The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-13 00:00:00

NATIONAL LOAN FUND.

(From the Scottish Pilot of Wednesday last.)
We lately called the attention of our readers to the
National Security Savings' Bank, and expressed our
satisfaction that the benefits they offer appeared to be
so extensively taken advantage of by the class of per-
sons whose interests they are especially designed to pro-
mote. From the amount of business which seems to be
flowing into them, we are encouraged to hope that per-
sons in that rank of life to which the depositors be-
long, will be induced to turn their attention also to the
subject of life assurance, the benefits of which have
hitherto been. chiefly confined to persons holding a
higher position in society. We were glad to see a
plain and satisfactory exposition of the principles and
advantages of life assurances in a late number of Cham-
bers' Journal, from which, considering the extensive
circulation of that periodical among the middle and
working classes, we anticipate much benefit. We most
cordially join in the appeal which the writer makes
to the religious principle and good feelings of heads
of families and persons having others dependent upon
them. When we consider the sure footing on which
life assurance now stands, we cannot but look
upon all such persons, if they are without capital,
and draw their income in the shape of wages or
salary, or from any source dependent on the contineanco
of their own lives, and are able to spare any portion
of it, however small, as a premium for a policy of life
assurance—we look upon all such persons as guilty of a
criminal breach of duty if they neglect to take advan-
tage of the provisions of these institutions, for the
purpose of securing their families from the want and
wretchedness that would otherwise ensue upon the
contingency of their death. The bearing of the
principles of life assurance having been now tho-
roughly investigated, and their certainty established,
it has become possible to extend the benefits of as-
surance societies to the persons insured in a greater
variety of forms than was at first contemplated. We
do not presume to arbitrate between the various in-
stitutions of this sort laying claim to public patronage
—all, perhaps, have their peculiar advantages ; but
the society called the National Loan Fund, respect-
ing which an advertisement appears in our paper to-day,
while it holds out the usual benefits of such institu-

tions, seems to present some novel features worthy
of the especial attention of the industrious classes.
From the rules of the institution, insurance in it may
be made the means of present advantage to the is-
surer as well as a security to his family ; and it seems,
in fact, to combine, to a considerable extent, the ac-
commodations of a savings' bank and benefit society
with those of an assurance office. Should the assured
stand in present need of money, he may, at any time,
borrow from the fund, on the security of his policy,
a sum equal to two thirds of all the payments he has
made ;and provided he be punctual in paying the
interest, may continue to use this money for a longer
or shorter period as may suit his convenience. If
from carelessness or inability an assurer should fail in
the payment of his annual premium, his policy is not
entirely forfeited, but an allowance is made for it, to
himself or his representatives, to the extent of two-
thirds of all the payments made after the first five
years. There are other peculiarities worthy of atten-
tion. For example, when a policy becomes a claim in
favour of a widow and young children, a special bonus
is given ; and in the case of policies on the lives of per-
sons who come to die by their own hands or by the hands
of justice, the benefit to relations is not necessarily lost,
but provision is made, under certain restrictions de-
manded by the moral interests of society, for acting on
principles of liberality and benevolence. We recom-
mend the rules of the Society to the consideration of our
readers.

On Wednesday thethermeMetcr,in the shade,
rose to 48, and in the evening of the same day sank to 34
—a
Tdhitreer
Marquisence iin a few
of hoursn
e aodf
flo4rtdeigs torees. be the new
Knight of the Order of St. Patrick.
SUDDEN
INCREASE OF LIVE STOCK.---A lucky
farmer, residing in the neighbourhood of Maiden Bradley,
had a cow which brought forth two calves, a ewe which
had two lambs, and his wife who presented sented him with two
children, all on the same day.— Independent.
WOOL MARKET, THURSDAY, APRIL 4.
Although conflicting opinions exist as to the amount of
n
business done during the past week, there is o doubt
prices remain quite firm, and unless purchases can be made
more freely of the growers, stocks will soon become verye
light, with the present consumption. —BradfordObserver
YARN MARKET.—There appears a little more
caution manifested by purchasers, and perhaps not quite so
much business done, but prices continue firm.—Bradford
Observer.
ANDES.—Lake Titicaca, six times the size of
that of Geneva, and elevated 12,000 feet above the sea,
untraversed by anything but the native rush-boat, has now
a schooner of 70 tons, carried piecemeal over the Andes,
and put together by an Englishman.
RADICAL ,SERMONS.—On Sunday last, two
sermons were preached in the school at Clayton Green
Bottom : in the afternoon by Mr. Arran, and in the even-
ing by Mr. William Thornton, both of Bradford, when
collections were made after each sermon towards the ex-
penses of the Rev. J. R. Stephens' trial.—Bradford Ob-

server.
On April 9, at two o'clock, a fire broke out in
our House of Correction, by which one half of the build-
ing is reduced to ashes. Unhappily several persons pe-
rished in the flames.—Hamburgh Paper.
A treaty of Navigation, on a footing of complete
reciprocity, has just been concluded between the Austrian
Government and the three Hanse Towns.
The Magistrates at the County Session on Tues-
day, agreed to resolutions in favour of the establishment
of a rural police.—Chelmsford Chronicle.