The Sun.
London, England, 1837-12-20 00:00:00

NATIONAL LOAN FUND.

(From the Maidstone Gazette.)
What can be done " by littles I"
" Many a meikle makes a muckle."—Scotch Proverb.
The human mind seems equal to any emergency in which
the human animal can be placed. Man in sickness is as help-
less, physically speaking, as any other animal ; and quite as
little able to escape death—the inevitable lot of all ; but the
exercise of his reasoning faculty enables him wisely to anti-
cipate sickness, so as to alleviate its evils, and to make ar-
rangements, which deprive death of half its terrors, and em-
power him to exercise a beneficial influence, beyond the
• grave, upon the destinies of those who form a good half of
himself—namely, his family, his relations, his friends, and his
neighbours.
We believe the amount of human happiness secured by sick
clubs, benefit societies, loan societies, savings' banks, and fire
and life insurances, to be incalculable ; each and all of which
have proved to demonstration the important axiom in poli-
tical economy, that the value of every man's exertions rises in
a proportionate ratio with the number of men with whom he
acts in concert. But in this age of railroads and " high
pressure" improvement, when every source of human happi-
ness, moral, physical, social, and political, has been explored
by the most gifted of our species, it was not to be expected
that the principles upon which these important institutions
have been founded should remain uninvestigated. The im-
provements to which these investigations have led, are, in
their anticipated consequences, perhaps second to none of
the age.
Our readers are aware that the calculations of these so-
cieties were found upon inquiries into the average pressure of
mortality at different ages,—or, in other words, on the average
number of persons who died at given ages, out of a certain
number. At first, men groped their way in the dart: ; the
registers, upon which these calculations were mule, being ex-
tremely imperfect, and all persons connected with insurance
offices grew rich, as they supp-ised, because they were lucky,
—when, in fact, luck had as little to do with it as with the
motions of the planets ; these enormous profits being taken
out of the pockets of the assured upon fallacious calculations
on the frequency of deaths. This has been proved to be the
case by more recent and extensive inquiries, which (added
to the benefit of experience, and) having been applied to a
larger number of persons, have furnished data upon which the
avi rage of mortllity, at given ages, can be estimated with
nearly as much certainty as the recurrence of an eclipse.
These remarks have been suggested by the establishment in
Maidstone of a branch of the National Loan Fund Insurance
Society, which appears to combine so many advantages, as to
entitle it to be classed with the first-rate improvements of mo-
dern times; and of chick a very lucid explanation, by Mr.
Limie Murray, will be found in the Report of a public meet-
Lig in another column.
This institution seems to be as great an improvement uron
those most important projects, benefit soch ties. savings'
banks, and life insurances, as they were upon the dark ages of
irnsery and improvidence which they succeeded. The ho-
nest and provident mar., who contributes to a benefit society,
pays seccnpence half-penny per a eel: to secure himself a weekly
alowanee in sickness, and a superannuation allowance of
about 16/. a-year after 65 years of age; but is subject to the
severest systeal ul espionage when sick, and if 'detected at
work is struck olf the allowance list ! and perpetual efforts
are made by many of the metropolitan societies to get rid of
superionuated members who hive subscribed all their lives, on
(lt.t assumed breach of the regu'ations. It has been ascer-
tairied that the average amount of sickness, between the ages
of 20 and 70, is only one year and ton months, or about 10
days in each year; and also that the sevenpence halfpenny
per week will secure an annuity at 63, from the National
Loan Fund, of no less than 130/ per year ! allowing him,
alter five years, to pro‘ide for sickness, or any ether contin-
gency, without disagreeable and vrying visits—by borrowing
from the fund to the amount of two-thirds et' the money he has
deposited ;—this loan to be deducted (tf not repaid) from
his annuity when he b,:teerric a entitled to it. in most annuity
societies, when the man dies before the age at which his an-
iwiry commences, all the money he has paid in is absolutely
legit. In this Society, however, if he should die before 65,
two-thirds of the amount which he has proid in will be returned
to his family.
'rue same return oc two-tl-irs of his payments after five
years will be male in :he can; of his not being aisle to con-
tinuo his payments for a life assurance. But what is lire
assurance ? we liar will ask mane of our humbler readers ; fur
t t the working classes the Len,lit-s of this vain ble and hu-
manising system arc unknown. ‘• Life assurance" is when a man
Ludo: t ikes to pay a cc: tain seem ;.!'r ;car to an assurance office,
to secure a certain payins-n*. at his dead: -For instance, if a
man aged 20 pays 1/. 13s. 7d. per year for every year that he
1-.:s family or legatee will be entitled to 1001. from the
society at his dratli. Fe-v l,ereor.s inswe their lives who have
not certain incomes ; for if ihey miss one pay rn-nt after sub-
oserii,;ng, it may be, fifty ears, they lose ad claim upon the
Insuraoce-offiee. Io the loan fend, however, as above stated,
two-thirds of the &posits aie returned at death—even i the
payments are not continuous, or a man ut ty borrow enough
to keep up his payments. person never pays in as much as
he is entitled to at his death, and it is the accumulating inte-
rest which makes up the daoinney. If he commenc an in-
surance of 500/ at 20, at ills longest expectation of life he
will only bare paid in 2001. he payments may be made
monthly if ths'red, and he tnay at any time convert his policy
into an immediate pay rient of its p..esent value ; into en an-
Laity of equivalent %able, or into a security for tic rasing of
capital, to the amount of two thirds of the money pail ; thus
combining all the advantages of a savings' bank, a sick club:
a benefit society and a life asstranT, and placing these ad.
vantages within the reach of all classes.
We think our readers will agree with us that this is one of
the most valuable projects of the day.

GERRARD'S HALL, BASING-LANE.

Nearly 300 gentlemen dined together last evening, at Ger-
rard's Hall, Basing-lane, Cheapside, to commemorate the
opening of a new and splendid Room, which has just been
added to that establishment.
Alderman LaissoN presided, in the absence of Alderman
Humphery, whose Parliamentary duties unexpectedly de-
tained him, and who transmitted a letter of apology. Similar
letters were also received from Alderman Sir M. Wood, Mr.
M. P., and Mr. Aglicnby, M. P.
The duties of Croupier were ably performed by Mr. J.
Lawrence ; and the dinr.er and wines were each in their way
characterized by that excellence which has obtained for the
spirited proprietor such extensive patronage from his fellow-
citizens.

Non nobis Domino," having been given in capital style,
and the cloth being withdrawn,
The CIIAIRMAN said he knew the loyalty of those around
him too well to deem it necessary to say ono word in prefixing
the first toast—

" The Health of our young and excellent Queen."
Three times three. Air—" God gave the Queen."

Wben silence had been obtained, the Chairman proceeded
to say—The next toast, he was sure, would find a ready re-
sponse in the breasts of all present. It was the health of a
Lady who had long filled the most dignified situation in this
country, and who had succeeded in gaining the esteem of all
ranks by her many estimable qualities. Without further pre-
face, he would give them
" The Health of the Queen Dowager."
Air—" Health to Queen Adelaide."
" The Duke of Sussex and the rest of the Royal Family"_
Shouts of " in England" burst from every lip, and with this
emenlation it was received with all the usual honours.
The next toast, said the Cu AIRMAN, which I have to pro-
pose, is one on which some of us may differ in opinion ; but as
this is a convivial meeting, we should endeavour, in as much
as possible, to eschew politics and other matters which might
by possibility mar the sociality of the festive board. I shall
therefore, as briefly as possible, give you
" Her Majesty's Ministers."

_
The cheers -which followed the announcement of this toast
were loud and Jong.continued. As soon as silence could be
obtained, the Chairman gave—
" The Army and Navy."
." Oh, merrily we live that soldiers be."

Air-'

" The Lord Mayor and prosperity to the City of London."
Air—" The laes of the village."
Mr. J. SHUTTLEWORTII begged leave to propose the health
of a gentleman to whom they owed much of the pleasure and
conviviality of the evening. He should not in this room at-
tempt to do justice to his character; his untiring zeal for the
good of the Ward and the citizens generally, were too well
known to require any eulogium of his; he should therefore at
once give " The health of our worthy Chairman, Mr. Alder-
man Lainson."

The CHAIRMAN at considerable length returned thanks.
He regretted the absence of two of his brother Magistrates,
and said that the duties of his office were neither few nor
easy, but while he was cheered on in his endeavours by the
approbation of his fellow-citizens, he was amply repaid for his
toil and exertions ; and he trusted no man ever should say of
him, " There's a man that neglects his duty."
Several other toasts and speeches followed. Mr. Alderman
Lainson, followed by some of his friends, left the room about
eleven o'clock, but the greater part remained till a late hour,
mutually delighted with their host and with each other.