The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-07 00:00:00

The "Provident Clerks."

It bas been well said, « Happy is the nation that
has no history ;" and the saying may be well ap-
plied to bodies far less in importance than nations.
If we may judge by the specimen that lies before
us, we should say, Happy also is the life office which
has no history, for never have we seen so brief and
unadorned a report combined with results so gratify-
ing. For very nearly a quarter of a century we
have yearly devoted a portion of our columns as
February came round to the report of the institu-
tion whose name stands at the head of this column,
and year by year the address of the directors to
their members has been glowing with congratula-
tions, and urgent in pressing upon them the duties
which, as " mutual" assurers, they are called on to
fulfil in promoting the interests of their association ;
but on the present. occasion they have contented
themselves with letting the figures of the balance-
sheet tell their own tale. This discloses the largest
new business, the largest rate of interest, the largest
balance of profit, and the smallest percentage of
expenditure, which any year's accounts have ever
disclosed ; and the board think, perhaps wisely,
that to add any comments of their own to so satis-
factory a state of things would indeed be " to gild
refined gold, to paint the lily," and would be en-
tirely superfluous on their part. That the simple
statement of these facts was abundantly satisfactory
to the members the congratulatory nature of the
proceedings amply evinces,
and to an outside
observer it is positively refreshing in these days of
frauds and failures to meet with an association whose
statement of accounts is so simple that itcau be read
and understood by a child, and whose honesty of
purpose is rewarded by a constantly growing
amount of public confidence and esteem. At its pre-
sent rate of progress a very few years will elapse
before the Provident Clerks will boast an income of
£lOO,OOO and a solid accumulated fund of half a
million sterling, while the energy and prudence o
the management are the best guarantees that the
future will not be less successful than the past. 'We
heartily congratulate the directors and the executive
of this prosperous association upon the result of
their labours, and as heartily commend the system
which has produced that result to the imitation of
the commercial 'world in general.

RETIREMENT OF GEN. MANTEUFFEL.---A letter
from Berlin says :—" The retirement of Gen. Man-
teuffol is the most striking occurrence of the weok : it has
a signification greater than might be expected. Quite
lately this general was charged with a mission to St.
Petersburg of the highest importance, and everybody
knows that he fulfilled it to the entire satisfaction of his
royal masters. From this the inference is drawn that his
withdrawal has some gravity, and has not been quite so
voluntary as it is said to ba. For many years the inti-
mate friend of the King, and chief of the military cabinet,
on which depond all the personal affairs of the army, and
which counterbalances, if not surpasses, sometimes the
influence of the ministry, the general was one of the first
personages of the Government and Court of Prussia. He
WAS considered
as the incarnation of the anti-liberal,
feudal, and high Protestant s) stem, and remarkable by
his firm and decided character. Even by the side of a
Prime Minister of the capacity of Count Bismarck ho
always retained great influence as military advisor and in-
timate friend of the King. He in some sort counterbalanced
Count Bismarck."

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT TO OFFICERS AND
LADIES AT MADRAS.—The following extract from a
private letter gives sad but interesting details of the fatal
boat accident at Madras—reported by telegraph some days
since—to the Misses Wlver (late of Dingwall) and two
Indian officers—Lieut.-Colonel Temple and Captain F. H.
Hope, and which had created the most painful sensation
throughout all the district, as well as in this country
" Madras, Dec. 27, 1866.—A sad accident- happened in
Madras last Sabbath evening. Mr. Mqvier's two daughters,
along with Colonel Temple and Captain hope (ono of the
Governor's aides-do-camp), and Mr. Bostock, the P.O.
Company's agent, went out in a little boat on the Adyar
River about six o'clock to have a row. After being out
some time they thought of returning home as it was
getting dark, when somehow or other the boat struck on
a sandbank. They all got out till the boat was righted,
but had no sooner got into her again before she went down,
bows foremost, and they were all in the water. Mr. Bos-
tock, the oily survivor, can scarcely tell how tho sad
catastrophe happened. The last thing he heard was Col.
Temple call out 'Rostock, can you swim ?' On his replying
he could. Temple and Hope set off, each supporting one of
the ladies, and they were never afterwards seen alive-
Bostock reached an island which was about 20 yards dis-
tant, and called out to his companions, but got no answer.
Mr. Mayne, who was in his garden, heard the shouts, came
out, and found Mr. Bostock in a dreadful state. They got
a boat, and ho was taken ashore, it being now quite dark.
Colonel Temple's body was found about midnight ; they
say he looked just as if asleep. Captain Hope was washed
ashore next morning, and his features showed by their
contortions that there had been a soro struggle for life.
In one clenched Land was found a quantity of the young
lady's hair whom he had endeavoured to save. The same
evening Miss Kate M'lver's body was found. She had only
arrived by the previous steamer from England, after com-
pleting her education. The elder sister's body was not
recovered till Tuesday, when it was found in the surf.
She was to have been married to Captain Hope on the 15th
of next month. This melancholy occurrence has cast a
great gloom over the community, and much sympathy is
felt for the bereaved father, Mr. M'lver. The Governor's
dinner for Christmas-day, and all the balls, etc., have been
put off. Lord and Lady Napier and the Commander-in-
Chief attended the funeral of the poor girls, who were
buried in the Roman Catholic cemetery at St. Thomas."—
Edinburgh Evening Courant.
THE LICENSING QUESTION.—Mr. Gladstone
yesterday received a deputation from Manchester, at
his residence in Carlton-house-terrace. It consisted of
some 20 working men of various trades and political parties
who wore appointed at a large and enthusiastic meeting
recently held in the Free-trade Hall, to consider the sub-
ject of the sale of intoxicating liquors on the Sunday.
The deputation was accompanied by the Hon.A. Kinnaird,
M.P and was introduced by the Rev. John Garrett, D.D.
Tho subject was opened to Mr. Gladstone by Mr. F. Smith,
joiner, who stated various facts and brought forward many
arguments, to prove the impolicy and injustice of the pre-
sent system, and, as a working man, appealed to the right
hon. gentleman to introduce or at least to support a bill
for extending the present restrictions to the whole of Sun-
day, in order that the neighbourhood inhabited by
working men might be as quiet and orderly on that day as
the localities in which the wealthier classes reside. Mr.
Gladstone entered into a conversation on the subject, which
was prolonged for more than an hour. Mr. Ball and other
members of the deputation brought before his notice facts
and figures to prove that these houses are demoralising the
people and causing increased crime and immorality, which
was well sustained by statistics quoted by Mr. Foster. Mr.
Gladstone asked many questions, and requested to be sup-
plied with detailed information upon three points, which
ho specified as of vital importance in bringing the matter
before Parliament, and expressed much pleasure at having
received such a deputatiou,