The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-06 00:00:00

TELE FREE-TRADE CONGRk,SS AT
BRUSSELS.

The international congress about to he convoke 4 at
Brussels on the 22d and two following days of Septem-
ber, under the auspices of the Belgian Free Trade Asso-
ciation, promises to be an occasion of some interest,
raising again, as it will do, as a basic for further Cus-
toms' reforms, after the interval of nine years, when the
last conference was held there, and under more favour-
able circumstances, the discussion of questions affecting
the manufacturilig and commercial relations of different
countries with each other, and the economic conditions
on which the labour of each nation depends. Both in
this country and on the continent exertions are being
made to give publicity to the project, and practical and
scientific men of all countries engaged in trade, cow-
'
merce and public employments have been invited to
attend. . The Chanibers of Commerce throughout the
united kingdom have been especially solicited to send
delegates, it being rightly conceived that they, of all
men, will be able to throw light on the subjects to be
brought under discussion, and to demonstrate from their
own pract;cal knowledge and experience the precise
operation—injurious there can be no doubt—of the re-
strictions still imposed by various countries on the in-
ternational commerce of the civilised world.
The Chambers of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Bradford
have already heartily expressed their sympathy with the
objects of the meeting by stating their intention to send
representatives ; and it is expected that those of Man-
chester, Liverpool, Bristol, and many other towns wilt
make a similar response. The conduct of the Seeiety
of Arts have requested their chairman, Colonel Sykes,
who is also, as is well known, the chairman ea the
Court of Directora of the East India Company ; Mr.
Thomas Twining. jun,, vice-president ; and Mr. T.
Winkworth, to represent them at the conferences. Mr.
Cobden is also expected to be present, though up to
yesterday he had not signified his assent. It is, how-
ever, a matter of doubt that be will be able to attend,
as it is understood that the loss of his son, which he has
felt so poignantly, has of late led him to seek for a time
a comparative seclusion from public life..
It may be in the recollection of some that a similar
congress of political economists, convened by the same
association as the forthcoming one, was held for three
days in Brussels so far back as September, 1847. At
that meeting the general effects of the freedom of coin-
merce, as well as several special questions belonging to
it, were examined and discussed, and the result was
that resolutions were passed to the effect that, in the
opinion of the Congress, freedom of commerce was a
want of human 'sooiety, and would draw nations closely
together, which, far from becoming tributary one to the
other, would lend each other a mutual support ; that it
would extend production, and put industry beyond the
reach of violent changes, inevitable with markets con-
fined by prohibition; and that it would ameliorate the
condition of the labouring classes by demanding less la-
bour in exchange for more enjoyment, and destroy a
constant cause of demoralisation. At the forthcoming
Congress the two questions to be submitted for consider-
ation are—first, " What are the artificial or natural ob-
stacles opposed to the extension of the commercial rela-
tions of the country tO which each member belongs ?"
and, second, "What are the practical means proposed,
or to be proposed, in each country to remove or diminish
the obstacles which impede the extension of commercial
relations with other nations ? In answer to the first
question each member of the Congress will be requested
to state the facts which relate to his country at large or
to his particular industrial or commercial pursuit ; and
the reasons, if any, why customs' or other restrictions
should be maintained in countries with which his coun-
try has commercial relations. Upon the second propo-
sition each member will be desired to furnish such
documents as he can give upon the subject, as well as a
résumé of his views and opinions upon it. A. distinct
intimation is given by those charged with the organise-
of the„ Congress that it is not speeches that they so much
want as accurate and serious statistics or propositions
embodying facts, and leading to practical results bene-
ficial to all, their firm conviction, they say, being that,
if the Congress can collect a mass of facts sufficiently
evidenced, it will be proved to demonstration that it
is not by embarrassing but by encouragiog trade be-
tween nations in every possible and legitimate manner,
without favour or privilege to any one, that full develop-
ment can be given to the productions of labour, and
consequently to labour itself. The object of the meeting,
in short, is to collect and form an assemblage of facts,
ideas, and theories relating to trade as between nations,
and to deduce from them practical conclusions for the
benefit of each nation in particular and of the human
race in general. They add that the Congress will be a
corollary to the Exhibitions of 1851 and 1855, and that
special circumstances will give it a• character of utility
and of opportunity it would probably not have at a later
period—adverting to the exhibiting of products manu-
factured for the use of the most numerous classes of so-
ciety, organised with the aid of the Belgian Government,
and to a conference among the influential men of Bel-
gium for the deliberation of the special subject of public
philanthropy to be held on the 15th September.—Times

LONDON LIFE ASSOCIATIO_V.

TO TIE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—On my return to town this morning my atten-
tion has been called to a letter inserted in your City
Article of Saturday relative to the London Life Associ-
ation, is which the writer charges those who are propos-
ing to divide a part of the accumulated profits with en-
deavouring to evade their liabilities.
As I had the honour to move the resolution which has
been carried at two snceesuaise general meetings of the
association, you will, I am sure, allow me to correct the
error of your correspondent as to the effect of this reso-
lution, and absolve the majority who voted for it from
the charge of repudiation, when I explain to you that
the London Life Association, formed upon the avowed
principle of mutual insurance, and of applying all profits
yearly to the reduction of the annual premiums, has,
in consequence of that principle not having been effec-
tually carried out, become possessed of an accumu-
lated capital arising from overpayments in the members'
premiums chiefly within the last 30 years, to the extent
of between 400,0001. and 500,0001. Of this accumu-
lation the directors proposed to divide 230,0001., but
their mode of division was in the way of reduction of
the future premiums, so as to give to the younger mein
hers the greater part of it.
The accumulation having been formed by the over-
payment in past premiums, it ought on division to be
given back on the amount of past premiums paid by
each member. This is the object of the resolution your
correspondent decries. The equity of it is, however,
o<o manifest that it is not necessary to say a word in
its defence.
• Your correspondent contends that these accumulations
were pledged to the reduction of future premiums. But
no such pledge was ever given. I read to the meeting
the prospectuses to which your correspondent refers,
and they manifestly contained no such pledge ; but, on
the contrary, distinctly state that the premium paid by
each member for the first seven years furnishes the
means of redaction for the remainder of life, the tables'
being, in fact, so calculated as to afford at least 60 per
cent. reduction after the first seven years. This your
,correspondent and every other member in his circum-
stances will receive, and every pledge of the company
be fully redeemed. But it would be monstrous to assert
that the portion of accumulations which are all agreed
upon dividing, should be distributed in such a ratio that
those who have contributed the least to its formation
should receive the greater part in its dikribution.
I have the honour to be, sir,
Yours very faithfully,
ROBERT BAXTER.

August 5.

(From the Times City Article.)
A variety of letters have been received in answer to
the protest of a correspondent published on Saturday
against the resolution adopted by a majority of the
shareholders of the London Life Association for a dis-
tribution of 230,0001. out of their surplus assets, and
which in to be settled by ballot on the 13th inst. The
present writers all deny most emphatically that the pro-
posed distribution would involve a breach of engage-
ment with any of the policy boilers, and contend that,
fortified as they are by the opinions of counsel upon a
fair statement of the entire case, they may at least be
allowed to entertain this view without being accused of
a disposition to practise repudiation. The simple ques-
tion is—Will the fulfilment of the promises held out to
new members be in any way jeopardised by the con-
templated act? This would seem easily to admit of an
answer, but the most contradictory statements respecting
it are put forward, and the prospect of obtaining a con-
cise and unprejudiced exposition appears hopeless.
Under the circumstances a reference, not necessarily in
a hostile spirit, to the Court of Chancery would decide
the point in the manner most satisfactory to all parties,
and it would be fair that the expense should be defrayed
from the funds of the association.