The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-18 00:00:00

BOROUGH HOP.

For hops of last year's growth there is a steady demand,
and previous quotations are well supported. Yearlings
and olds are, however, a dull inquiry, yet no material
change has taken place in their value since we last wrote.

Mid and East Kents £5 Os to £9 10s per owl
Weald of Kents 5 Os to 7 78 ~
Sussex 4 15s to 6 153 „
Yearlings 4Osto 6 Os „
Bavarian 5 53 to 8 8s „
Belgian
American

BRITON LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY,

ANNUAL MEETING.
The ordinary annual meeting of the policy and share•
holders in this society was held yesterday, at the society's
house, 429, Strand. Francis Webb, Esq., in the absence of
Dr. Barlow, the chairman of the board, presided.
The Secretary read the following report of the directors
for the past year :-
The directors of the Briton Medical and General Life
Association have the pleasure again to meet the proprietors
and members, and to submit to them a report of the trans-
actions of the association for the past 3 ear.
The proposals f r new assurances have been 3,147 in
number, for assuring £746,425: of these 181 for assuring
£50,320 have been declined.
412 for assuring £116,050 have not been carried into
effect.
279 for assuring £60,550 were in various stages of pro-
gress at the conclusion of the year.
The remainder have beon complete', and 2,328 policies
issued assuring £567,453, and producing a uew income of
£18,372 2e.
Six annuities have been granted, for which the associa-
tion has received the sum of £1,123 16s.
The following table exhibits the gratifying progress of
the ass-ciation for the past six years : -
Year. No. of Amount No. of Amount New
' proposals. pro, osed. policies. assured. premiums.
1858 1,971 £ )95,815 ,312 1.1462,81; £8,324 14 8
1859 2,370 430,265 1,751 314,240 9,751 16 7
1810 2,405 466 784 1,805 316,161 10,023 12 6
1851 2,5!2 482,950 1,839 319,9.)0 10,081 11 3
1862 2,810 653,233 2,0 ;3 450, 10 15, 75 13 6
1063 3,147 746,423 2,328 567,453 18,372 2 0
From the above returns it will bo seen the office has
maintained a continuous rate of progress, each year's re-
sults showing a marked improvement over those of the pre-
ceding one. The increase in the new premiums of the year
1863 over those of 1862 exceeds 20 per cent, and to look still
further back in the history of the Association, the new
business of the last year is more than doable that of 1858,
and nearly six times that of 1856.
'I he receipts for the past year from all sources have been
£113,681 12s 95. Atter the payment of claims, surrenders,
annuities,re-assurances, dividends, and all other out-goings,
there remains the satisfactory balance in favour of the
association on the year's transactions of £45,100 is 6d,
which has been duly carried to the reserve fund.
The assets of the association now amount to £216,312
7s 115.
The accounts from which these statements aro deduced
have been carefully audited by the appointed auditors, who
have reported to the directors as fellows :-
TO THE DIRECTORS OF THE BRITON MEDICAL AND

GENERAL LIFE ASSOCIATION.
Gentlemen,—We have 'carefully investigated the ac-
counts, books, and veuchers, from which the balance sheet
is made, and beg to report the same correct.
We have slso inspected the vat ions securities comprised
in the assets of tile association. It is gratifying that, not-
withstanding the magnitude of the transactions, we are
able to repeat our testimony as to the care and accuracy
with which the various books are kept, —We are, gentlemen,
your obedient servants,
HENRY ALGOCK, WILLIAM BROOKS } Auditors.
JOHN BROWN, C. It. itOWLAND,
During the year Mr. Arthur Scratchley, M.A., the con-
sulting actuary of the association, has made a valua ion of
its assets and liabilities with a view to the declaration of a
bonus. Mr. Scratctley's investigation has been of the most
complete and searching character. From his report the
directors are p eased to find that after providing for every
known liability up to the termination of the year 1862, and
setting aside an. ample reserve for all future contingencies,
there remains an available balance of profit of L 20,607 14a 2d.
This sum the directors will at once proceed to distribute
amongst the policyholders and shareholders in accordance
with the terms of the deed of settlement of the association,
viz., four-fifths to the policy holders and one-fifth to the
shareholders.

The amount to be awarded each member will be commu-
nicated with all possible despatch, and those who avail
themselves of the special method of bonus appropriation in-
troduced by the association, if thy have not yet partici-
pated in a profit distribution, will have a specific time
named for the payment of their policies during lifetime.
Those members who participated in the last division of
profits will have another and an earlier period named for
the payment of their policies, as will be fully explained in
the bonus circular.
The bonus now declared will be equal to a reversionary
bonus of 40 per cant. on the premiums paid in the last three

years.
The proprietors share of the bonus now allotted will be
be carried to the credit and in augmentation of the capital
firid, and will be equal to about 25 per cent. on the amount
paid up. The directors recommend that a dividend at the
rate of b per cent, par annum on the increased capital be
declared, which will be equivalent to a 53. per cent. on
the amount of the original capital of the association.
Three of the directors of the association, Va., Br. Samuel
Richards, Mr. William Hamilton, and Mr. William Man-
ton, in accordance with the deed of settlement, retire by
rotation, but, being eligible, offer themselves for re-
election.

In concluding their report the directors feel justified in
expressing their conviction that the shareholders and mem-
bers will unite with them in the feelines of satisfaction with
which they regard the present position of the association.
The directors, however, strongly urge upon them that thy
should also undo in still further strengthening and improv-
ing that position. The excellent features and increasing
popularity of the association as shown by its new policies,
its large income and rosources as seen fr©m the accounts,

its secure and sound position as testified by the consulting
actuary's report, are all grounds on which its friends may
fairly recommend it to th 3 notice of intending assurers, and
the directors earnestly solicit the co-operation of all interested

in the continued success of the association, in the prenau'
gation of its special objects, and the advancement of those
principles of prudence and equity for the development of
which the association was established.
The CHAIRMAN said, after the very satisfactory report
that had just been read to them, he felt he need not
occupy the time of the meeting but a very short
time, It' must be highly gratifying and encourag-
ing to find they were still in the ascending scale
of new business, and next year he felt certain he should
have the same pleasurable result to communicate to them.
Atter all deductions of every description from the receipts,
they were enabled to carry over to the reserve fund
£45,000. (Rear, hear) It was looked upon as
au indisputable proof of soundness in my office
if they carried over a third of its receipts, but
they of the Briton did more than this. (Hear, hear.)
The auditors had minutely examined the whole of their
securities, &e., and it was highly satisfactory to know that
th*y were perfectly satisfied as to the firm and solid
position of their affairs. (Hear, hear.) They had all
heard of the Government Annuities Bill, and he
would only just allude to it by saying that he thought
it, was for the pupose of doing more than was really repre-
sented. He thought it twas getting in the thin end of the
wedge to enable the Government to take up life assurance
for larger sums than £10). With respect to the assurance
' of the working classes he felt certain that no office would,
or did, more to promote so desirable an object as the Briton.
(Rear, hear.) He had much pleasure in moving the formal
resolution for the adoption of the report.
Dr. TYLER SMITH seconded the motion, and congratu-
lated the meeting en the position of the office, whicu, he
said, must be a source of pleasure to every one present.
The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, when it was
carried unanimously.
Dr. LANQASTER moved the re-election of the retiring
directors. They had served the society well, and that he
telt there would be no objection, to his proposition. (Hear.)
With respect to the Government Annuities Bill he did not
look upon It with any alarm, because he knew that a volun-
tary association of talented working men would beat the
Government hollow. (Hear, hear and laughter.) Look at
her shipbuilding—(hear, hear.)—in proof of what he said.
They built at an enormous expense, and after all
they were not what they ought to be. (Hear, hear,)
He felt the Chancellor's bill would prove a great boon to
the working classes, and he hoped it would receive the
assent of Parliament.
The motion was seconded by Mr. JOILN KING, and
carried unanimously.
Dr. RICHARDS, on the part of his re-elected colleagues,
returned thanks.
Resolutions re-electing the auditors were also carried, as
was also one for the payment of the dividend mentioned in

the report.
A congratulatory vote of thanks was also accorded to,
and gracefully acknowledged by, A. Scramley, Esq., the
eminent actuary, for the c Ire he had bestowed upon the
valuation he had just made:of the affairs of the society.
The CHAIRMAN moved, and Professor PARTRIDSE
seconded, to vote of thanks to Mr. Messent, their actuary
and secretary.
Mr, MESSENT, in returning thanks, said he felt exceed-
ingly gratified at the manner in which the vote had been
awarded him. It was but justice that he should state that
he was greatly indebted to the exertions of his staff. All
were animated with but ono desire, viz., the prosperity of
the office. (Hear, hear.)
The proceedings then terminated.

THE FUTURE EMPEROR and EMPRESS of MEXICO
are said to have won all he,rts during their stay in
Paris, by the interest they displayed in visiting all the
objects worthy of note in the capital, and by their simple
and unaffected manners. They were on more than one
occasion to bo seen, walking arm in arm, and makiug pur-
chases, as private individuals, at one or two of th•l best
shops of the town, and the last act of the Princess was to
pay a visit to Disderi, photographer, of the Boulevard des
Itatiens, to whom she sat for her portrait. Two steam•
frigates of the French navy, the Theorise and the ll:opera-
trice Eugenie, are to form an escort of honour to the
Austrian frigate Novara, which is to convey the illustrious
couple from Trieste to their new dominions in Mexico.
THE IMPERIAL rItINCE, Napoleon W. that " is
to be" (let us hope many years hence I) has just attained
his eighth year, and it is s kid will shortly have—in addition
to professors and tutors of all kinds—.lides-de-eautp,
equerzies, orderly officers; secretaries, and librarians.