The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-04 00:00:00

this occasion, under Mr. C. B. Theobald, midshipman,
upon whom the command had devolved.
In requesting you to bring the gallant conduct of Lieut.
Blake to the favourable notice of the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty, I beg to recommend him to their lord-
ships as a most zealous, active officer, who has always
merited my entire confidence, and is well worthy of pro-
motion.

The name of Lieutenant Blake has been before mentioned
to their lordships in despatches, as being the Senior Lieu-
tenant present at the destruction of a formidable Chinese
piratical stronghold and junks in March, 1859.—1 have, &c.,
(Signed) P. CRACROFT, Captain.
Commodore, Loring, C. 8., &c. &c.

(Copy.)
New Plymouth, March 31, 1860.
Sir,—l consider it due to you to express the high sense I
entertain of the gallant services tendered by Lieutenant
Blake, and the officers and men of her Majesty's ship Niger,
who formed part of the force under my command employed
against the rebel natives at the village of Ornate, on the
23th inst.
I was myself an eye-witness of the steadiness with which
the gallant blue jackets advanced in skirmishing order over
a difficult piece of country, compelling their opponents to
retire before them ; and, from the information that has
reached me since, their force told severely.
I beg to add that it was with extreme regret that I be-
held their gallant leader taken to the rear dangerously
wounded. My regret was the greater, from the feeling of
friendship I entertained for that officer, occasioned by the
perfect cordiality which existed between us on all matters
of duty since he has been attached to the garrison under
my command.
I beg further to inform you that the men of the Niger, when
ordered to retire, displayed the same steadiness under the
command of Mr. Theobald, who seemed to possess the cool-
ness of a veteran.

I herewith enclose a return of casualties in the Naval
Brigade.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) G. F. MURRAY,
Brevet -Lieutenant-Colonel,

Captain P. Cracroft, R.N., -------
---
Commanding her Majesty's ship Niger.
Lieutenant W. H. Blake, dangerous bullet wound in
right breast.

Thomas Millard, Royal Marines, shot through the head,
since dead.

(Copy.)
Brigade-office, Taranaki,
March 29, 1860.
Colonel Gold, commanding the forces, wishes to express
to Captain Cracroft, of her Majesty's ship Niger, senior
naval officer on the station, Lieut.-Col. Murray, 65th
Regiment, and Captain Brown, of the New Plymouth
Militia, and the officers, non-commissioned officers, war-
rant and petty officers and men, who were engaged yester-
day with the enemy his high sense of the gallantry dis-
played, which led not only to the rapid destruction of a Pah,
but also to a considerable loss on the part of the insurgents.
The Colonel commanding will not fail to report most fa-
vourably to higher authority their distinguished valour and
most active exertions.—By command,
(Signed) JOHN PAUL,
Captain 65th Regt., Acting Major of Brigade.

In consideration of his services, as mentioned in these
despatches, Lieutenant William Hans Blake has been pro-
moted to the rank of Commander, with Seniority, from 26th
June, 1860.
...

William Ogders has also been offered a warrant as a
Gunner or Boatswain, provided he be found competent.

KENT MUTUAL LIFE ASSUR /INCE

COMPANY.

The ordinary general meeting of the above company was
held yesterday, at the Chief Office, Queen •street-place,

Cheapside.
Mr. King, chairman of the Board of Directors, presided.
The routine business having been transacted, the

manager, Mr. Preston, read the Directors' report, from
which we extract the following portion :
" It is with much pleasure that the directors again meet
the members, the more particularly as this is the tenth an-
niversary of the society, a period to which all interested in
its welfare have looked forward with feelings more or less
of hopefulness. It is, also, gratifying to them to be
able to report the continued prosperity of the society.
During the year ending the 25th March last, the number
of policies issued was 336, assuring £129,760, and producing
in new cash premiums £1,624 ss. Tho renewal premiums
amounted to £21,274 15s. Bd., and the total income (in-
cluding a sum of £2,135 6s. 7d. received for interest, &c.)
to £28,034 7s. 3d, Claims have arisen upon 31 policies,
amounting, with bonuses thereon, to £7,340 lls. 9d.
After payment of these claims and current expenses, the
sum of £7,652 10s. ld. remained as a balance to be carried

to the accumulated fund, which, with this addition, now
amounts to £42,548 3s. 7d. The Loan Reserve Fund has
likewise beer, increased by the office fees received during
the year, and amounts to £1,331 7s. These general results
of the year's operations show a slight increase over
1858-59, in the new cash premiums ; an increase
in the total premium income of £2,583 12s. Bd. ; and
the income generally, of £3,164 15s. Bd. In the
claims there has been a decrease of £123 12s. 2d.

The policies now in force upon the books of the society
number 1767, assuring the sum of £716,174 ; the full annual
premium income thereon is £26,529 3s. 10d. Your direc-
tors believe that, taking into consideration the many cir-
cumstances which still tend to retard the full development
of life assurance, and which have been felt by all offices,

more or less, during the past year, the present statement
of the society's affairs cannot be regarded as other than
satisfactory. Not only has an amount of new business been
transacted superior to that of the previous year, but an
important addition has been made to the income gene-
rally, whilst the claims have been less than in
1858.9. Since the last annual meeting the business

of the Kent Mutual Fire Society has been discontinued.
In connection with that society, a sum of £6,000

was duo to this company for money advanced. In respect
of such debt, a bond of £4,000, bearing interest (recently in
part paid off), given to the fire society by the Midland
Counties Insurance Company, as consideration for the good-
will of its business, has been transferred to this society.
At the close of the fire business, and in deference to an ap-

peal from that society, your directors felt themselves
morally bound to investigate th a past joint expendi-
ture accounts of the two societies, with the view to
their adjustment, should circunuecances appear to call for it.
This investigation necessarily extended from the period at
which, arising out of the connections and influence of the
fire society, the life was established, and has been brought
down to within twelve rnonths of the present time ; or, for
a period of more than. -nine years. As a result, the direc-
tors feel bound to admit that, in their opinion, there is much
justice in the clairn made. In a few words the grounds
may be stated. 'When this society was established in
1850, and for a considerable time after, the expenses were
mainly borne by the fire society. This continued until
by the more rapid progress of the life business a
nearer arproach totan equitable arrangement was attempted,
and eilch society bore one-half of the joint disbursements;
but even then the advantage was mainly on the side of this
sor,iety, for whilst by such expenditure an equal measure of
benefit was intended for each, it is abundantly clear
that, by force of circumstances, in many important
instances the life society was benefited by the outlay,
but the fire not so. In the sums jointly paid from
time to time for branch expenses and for appointing
and visiting agents, this is
.particularly apparent.
During the nine years the fire society's share of the joint
expenditure amounted to a sum approaching 410,000, most
of which, if not all, must have been defrayed by this
society, in addition to its own portion, had the fire business
been discontinued at the origin of the life. Upon a most
careful and anxious review of all the circumstances, and as
giving effect to what they believed would be the feeling of
the members, to promptly and liberally recognise any claim
the fire society might have, founded upon principles of
equity, your directors felt constrained to admit their con-
viction of the justice of the appeal, and taking all the cir-
cumstances into consideration, felt that the case would be
met by remitting the sum of £2,000, as likewise the in-
terest and rent, then accruing, amounting to £204 13s. ld.
Having adopted this course, as that which appeared a light
and proper one, the board trust that it will meet with the
concurrence of the members, and be equally deemed by them
an act of justice to the fire society. During the year the
vacancies which had occurred in the board by the resigna-
tion of Messrs. Saddington, Pittard, and Hawkins, have
been filled up the election of Major-General Carmichael,
C. 8., Leonard Philip Cox, Esq., and Nathaniel Elgar
Toomer, Esq., gentlemen of influence, and deeply interested
in the welfare of the society, each being assured for a sum
producing premiums much in excess of the ordinary qua.
lification. Whilst it was a source of much regret to the
board to lose the services of three such valued
colleagues as Messrs. Saddington, Pittard, and
Hawkins ; necessitated by advancing years in one case, de-
parture to a distant colony in another, and in the third,
by the election to the board of a much older and more in-
fluential company ; it is still a matter of satisfaction to
them to have found amongst the members three gentlemen
so well qualified to fill their places, and who cannot,
the directors believe, be other than acceptable to
the members generally. In addition to the ecfh-
firmation of the election of these gentlemen on this
occasion Messrs King, Murrell, and Russell retire by
rotation from the office of director, but being eligible for
re-election offer themselves accordingly. In like manner
Mr. Hood retires from the office of auditor, but being eli-
gible for re-election, offers himself accordingly. The audi-
tors have, as usual, minutely examined into the accounts
and certified as to their accuracy. The business done
during the time the society has been established, the direc-
tors believe will contrast favourably with the experience of
the first ten years of most of the established companies, and
that not only as respects the number of policies issued—
amount assured—and premiums represented thereby ;
but in regard to the moderate cost at which
the same has been obtained, bearing in mind
that whilst, in the words of a celebrated authority on life
assurance, " the mutual system is the only one which the
public at large are concerned to support," yet no company
is so difficult to found as one so constituted, and, there-
fore, in the very nature of things, involving in its mar
years a greater comparative outlay, than when firm 7.
established, with its many realised advantagesto praCti
cally recommend it to general public support."
After various questions had been put to the chairman,
and satisfactorily answered, the report was adopted unani-
mously.
The retiring directors were
re-elected ; and a resolution
pledging the meeting to extend, as far as possible, the be-
g been agreed to, the proceedings
d with a tyvthanks to the chairmen.
been
ofttehesocieloiteavoinf

YORICsiIIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.--The ex-
hibition of implements and live stock commenced on Wed-
nesday morning, in the Show Yard, Love Lane, Pontefract.
The attendance was very numerous. The cattle exhibited
are much above the average, while the foxhound depart-
ment is filled with some fine dogs from first .c lass hunting
packs. A meeting of the council of the society took place
at the Sessions-house, in the morning ; Lord Ilerries in the
chair. After the transaction of the usual formal business,
it was resolved that no show of the society shall take place
in 1861, in consequence of the Royal Agricultural Society
holding their meeting at Leeds in that year. A. resolution,
however, to offer, at the Royal Society's show., two prizes
of £75 each for the best designs for farm cottages
build-
ings, was unanimously adopted. A public dinnelr took place
in the evening.
ne Consti-
A GENEROUS ADVOCATE.—The 7yr *o—
out of the
tution mentions the following incident aria" ng
,I sersean a
trial of Holden, the policeman, for shooting
f nce of John
wease sepeemlly re-
Dungannon :—" Mr. Butt, Q.C.,
a leaving this
tained, and came over from London,M iorr
ty.
Holden, his fee being 100 guincsse•
handed to the
town the learned chivalrouslygentleman
prisoner's wife a £5O note, being nearly out -half of his not
over liberal retainer."