The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-24 00:00:00

ICATIONAL MERCANTILE ASSUR-
ANCE SOCIETY.
The Directors, members, and friends of the la;a-
lianal Mercantile Assurance Society, dined together
y s Yesterd
evening at the London Tavern, Bishops-
irlte-street, Robert Wileoxon, Esq., presiding.
The objects of this Society, which is largely and
liberally supported by eminent mercantile men, and
The great body of mercantile travellers, are too well
kn°wn to require description—it is a life assurance
4ee, which is rapidly extending its business and
connexion. The respected Chairman was supported
by 111 r. Redrnayne and Mr. Baker ; the Vice-Presi-
tnta were Mr. Stokes and Mr. APCulloch. Among
Pell gentlemen present were Mr. G. Moore, 111 r.
ikatt, Mr. Baker, jun., Mr. Baden, Mr. Newbon,
~4r. Evans, Mr. Bankart, Mr. Morse, Mr. Walsh,
"Ir• Stockdale, &c., &c. An excellent dinner was
provided by Messrs. Bathe and Breach, whose ar•
rangements for the comfort of the guests were unex-
ceptionable ; the wines were also of first-rate quality.
On the removal of the cloth, Non Nobis was admi-
-111)11' Sung by the professional gentlemen engaged for
m_
-4e occasion.
The CHAIRMAN gave as the first toast, the " Health
'3' her Majesty the Queen," which was drank with all
the honours.
'Air--" God Save the Queen."
ti
tl The
~. CHAIRMAN gave as the second toast, the
ealth of his Royal Highness Prince Albert."
Air...." Here's a health to the Prince and the Queen."
The .1 Health of the Queen Dowager," in giving
Which the Chairman passed a high eulogium on the
;°''h'itable disposition of her Majesty, was then drank,
"'4 el-ijunction with the rest of the Royal Family.
oast was received with the utmost cordiality.
ILIe CHAIRMAN then said he had a toast to propose
''''eh was of the greatest importance to this country
;sit was that of the " Army and Navy" of England.
the must all allow that these two services were of
`"e most essential importance to the nation in every
tPoint of view ; to them, in a great degree, they might
race the rise of this great empire, and to them might
ascribed the peace and quietness they then en-
'
i'•YV --Drank with loud cheers,
~'. 'le CHAIRMAN said it was now his pleasing duty
In
Propose a toast in which they were all, more or
'IN much interested, and many of them very deeply
4°"(liear, hear.) It was the toast of a body through
the instrumentality of which he had the pleasure of
bins himself surrounded by this large and respect•
e aseembly.—(Cheers.) The toast he had to give
!' "Prosperity to the National Mercantile and
"fe Assurance Society."—(Loud cheers.) Upon an
ZetBion of' this kind, and more particularly under
14 circumstances in which they had recently been
h; cod, it was but natural they should expect from
Ipg' Something like «n account of the rise and
11
ress of the Society.—(Hear, hear.) He believed
I,e Were all pretty well aware that the Mercantile
I,s4Yellers' Life Assurance Office was originally
tiltein, 5d by comparatively a very few influential cora-
-1 'la' gentlemen, from motives most disinterested
wards their fellow-travellers. After some time that
shsocietY was amalgamated into another Society of
4,21: equal standing —the National Endowment
Ik-11Y—under the title of the National Mercantile
t,:asurance Society. Since that time the Society had
tti-", hluth to encounter ; many troubles and many
)41,44 awaited it ; but the vessel was built,
I' it had surmounted every obstacle.—(Hear.)
tha,Was, then, a most pleasing part of his duty
ill,' evening to be able to present to them, not a
f'i,D/Ireelted institution—(Hear, hear)—not with a
I,sthent or portion of this great undertaking, but
:41th the whole and entire National Mercantile Life
tip 'trance Society.— (Cheers.) It was usual, on the
... P
th, sent occasion, to give something like a statement,
t,h-tiagh not in detail, of the present prospects and
wht-tritien of the Society. Immediately after the
ehient of the differences between the gentlemen
bi° bad retired from the Board and the present
oeil'eet°ll, the latter had considered it their duty, in
keit: to satisfy, not only themselves, but the Pro-
oftel,`°ll also, to have a full valuation made of the whole
ti)Cei' affairs. This they immediately gave instructions
Ile,i-5e done, and the task had been accomplished by
te riacthary, and tested by the actuary of the Uni-
duty., l'lre Assurance Office. It was his pleasing
t-ete'd;°ll4ll them that the account more than antici-
out oi their best expectations.—(Hear, hear.) With-
deli gh;ng into anything like detail or figures, he was
at the `ecl to be able to tell the present company that
e end of the year 1845 they would be able to
kkßelare a most liberal bonus to policy-holders and
Llreholders.—(Loud cheers.) Thus the Directors
1.141 been able to treat liberally all those who had left
:chi and also to take ample care of those who re-
ch4ihed.—(Clieers.) He was going to say two or
Lhtee words on the subject of life assurance itself,
r,.‘t there were many gentlemen present muck snore
:1)1thle than he was of dilating on this topic ; he
i11.°.41(17 therefore, merely state that he did consider
tiulB, institution to be a most excellent one. He was
"e satisfied it had been the means of doing a vast
*lel4l of good, and many a poor family and desolate
althW had had reason to rejoice in the existence of
an institution as this ; but for it, misery,
441114, and all the evils that were their consequence
N. have ensued ; and he would urge all—for atl
ieth,eth had some ability—to do their best to support
kril .thare was not one of them but was able to do
Nething; he would say to all of them, " do what
spit- earl," and then he was satisfied, if they were an
tkrecl to meet another year, that they should be
te,;:t° Present to them this Society in a far more
(4:4ing condition than it had ever yet attained to.—
the `4, hear.) He gave, as the toast, "Prosperity to
1,11, -,lZational Mercantile Life Assurance Society."
4 toast was drank with enthusiasm.
i/),r.' G. MOORE proposed the next toast. He said
hatiienee taught them that they could not have any
Nti,n!eation without some alloy, and at present the
Ret, eation he felt at being entrusted with the toast
!It ,4bated by the inability he felt to do justice to it.
(iti.4 " The Commercial Travellers of the United
4,11,;°m."--(Loud cheers.) He knew not why he
ctl,„ ten selected to give this toast, unless it was be-
;. ne had been for a great many years of his life
connected with them.—(Hear, hear.) He had been
c(e,ic,ted with them nearly twenty years, and he
and bear testimony to their character for industry
Alin
reverence being unequalled. Often, through
~`tliin,„°nria of a winter's midnight, when others were
L'Pliy-6 their repose, they were travelling on the rail-
-4 glte) °l' in the steam-boat, advancing their employer's
cleat or their own. By this body of gentlemen
the a 1 that day been honoured with a place in
toaieoard of Directors of the Society. He
4,thi3 assure them he felt highly flattered by
14 honour thus conferred upon him ; he was sure
'he 'ne). might have found many gentlemen
tio.sp'ould have done more justice to them.—(" No,
,Illatle Ile had been told in a very forcible manner
"Ile jje body of the Society wished to have, at least,
'iyie; h,'ractor who had risen from the ranks ; and it
cisqs Proudest gratification that he had been asso-
4aeir With them for many years.—(Hear, hear.) He
lc 41(.4 thorn he would endeavour to do all the justice
'l4l ern his humble abilities would permit ; and as he
tot: little influence in the mercantile world, and had
Iv, ialitikhowledge of the market towns of England, it
~Ilfl4, be his great anxiety to exert his ability and
'414`,11e to their advantage.—(Cheers.) As the
khiel-Illari had told them, there had been
':,t. k S',ceders from the office, in consequence
:kill ,nl,isunderstanding. He had some returns
,'Pit ,'''njoh he was warranted in expecting that by
ilAc,,'°rith they would be able to make up to the
,qtpt-dthe income it had been deprived of. He also
Allek, ,t,b53, should go on on a principle that would
:1114„'„''in an increase of business every month. In-
s','i e,nhY he would endeavour to set something like
ice tinilde.—(Hear, hear.) He concluded by giving
':iii ' "ealth of the Commercial Travellers of the
4 t(i 1. " •
trlN,st Kingdom," which was drank with the warmest
A/r, rations of feeling.
nil 4 Aloksz acknowledged the toast. lie said he
.1,,14tc1t,i 11(It affect any particular modesty, as on this
),.'tis ‘,`'Ll be thought it ought to be thrown aside.
I"'ort-ent WAS one of very great importance, much
Z:lii ;Atl) perhaps, than his friend Mr. Moore
lave
n'n'agined. It was a very comprehee-
t,4,'te )11,1% if what he said should be reported
rh,'fivii.,ll' find its way to the heart of every man in the
4'1,44 :"8 to the heart of every commercial gentle.
f,'es ,t,.ln Scotland and Ireland. Every one who read
4t(1,1 `-D:ell in Which the toast was proposed, would
,\`'lr.Titeful to Mr. Moore for proposing it. He
;'irlatt'l'se) would show, in the course of a few
''s4,lB, that the body of commercial travellers pos-
tkdit 111°re importance than many persons gave them
t'e 11,, °l.' Travellers in the ordinary acceptation of
L`c‘se,'"ird, a'ere looked" upon as men journeying from
.4hing:°,.,„4',1%.13, merely in pursuit of business, and
at''Teet ; 't-e views beyond it. Now they had a nobler
ape'.'"eY all felt that they owed a duty to their
i''eree,ild families, and a great proof of this was
itteetlible`nera to day in the great number of re-
!_tred gentlemen there assembled, who had
----__ their lives in this office, and he

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