The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-16 00:00:00

LONDON,

ment of his existence ; any one, if he were asked the
question, no matter what may be his present state of
health, would at once admit the truth of this. There
is no certainty of life one moment from another. The
letter which I hold in my hand shows the conse-
quences of delay in effecting an assurance. The
person referred to had proposed a policy of assurance
with us for 250/. ; he had been urged continually by
the gentleman who writes this letter to complete that
policy, but he neglected doing so. He was suddenly
taken ill of the small-pox and died. I think it will
not be uninteresting if I read it :
" A friend of mine had been frequently solicited by
me to insure his life in our society, especially as he had
a mother and three sisters depending partly on him for
support. Atter waiting some time for him to propose
himself at the same time as I did, I determined to sat
the example, arid accordingly became a member in due
course in December, 1846. From this time I never
tailed to repeat my solicitations and entreaties, which
were met by various excuses, such as am so young,'
I am a healthy young man,' &c., till in the latter part
of September lust, having met with a severe accident
myself, which disabled me so much that I was unable to
attend to business, I prevailed upon him to propose him-
self as a member, but which for some reason or other
was deterred till October, when, as you will recollect, he '
was proposed, and reference made to me as a friend for
the usual statement as to his health. Your letter on the
subject reached here on the 30th October, and was filled
up and returnt d the same day. On the following day
he felt rather unwell, and retired from business rather
early, and on that day fortnight was no more. Iris com-
plaint was the small-pox, and I have every reason to
suppose and believe that at the time of his application
he felt perfectly well. He was, I believe, in his twenty-
second year." _ .

Now, this is a very strong instance of the conse-
quences of delaying that which it is the moral duty of
every man to do—making a provision for those de-
pendent upon him.— (Cheers.) I am not aware that
there is anything further for me to allude to. Before
I sit down, I beg to observe that I shall feel happy to
reply to any questions that you may think proper to
put to me.—(Cheers.)
Mr. SMITIIERS seconded the motion with great
pleasure.
The motion was at once unanimously adopted.

Mr. HENRY proposed the following 'notion :
" That the best thanks of this meeting are due, and
are hereby presented to the Board of Management
for their attention and devotion to the interests of the
association, and that the sum of four hundred pounds
be awarded them for their valuable services during
the past year." He regretted that he had not been
able to propose a larger sum • but though small com-
pared with the exertions of the directors, he was
fully persuaded that he could on the pre-
sent occasion propose some addition to the
sum he had heretofore proposed. The labours of the
directors had come before him in detail as ene of the
auditors, and he was therefore in a position to state
that they were of the most multifarious and onerous
nature.—(Hear, hear.) Though the sum, he was
convinced, was inadequate as a remuneration, he con-
sidered that such an addition was necessary, in order
to mark the sense which they entertained of the
valuable services of the directors.—(Cheers.)
Mr. MOLLETT seconded the proposition. He was
sure, when they considered that for many years they
had had the valuable services of the directors, and that
they had surprised them with their energy and labour
without a hope of reward, the meeting would accede
to the motion with the utmost pleasure.—(Cheers.)
As an auditor, he had seen the constant attendance of
the directors, and their devotion to the interests of
the association, and their hearty good will and good
fee:ing in its behalf.
The motion was carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN expressed his thanks and that of
the managers for this renewed mark of their confi-
dence. Since the commencement of the association,
money was no object with him or with any of his col-
leagues ; but upon principle they thought that some-
thing should be set apart as an allowance for those
who might come after them.—(Hear.) He entered
upon the directory with others, and for five years
they worked for nothing, and he was satisfied to con-
tinue so to labour without any reward save the
pleasure and satisfaction it afforded him to see the
progress of the association.
Mr. BURT then referred to the services of the
secretary, and suggested that some compliment of a
similar kind should be paid to him, and some addition
made to the salaries of the clerks, on account of the
increased labour cast upon them.
After some discussion it was decided that the
matter should be left to the discretion of the board of
management. _ _

The CHAIRMAN assured the meeting that they
were most anxious to do what was right, and to act
in the most liberal spirit with regard to all per-
sons connected with the working department of the
association. The suggestion of the meeting should
meet with the utmost attention. He assured the
meeting that the directors were fully alive to the
valuable services rendered by the secretary and the
clerks. The directors being clerks felt as clerks,
and if they did not do always all that was expected
they endeavoured to do what was right.—(Cheers.)
Mr. REED intimated in the course of the discus-
sion that no one thought more of the estimable ser-
vices of the secretary than he did, but the matter
referred to was one which came peculiarly within
the province of the directors.

J.W. WELCIE said the modesty of the Chairman
would not allow him to propose the next resolution.
They were aware that he was one of the retiring
directors. He did not, therefore, like to propose his
own re-election. That duty, therefore, devolved upon
him, and it was, perhaps, right that the duty should
fall upon him, since no one could give him a better
character, because his position at the board placed
him in constant (he might say daily) connexion
with him. He knew the great interest he
evinced in the prosperity of the association. There
was no sacrifice of personal comforts and pleasures
that he was not ready to make for the benefit of the
association. He was ever kind and thoughtful of the
feelings of those who made application, for they were
aware that the duty of the Chairman of the associa-
tion was unlike that of ordinary assurance offices,
because they had combined with this department
the benevolent department, which was one of consi-
derable trouble and anxiety.—(Hear.) Last year it
was one of very great anxiety, in consequence of the
position in which some of their brother clerks had
been placed, arising from the derangement of com-
mercial affairs. The Chairman's goodness of heart
and general urbanity caused the utmost harmony to
prevail in the board, the members of which acted as
one body.—(Cheers.) He begged to move "That
Mr. R. H. Jones be reelected a manager of the asso-
ciation."

Mr. PRICE seconded the proposition. Having been
a personal friend of the Chairman for many years,
and having been associated with him many years in
this association, he could assure them that though they
might get as good a chairman they could not get a
better.—(Cheers.) No man could devote a greater share
of his attention, or sacrifice more comforts in
promoting the welfare of the association, than Mr.
Jones bad. Not only did he sacrifice his business
time, but his social hours, which every one who knew
him knew he enjoyed with such great satisfaction to
himself and his friends. He was sure they could not
find a better manager in the city of London.
The resolution was carried by acclamation.
The CHAIRMAN himself returned thanks. He as-
sured them his heart was in their cause. As had
been stated, he did devote as much of his spare time
as he could—more than he could—to advance the in-
terests of the association.—(Cheers.) He hoped to
see it progress for many years, which would be the
greatest pleasure he could experience.—(Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN next proposed—" That Mr. S. Jepps,
Mr. S. Notley, and Mr. Richard Price be re-elected
managers of the association," which was adopted.
The CHAIRMAN next proposed—" That Mr. J. Dan-
hearts be elected a manager of this association in the
room of Mr. J. J. Iselin, who had resigned." That
gentleman had proved himself a warm supporter of
the association. He was chief in the house of Messrs.
Anthony Gibbs and Sons. He had the hearty good
wishes of the directors, who believed that he would
prove of the utmost advantage to the association. The
motion was carried unanimously.
J. DANKEARTS begged to return his sincere thanks.
It should be his constant study to promote the in-
terests of the members of the association at large. As
a clerk it should be his constant study to do that for
them which he should wish to have done for himself.
Mr. SAWTELL moved—" That the warmest thanks
of this meeting be presented to the medical officers,
Dr. Jones, John Gay, Esq., F.R.C.S., and Alfred
Smee, Esq., F.R.S., and the Provincial Medical
Referees, Agents, and Local Committees; Wm.
Ratray, Esq., consulting actuary; and Messrs. Law-
ford, the honorary solicitors, for their valuable ser-
vices during the past year ;"
Which was seconded by Mr. CLARKE, and carried
unanimously.
ALFRED SMEE, Esq., F.R.S., returned thanks on
behalf of himself and his colleagues for the honour
conferred upon them collectively. This being the first
time they had the honour of meeting them since the
division of profits they thought it right to state,
through him, what had been the result of their past
labours, and what they might expect would be the
future working of the association. Many in that
room were, no doubt, aware that it was stated on good
authority that a number of clerks could not be asso-
ciated together, for the purpose of life assurance, with
any great advantage to all. Now the working of the
first seven years of the association showed this tole-
rably significant fact, on the authority of the medical
officers and actuaries, that notwithstanding this, a
reduction of 33 per cent. in the premiums bad been
effected in this association.—(Cheers.) He could not
conceal from them the fact that the medical officers
whom they had been pleased to entrust with their
cuntluence, and who were surgeons to many of the
hospitals, dispensaries, and assurance offices, had a
great and responsible duty to discharge. The num-