The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-16 00:00:00

JUNE in, 1849.

Th© second of these gentlemen had coarpeted with the
first for the medal of his lt,iyal Highness; but as hi 3
process had not been put in practice, it had been awarded
to Mr. Leon.

Earl Grey reccived the medal intended for Dr.
Mitchell, and took the opportunity of expressing his
sense of the importance of the subject upon which these
essays had been written. He should have great plea-
sure in trausmittiog the natdal to Lord Harris, the Go-
vernor of Trinidad, who wculd deliver it to Dr. Mitchell.
The Noble Earl also took charge, for a similar purpose,
of two other medals, the competitors for which were also
colonists.

Ia the Section of Fine Arts and llanufActures those
priz3s which are more worthy of notice are the fol-
lowing:—

To fir. VT. B. Simpson, for his paper decorations and
efforts to promote the improvement of designs in paper-
hangings...

The gold Isis medal to Mr. J. A. Hatfield, for the im-
proved character of his bronzes, especially the " Dying
Gladiator."

The gold Isis medal to the Coalbrookdale Iron Com-
pany, for the superiority of their iron castings.
The gold Isis modal to Mr. J. F. Christy, for his spe-
cimen of printing on glass with enamelled colours.
The large silver medal to Messrs. Garrard, for their
group in Florentine bronze of St. George and the
Dragon.
_ .

The honorary testimonial to Messrs. Warner and
Sons, for their improved designs in tea-urns.
The honorary testimonial to Messrs. Watson and Bell,
for their specimens of carpets.
To Miss Stanley, for her exertions in establishing
schools for instructing the children of the poor in the
manufacture of lace in Norwich, the honorary testimo-
nial and five pounds, with a request that she wilt distri-
bute the five pounds among the children of her school.
The Bishop of Norwich received the testimonial and
draft on behalf of his daughter and in returning thanks
for the honour conferred upon her by the society, said
he should not have ventured to interrupt the business of
the day by any observations of his own, had it not been
that out of a long list of rewards, this was the only one
which was in any degree related to the moral machinery
of the poorer classes. If his daughter had derived any
pleasure from the work of benevolence in which she had
bee❑ engaged, it was more than equalled, no doubt, by
the poor objects of her instruction, who, by being thus
taught a trade, were rescued from the temptations inci-
dental to their situation in life, and put in a fair way of
achieving for themselves, if not an elevated place in
society, at least a comfortable and honest one.
IN THE SECTION' OF CIIE➢IISTRY.—TO Mr. R. Smith,
for his method of printing and lustering on china and
earthenware by means of electricity, the large silver
medal. To Dr. E. Doeckman, for his specimen of
scarlet on china, the large silver medal. To Dr. Fowlis,
for his tangible ink for the blind, the large silver medal.
IN THE SECTIONS OF MECHANICS.—To Messrs. H.
and E. Highton, for several important improvements and
new principles introduced by them in the construction
of electric telegraphs, the large gold medal. To Mr. N.
J. Holmes, for his diamond needle, and coil, and light-
ning conductor electric telegraphs, the largo gold medal.
To Mr. Arthur Dunn, for his means of indicating the
temperature of the steam and also the boilers of steam-
engines, the large silver medal. To Mr. Charles Dawson,
for his improvements and addition to the key-board of
pianos, the large silver medal. To Mr. Haigh, for his
water-meter, the large silver medal. To Messrs. Ter-
raff,3 and Willett, for their method of slating roofs, the
large silver medal. To Mr. P. Watt, fur his method of
keeping two forming surfaces moving at required rates
by means of racks and pinions, the silver Isis medal.
To Mr. Hughes, for his method of teaching and enabling
the Lind to write music, the silver Isis medal. To Mr.
Payne, for his musical chimes clock, the honorary
testimonial.

The distribution having been concluded,
The Chevalier BUNSEN moved a vote of thanks to his
Royal Highness.
Sir EDWARD CODRINGTON seconded the motion, which
being agreed to,
His ROYAL HIGHNESS returned thanks, and the meet-
ing broke up.

THE LONDON INDISPUTABLE
LIFE POLICY COMPANY.
The first meeting of the members of this society was
held yesterday at the London Tavern, at two o'clock;
Mr. Dengerfield in the chair.
The Secretary read the following report:—
" The directors have great satisfaction in laying before
the meeting the balance-sheet and a statement of the
affairs of the company, from the commencement of busi-
ness to the 31st December last, prepared in compliance
with the directions contained in the deed of constitution
and the Act of Parliament under which the company is
incorporated, approved by the Board, and examined and
certified by the auditors; and also an account and balance-
sheet taken on the Ist of the present month, from whip h
it appears that, after providing for the payment of the
sums assured and all out standing debts, including pre-
liminary charges, there is a balance of profit of 11,9192
19s. lid., which belongs to and will be divisible with the
future profits, as directed by the deed of constitution,
exclusively amongst the present and future assured mem-
bers of the company.
" In the course of the eleven months embraced in theie
accounts, 253 proposals of assurance have been sub-
mitted to the Board, 227 policies have been completed
and issued, assuring the sum of 73,1011., and yielding in
annual premiums a revenue of 2,9041. 15s. 101.
"With such results your directors congratulate you on
the introduction of that principle of indisputability and
enlarged liberality in practice, to which they attribute
that amount of success, which is almost unexampled in
the history of mutual assurance, and which would pro-
bably have been even greater, had the company com-
menced business in a year less unfavourable than the last
to the progress of general business and the extension of
life assurance.
" Having founded the company upon a principle alto-
gether new as applicable to life assurance, which affords
to the public increased protection, by substituting the
certainty for the probability of payment of policy claims,
your directors have attentively and with much interest
marked the gradually increasing progress from the com-
mencement of business to the present date. They have
seen the peculiar features and practice of the company
pointed out and advocated with that earnestness and
ability, which the English press is in the habit of apply.
ing to improvements affecting the general welfare; and
they have experienced much satisfaction from observing
that the lareest assurances on the books have come from
solicitors of'well-ksown prudence and high standing in
their profession, whose duty and chief object is the pro-
tection and benefit of their clients. It appears from the
balance-sheet that a considerable amount has been paid
by this to other companies, for the partial re-assurance
of policies exceeding by several thousand pounds the
extent of risk considered prudent for the present to be
retained.
" These are matters of much gratification, and they
augur enlarged prosperity; yet it should be borne in
mind that even greater returns may be obtained by in-
creased exertion on the part of those interested in the
advancement of so beneficial an institution, in the wide
field of uninsured lives; and your directors would remind
you that in mutual life societies, as there are no share-
holders to detract from the groats, there are no proprie-
tors interested in furthering the business —and that it is
incumbent on every assured member of a mutual com-
pany to employ his influence in extending its operations,
whereby he will not only essentially promote his own
individual interest, and benefit his co-assured, but add
to the comfort and permanent welfare of every friend and
acquaintance whom he may induce to become a member."
The report was much applauded.
The Secretary also read the balance-sheets setting forth
the receipts and expenditure.
The CHAIRMAN addressed the meeting and detailed
the great advantages which this company possessed over
those in existence on account of the policies being " in-
defeasible and indisputable" thus giving greater security
to the commercial community who held so great a stake
in policies on the lives of creditors and others. The suc-
cess of the company had exceeded the very sanguine idea
which the directors had formed with respect to it.
Mr. BEVAN, banker, of Bury St. Edwunds, in moving
the adoption of the report, stated that he had lost too/.
on account of an office in the eastern counties baring
disputed the legality of a policy on the life cf a creditor,
the premiums of which he had paid for 20 years; and
that an office like this, the policies of which were un-
doubted negotiable instruments on account of their indis-
putability, was one most worthy of the support of
bankers and commercial men, to whose earnest support
he recommended it.—(Cheers.)
The report and accounts were then adopted.
The following directors were then elected:—Mr. J.
Hamilton, Mr. R. H. Forman, Mr. J. F. Maddox, and
Mr. J. T. Bramwell.
A cordial vote of thanks was then awarded to the
managing director, Mr. Alexander Robertson, the medi
cal officers, and auditors, to which Mr. Robertson very
ably responded, after which the meeting broke up.

FIRE TN CLEEKENWELL.—Thursday night, at eigh
o'clock, a fire, by which threepersons were very seriously
burned, broke out in the premises belonging to Mr. J.
Dowse, a patent letter-stamper. Scc., carrying on busi-
ness at No. 13, Fletcher's ron', Vineyard-walk, Clerken-
well. Mr. Dowse had invented a machine for purifying
naphtha, and at the time above stated, whilst he and his
workmen were in the shop, the contents of the machine
became ignited, when the flames rushed forth in a vast
body, firing the roof of the workshop, and'completely
enveloping the three unfortunate persons who were in
the building. The poor fellows as well as they were
able crawled through the fire to the street door; they
were all seriously burned about their hands, faces, and
other portions of their bodies. Mr. Dowse immediately
started off to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, accompanied
by some police-constables of the G division. He suc-
ceeded in walking as far as the corner of Cow-cclloss,
when he fell, and it was found necessary to call a avall)t
to
take him the remaining distance. Upon h
the hospital it was ascertained that, besidesistharriein
rt of his
'uries
to his head and face, his thighs an.] lowetilaPmaes.
The
body were injured by the action
engines of the parish, London Brigade,
the,_
adned the fire was
and West of
England Company quickly attended, and
destroyed.
extinguished before much property.
pipes leading from
There is little doubt that one of
Lirhiiinto a vessel of
the still, and conveying the naphtha
water, had burst from the heat of the copper, and allow-
ing the spirit to escape had caused
making inquiries at the hospital the disaster. Upon
it was learned that al-
though the unfortunate person s were so badly burned,
'waling fatal was apprehended.
HOSPITAL FOR CONSIMPT 101.1 AND DISEASES OF
the board of
TRIO CHEST.—Yesterday a me, tin
dg of
management was held the boar -room o t e institu-
tion; Captain Lyon idn
itthe chair. The routine busi-
, was stated, that on Sunday,
nese having been passe
the 17th instant, the Rev. Robert Montgomery, M.A.,
minister of Percy Chapel, would preach a sermon on be-
half of the charity, at Christchurch, Dorset-square, St.
Marylebone.