraid to
mention the name ,of Lord Raglan. He Was an amiable
gentleman and kindhearted than; but he could not say he
had the Same respect for Lord Raglan as a general; It was
sufficient to say that Lord Raglan was about 70 years of age.
For a man of that age—who bad not seen active service for
:30 years, and who, he believed, had not in the Peninsula
eo:nmainied even', regiment', he-having acted as military
-secretaryrto.tho Dukeof Wellingtonl—it was impossible to
command ar, army du -the liZl,l. It amounted to a crime,
hid:a(i, to intrust to him the lives of thousands of his fel-
hlo-,curreauresHe'leeis)---andif a man were afraid to come
forward and speak the truth on this subject, in the
honour, interests, and 1.1,..) dignitY of the country were
at stake, he wp.s uoworthy esitiog himself a public man.
(Cli-eers.) Flo exposed to odium for saying these
tt:iaos; but what cared he, ].. he were doing an ,ct-of duty?
(ttf.Cajoetilsb'aceihlritisau;t
is silaw(citeareeßl
lava, :end,d of the Englishmen who
courtesies with the
dccis:on and fialt.
;ITinekase:r
and d
dnv was not
those
of
ft
some c;oz m families in London. (Cheers.) The first quiili-
twogreat (in dities ird Raglan was eminently deficient.
He had a great many other good qualities ; but, as a general
lord Raglan neither lospiracl confidence in others nor ap-
peared to feel latch confidence in hithself. - As long as the
Govern meat avoided grappling ivitlisuch difficulties as these
they were no long, r entitled to the confidence of the public.
He doubted whether the inquiry by the committee of the
House of ,Pommons could, -without great prudence on the
part of its members, proceed to the full extent without
danger to the interests of the country, or without causing
great misfortunes. Lord Palmerston might have prevented
the appointment of that committee if he had chosen for
the members 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. (Hear.) If we were about to patch up a dis-
honourable peace it would not be lasting, and before many
years we shouhlhave a terrible war, and be in a positioir
less favourable to meet it. He scouted the idea of the.,
" four points" being-suftleient:' We're We not to ask for oaf
indemnity to the Turks, but allow them to be the victims
of an unprincipled aggression?. Men were wanted at the
head of affairs who were the types- of the day and of the
spirit of the age, and if a Minister had the courage to se-
lect such men he need not fear family interest or party
intrigue. He would be supported 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 dbmand that the great interests of a great country
should not be sacrificed 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 Mr. 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. FABLEY moved that a petition be presented
to Parliament, -signed by the chairman on behalf of the
meeting, in accordance with the preceding resolution.
Mr. It. DICKENS seconded the motion, which was car-
ried.
The proceedings concluded by a vote of thanks to the
chairman.

BRITISH 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 enforcement of the
duty of mankind o 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 en the most

advantageous terms; in the next place, they must present
facilitios for the attainment of life assurance, it must be

4!

-~~~~ GG

r PRIG% SD.

gress, or declined, for 48,2091. The claims from death
during the year have been 49, amounting to 10,5591.25. 4d.
From the commencement of the company to the 31st of
December, 18'4, the life policies issued have been 6,407,
assuring 1232,654/. ; and the number now in force is 5,069,
assuring - 988,053. The present -annual income is
36 568/. 18s. ld.

The period having arrived for the second division of pro-
fits. pursuant to the deed of settlement, the .whole of the
policies have been valued, and the financial position of the
company invoeigated. Isieis-on,_whoee report.to the
dire,,to,s stated that--" Tho most .povesre- and stringent
tests have been applied to the determinirtion of the rssults.
The rate of interest assumed in the caleu:ations Iti:inp; three'
per cent., and .the net preediurn3 duly for the risks -In,:dirg`
taken into account, no portion. of the-surplus or margin on
future premiums havin,gsbeen anticipated. A strict exa-
mination of the ptiAciples employed in -this investigation
into•tbb nature and etteht ¢f the assets 44' liabilities of
the company will show that, irrespective of the reserve
fund, Which-must accumulate under the terms and
ditions -of the deed of settlement, ample provisionlas 'seen
made to meet every. liability Of 'the Company, both mime-'
diatli and, contingent. Of the realised profits during :the
t tree year a-which have elapsed since the first division, .
them is a dispo.'able bale me-of 20,0001. ; and after deduct-
ing 10 per cent. for the purposes of the reserve fund, there
remains 18,0001. to appropriate all bbnua to-the participat-
ing members, which will be found to be in the ratio of
about 27A per cent. to the amount of premiums paid by
them." -

Upon the motion of Mr. HUGH QwEN, seconded by Mr.
JOHN LIGGINS, the report was unanimously adopted.
Mr.- Ilizsinr DUNN (chairmen of the Wakefield local
board) expressed the gratification with which he had wit-
nessed the rapidly extending business of the association,
particularly in tho West Riding, which he said amounted
to one-eighth of the whole business transacted, and pro-
posed a resolution to the effect that the profits of the last
three years, up to the 3101 of December, 114.54, amounting
to 20,0001.3.4.0u41 be dgelared divisible,...accarding to the
Ti;iint of tile deed of settlement, which having been
seconded by Mr. JAMES BLACKETT, was unanimously
adopted.
The retiring directors—viz., Messrs. Francis Cuthbert-
son, Gardiner, and John Gover (the chairman) were then
re-elected; after which Mr. Runtz and Mr. Daniel Pratt
severally addressed the meeting as candidates for the direc-
tion, in the room of Mr. William Gover, resigned.
Upon a show of hands, Mr. Pratt was elected by an over-
whelming majority.
Mr. Porter was re-elected one of the auditors.
Mr. RoB soN then proposed a cordial vote of thanks to
the chairman and the other directors for their able and
energetic management -of the affairs of the association,
which was seconded by Mr. JOSEPH BURGESS, and carried
by acclamation, which terminated the proceedings.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

The following -letter has been received from an offi-
cer an board the Indiana by a correspondent at South-
ampton :

" Steam-transport Indiana, ° Bourghas in the
Black Sea, south of Varna, Feb. 6.
"We are here taking in Turkish provisions, prepara-
tory to our third trip from Varna for Eupatoria with por-
tions of Omer Pasha's army. The actual number which
had arrived there up to the 4th inst., was 23,000, and there
temain 13,000 yet to be embarked from Varna and Baljek.
No language can adequately express the ragged and filthy
state either of the Turkish soldiers or the towns we have

visited. The men with military baggage have more the ap-
pearance of hordes of gipsies than soldiers; in fact, the Eng-
lish gipsies are far better fed, dressed, and lodged. I am
happy to say that, since we left England, we have had no bail
weather. We are all well, not a case of sickness on board.

The Europa has 42 cases of fever, the Thames 15, and her
Majesty's ship Curacoa 36 (smallpox). All these must have
arisen from bad ventilation. The greatest number of Turks
we have carried at one time is 1,380; but if it were summer,
we could carry nearly double the number. Of the circum-
stances of the war or the policy of the generals we gather
but little, but we seldom regard anything as fact until we
see it in the newspapers. I have heard that the Turkish