The Sun.
London, England, 1827-10-29 00:00:00

SPIRIT •or THE PUBLIC ,lOURNALS.

There is this pleasant thing to consider in
the late case" (that of Taylor), says the Morting
Herald," that the prosecution was nut a Go-
vernment prosecution ; it was a City prosecution,
and at the instigation of Mr. Alderman ,1' bins.
We haw- heard that the Bar, take it in general,
and even some of the .Judges, are decidedly hos-
tile to such prosecutions. We should not be
snrprised if this late prosecution made many
thousands of Deists. Let people only consider
the spreading of the trial by newspapers to all
narts of the world." Our contemporary nerd
hardly, be told that people of Mr. Alderthan
Atkin 's kidney are not to be restrained by pru-
dential considerations from any thing that they
believe will procure them credit
.for zeal and
activity. Their object is to make themselves of
consequence, no matter what the consequence
may be to others. If London had been set on
fire when Alderman Atkins made the notable
discovery that 'it was about to be set on fire,
there would have been no bounds to his reputa-
tion for seeing into a millstone farther than his
neighbours ; but unfortunately for the worthy
Alderman's reputation, the City remains un-
consumed. We can easily make allowance for
the difficulty in which such a man must feel
himself, of remaining quiet. Newspapers are
certainly not well adapted for controversies on
the evidences of the Christian religion, for many
reaaons too obvious to require specification ; but
into such controversies we are drawn, nolens
volens, by a proceeding of this nature. Lis of
the utmost consequence that the proceedings in
trials for libel and blasphemy should be fully re-
ported, because every Englishman is deeply
Interested in all proceedings which affect the
freedom of discussion. The eye of the public,
indeed, cannot be too intensely fixed on the most
trivial point that has•reference to the liberty -of
the Press. But. what is the 'consequence ? There
is but one feeling among all men who take an
interest in their religion, that those who arc in-
sufficiently acquainted with the evidences for that
religion (and we need not say that in all coun-
tries the great mass of the people must neces-
sarily take their religion on authority) are in
danger of receiving false impressions on the sub-
ject, from the circulation of erroneous, but un-
answered statements. The real authors of the
mischief are such reckless men as Alderman
Atkins, who, for the sake of making themselves
of consequence, follow such men as the Rev. R.
Taylor and his disciples into their comparatively
obscure places of meeting, and exhibit them and
their doctrines to the eye of the whole world.—
Morning Chronicle.
During the last administration of the Whigs,
Mr. Fo?c, who was himself a model of blandness
and. good-nature,
,when applied to by sundry
hungry hangers-on of the party to provide them
with births under Government, was said to have
represented the thing as impossible—adding,
" for we are already as thick as three in. a bed."
This good-humoured rebuff suggested to the
inimitable caricaturist Gilray one of his happiest
efforts, in which, under the title of " Mere Pigs
than Teats," John Bull is represented as ex-
hausted and nearly torn to pieces by his nu-
merous sharp-set progeny. Some of the modern
Whigs, now that they are in power, have hit, we
are told, upon a different way of satisfying their
friends, by which they avoid the painful task of
refusing them any thing. The plan, we are told,
is to appoint people to situations such as they do
not want, and are not fit for. The poor unfor-
tunate Whig hanger-on consequently is soon
obliged to relinquish his appointment, and a
fresh opportunity occurs of presenting it to ano-
ther ; while tho first applicant's mouth is of
course ptopped, on any future application, by
being told that he had been already provided for,
and that it was his own fault that he did not keep
what he had.got. We could quote two or three
instances of this new. panacea of Whigism—hut
lest it should be injurious to individuals, we for-
bear.—Morning Herald.

A Committee of the House of Commor:s has
published a Report upon a subject, not only
very curious in itself, but very interesting and
important to humanity. This Committee was
appointed to inquire into the law. affecting
Fnendly Societies, and by consequence was led
into an extensive and elaborate examination of
the several data fur calculating the duration of
life, more especially among those classes of the
people from .vhich the members of friendly so-
cieties are in most cases selected. The Report,
which, though short, is comprehensive and va-
luable, states the general objects of these socie-
ties to be—the provision of allowances in sick-
ness, allowances in old agc, and sums to be paid
tb the families of contributors in case of death.
It is acknowledged to be a matter of the highest
urgency, that the plan and constitution of such
societies should be founded on solid principles
of calculation; that the sums to be periodically
subscribed should be adjusted strictly to the pro-
babilities of human life, and should at the same
time leave an adequate fund of so much per
cent. for the fair expellees of carrying on the
concern ; that, even without the adventitious
misfortune of negligence or fraud in the parties
entrusted with the management, the whole esta-
blishment may not, as many have been, be
brought to a state of irretrievable insolvency, and
the subscribers or their -families not only disap-
pointed of the benefits for which they had sacri-
ficed swmuch temporary comfort, but robbed of
what they had actually paid. An outline is given
-in the report 'of the hiztory of the Southwell
Society in istottiugharnshire, got up many years
ago, under most respectable patronage, and di-
rected by the advice and 'assistance of .the Rev.
Mr. Becher. This society, it appears, lias'pro-
spored to such a degree, as to serve for the model
of others formed in Hampshire, Dorsetshire,
and other districts.. The examination of wit-
nesses in the detail 'of evidence exhibits a variety
of facts and opinions possessing great in-
interest for the public, and indeed no slight ma-
terials of amusement, in the conflicting judg-
ments as well as unequal talents of the several
actuaries and mathematicians resorted to for ad-
vice, with regard to the corrctness of the rival
tables under consideration. On this point—
viz., the merits of the tables—we may quote
the few following paragraphs from the Report
itself:—
" The attention of your Committee has been di-
rected. principally to the supemnuation allowances.
The Committee of 1825 did not recommend the
Southwell rates as a standard. Those rates being
founded upon the Northampton tables, your Com-
mitteebave
thought it incumbent upon them to
consider,
more particularly than the former commit-
tee, the liiitoty and sufficiency of those tables. With
this view, they'
the founder of the.,s h'hay.te examinedi Mr. Becher,
w___el society, and ~ m r.. ,
or-
gan, who always uses the Northampton tables both
these gentlemen were known to be favourable to
those tables. The
whose opinion, unLeourabt.edi also Mr. Finlaison,
stated in 1825; and Milne,
those tables, was
Mr. Cionipertz, Mr. Mr. Francis Bail',
96int DtrncSO Mr. • Babbage,

all eminent mathematicians, and several other per-
sons, who, as well as these gentlemen, are known
to have paid attention io questions connected with
the duration of human liie._ _

"Of these gentlemen, no one, except Messrs
Becher and Morgan, recommends the Tic-,-"lampton
tables as a safe basis for a deferred annuity.

" Their objections arc partly founded tiptm the
original defectiveness of their construction ; and
partly upon a comparison of the tables with the re-
sults of observation; made in various parts of Eng-
land and of Europe. The evidence appears, to your
Committee, to be strong and decisive in favour of the
use of tables which give an expectation of life higher
than the Northampton ; the objections to the North-
ampton tables will be found throughout the minutes,
but especially in the evidence of Mr. Milne and Mr.
Naylor. But, in truth, there is not even a primd
facie case in their favour. It is admitted, that those
tables were originally formed, in a degree, upon hy-
pothetical data ; the observations upon which they
were founded came down no farther than the year
1780, or at the latest, to 1791 ; and it is affirmed
that they have not been verified by any actual and sub-
sequent observation, or by the experience of any so-
ciety, which has endured for a period sufficiently long
to bring to tc sure test the accuracy of its calculations.
For all that can be said in favour of the Northampton
tables, your Committee refer to the evidence of Mr.
Becher and Mr. Morgan, with whom, they believe,
Mr. Freud concurs.

" It is not easy, nor is it necessary to the present
purpose, to determine whether the insufficiency of
the tables in question arises in any deg:ee from any
improvement which has occurred in the duration of
human life since the period at which they were con-
structed. It is enough that human life is found ac-
tually to endure longer than it is represented in the
tables. Your Committee, therefore, will on this
point only observe, that while it is admitted, by
nearly all authorities, that in the earlier stages of life
the rate of mortality has been checked through im-
proved medical treatment, and especially through
vaccination, it is doubted whether the improvement
extends to a period beyond infancy or childhood.—
It is obvious that, for the purpose immediately in
view, no improvement is important, except such as
has occurred in the number of persons of 20 or 25
years of age, who survive to the age of superan-
nuation.

" The house will find in the appendix several ta-
bles, showing the proportion of survivors, at every
age, according to several tables of observation, and
thereby illustrating the great importance of adopting
a safe estimate of survivorship."
" The eti.2ct which an increased probability of
living has upon the amount of the payment tokbe re-
quired for the purchase of a deferred annuity or su-
perannuation allowance, is ascertained by a processs,
repeatedly explained in books which treat of this
science.

"Of this process, the expectation of life,' and
the value,' which is deduced from it,' cf an an-
nuity upon a life of any given age,' and the pro-
bability that a person of one given age will survive
to another,' are necessary ingredients. This ex-
pectation of life' is ascertained by taking the aver-
age of persons who, according to the observations
assumed as the basis of calculation, will survive to
the several higher ages; and the value of an annuity
commencing at any given age is obviously regulated
by the number of years during which, according to
such expectation, a man of that age has to live. And
the probability' is found by dividing the number
living at the latter age by the number living at the
earlier age. Of this expectation, value, and proba-
bility; numerous tables have been constructed ac-
cording to the several tables of observation made at
different times and in various countries. Your com-
mittee will now show, in a tabular form, how much
these several ingredients of calculation will vary,
according to the tables of mortality selected, whether
the Northampton, Carlisle, or others, of most of
which mention will be found in the minwes.
" 1. The fist of Lliase is the Northampton table.
" 2. The second is referred to in the evidence,
as the Sweden table, which is particularly worthy of
attention, because it is recommended by Mr. Fran-
cis Daily, and, less confidently, by Mr. Babbage.
It was formed upon very extensive materials; but
it is not unreasonably objected to this table, that it
does not represent mortality in this country. "It
appears, however, to your committee, that there is
no reason for ascribing to the ;:.wed,,, who inhabit
a colder climate than that of England, any inereaseas
longevity. This table refers to the period from 1755
to 1776. Subsequent tables of equal authority havil
been formed in Sweden upon the perioda 177.5-0,1
and 1801.5. The results of these are not included
in the present statement, because no tatales of values
have been founded upon them ; but it is worthy of
observation, that in the second period • expecta-
tion of life appears higher than in the first, at all
ages; though in the latest periarl, the improvement
does not extend beyond the age of .10.
" 3. The third is the table formed by Mr. De
Parcieux, from observations on the Government
Annuitants in France in the earlier part of the last
century.
" 4. The next is the Carlisle table, already no-
ticed. It must be admitted that the Carlisle tables
appear to be liable to objection ; because the obser-
vations upon which they were formed were very
much limited both in duration and extent ; but the
observations were nevertheless more complete than
any which had previously existed in England; and
the tables are therefore strongly recommended. The
Carlisle tables are not liable to objection as contain-
ing selected lives, or referring to a superior order in
society. They have been the basis of very exten-
sive calculations of value.
" 5. The fifth table is derived from the actual
experience of the Equitable Assurance Society ; and
has been calculated by Mr. Griffith Davies, from
statements prepared by Mr. Morgan, of the morta-
lity which has occurred among the members of that
society, within a period of thirty or forty years. To
this table it is objected, first, that it represents mor-
tality among selected lives; secondly, that it refers
solely to persons of the higher and middling classes
of society ; and thirdly, that it is not valuable as to
ages below thirty years, because few persons under
that age insure at the Equitable-office. On the
first of these objections, your committee remark,
that as much care is taken by friendly societies as
by insurance companies (especially one which con-
ducts its business so liberally as the Equitable) to
exclude bad lives; the second, your committee ap-
prehend, is deserving of much consideration, and
might fairly require some allowance to be made,
when it is applied to the lower orders. They must
observe, however, that it is principally in infancy
that the superiority of condition occasions a dimi-
nished mortality. On the third objection, your
committee must remark, that it appears that in 20
years, between 1800 and 1821, nearly 1,500 lives
were insured, aged from 10 to 20, and nearly 9,000
between 20 and 30.
" 6 and 7. These tables have been framed by
Mr. Finlaison, Actuary to the Commissioners for
reducing the National Debt. They were founded
upon his actual observation of mortality among the
nominees of the tontines, and other life annuities
granted by authority of Parliament during the last
forty years. A table of the expectation of life from
these observations, was appended to the report of
1825. Mr. Finlaison has stated to your committee,
that he has subsequently reviewed all his computa-
tions in a mode calculated to prove their correctness;
and the result of this second computation is table
seven. It will be seen that most of the witnesses
bear testimony to the value of Mr. Finlaison's tables.
" Upon the whole, your committee are of opinion,
that the Carlisle tables may prudently be adopted
for general purposes, including that now in view—
the valuation of an allowance in old age. Mr. Fin-
laison's, which are the most recent of all the tables,
would, in all cases, give a higher expectation of life,
and consequently require a larger payment from the
members of a friendly society ; but the objection
arising from selection does apply, in a considerable
degree, to these tables; and Mr. Finlaison himself

bears testimony to the sufficiency of the Carlisle
tables."
It would appear, that Chester is considered
by some of the learned m_►thematicans examined,
as the most convenient spot on which to found
their calculations of mortality, from the near ap-
proach to equality of numbers which its popula-
tion has exhibited for a series of years,--a spe-
cies of reasoning of which we doubt the justice ;
—becaire, if Chester differs essentially in cir-
cumstances from most other parts of the king- •
dom, the results of an enquiry conducted there
may not he very generally applicable, or rather
may lead into positive error, where the bulk of
the kingdom, and not the place constituting an
exception, is the subject on which we arc to le-
gislate. The greater longevity of females, ill
comparison with males, is a fact which eeins to
be pretty much agreed upon by the calculators :
the greater longevity of the upper classes than of
the labourers, is one which might unhappily be
deduced by reason alone from the actual condi-
tion of the latter branch of the community ; but
that the advantage enjoyed by the upper class
while in the state of childhood should be ques-
tioned by any of the scientific witnesses as to its
continuance in after life, we were surprised to
see, nor is it made a question by more than one
or two of the gentlemen whose sentiments are
recorded. The report concludes with the fol-
lowing recommendations from the committee, as
to the measures which Parliament ought to adopt:
It had been the intention of your committee to
request their chairman to submit to the House a
Bill for consolidating and amending the law respect-
ing friendly Societies, but as they now find this im-
possible, they proceed to state how far they concur
in the suggestions of the committee of 1825 for the
amendment of the law. _ _ _

" Your committee are of opinion, with the for-
mer committee, that the provision in the act of 1819,
respecting two actuaries, should be repealed ; and
that of all the suggestions which have been made
for a substitute for this mode of ensuring accuracy,
a reference to the National Debt-Office is the best.
But they propose, that instead of requiring the
patties who tender the rules for enrolment, to trans-
mit them to that office, the law should impose that
duty upon the clerk of the peace, to whom a speci-
fied fee should be assigned. The rules should be
deposited at the office of the clerk of the peace one
month before the commencement of the Sessions at
which the enrolment is desired.
" According to this suggestion, there will not ne-
cessarily be any direct communication between the
parties proposing to form the society and the office
in London. The reference to the National Debt
Office will be the act of the Magistrates.
" With a similar view of avoiding jealousy of
what may be deemed interference on the part of the
Government, it is now proposed that the returns of
the state of the societies should be called for by the
Magistrates, not the National Debt Office ; that these
returns should be rendered as often as the Magis-
trates in Quarter Sessions may require, and always
once in five years.
" Your committee attach much importance to
these returns ; but are inclined to think that, when
called for under a penalty, their form should he some-
what more simple than that which was suggested to
the former committee. The penalty, however, in
this, and all cases of default on the part of a friendly
society, should be deprivation of the benefits of the
Act, that is, of the debentures bearing an interest of
four and a half per cent.
" The committee of 1825, mentioned the difficul-
ties which had occurred in procuring trustees quali-
fied under the Act, but they were not prepared to
suggest any alteration in the law.
" The committee of, 1825. suggested, that it
might perhaps be expedient that two justices, in
petty sessions, informed of an intention to divide or
appropriate the funds of ;t society otherwise than ae.-
cording to law, should be empowered to isl,ue an
order for staying all proceedings ; and that
all persons concerned in a breach of such order,
should be punishable by fine and imprisonment, by
summary process? Your committee apprehend that
this power of interference may properly be apylied,
not only to the case of an unauthorised division, or
a misappropriation of the funds, but to all other
[proceedings, leading less immediately to a rnisappro-
)kropri.-Ition of the funds, and thereby endangering.
,the stability of the society, and particularly the ad-
-tilission of members beyond the age authorized by
the rules; the order in this case would be, to pro-
iliibit admission of a member, shown upon suffi-
cient testimony, to be disqualified ; and all persons
concerned in any act of disobedience to this order„
by receiving or paying money, or in any other way,
should be themselves excluded from the society;
and, if contumacious, should be punished by fine or
imprisonment.
" Your committee are disposed to negative the
suggestion of the former committee, which forbad
the deposit of the funds of a friendly society in a
saving bank. They understand that great practical
inconvenience, and some loss of interest, would oc-
cur, if societies were deprived of this ready mode
of laying out all sums, large or small, upon interest.
They are, however, of opinion that this privilege of
drawing hrough the medium of a saving bank, the
high interest allowed by Government, should, as
well as that of drawing it directly front the bank,
be confined to societies enrolled under the Act 59
Geo. 111., c. 128.
" In the other suggestions or the report of 1825,
your committee concur ; and hope that they will be
formed into an act, which shall also consolidate all
the former enactments, in regard to all societies en-
rolled subsequently to the act of 1819."—Times.
Despatches have been received at the Admi-
ralty, from Admiral Sir E. Codrington, dated
Zante, Oct. 11, containing intelligence of an
highly curious, not to say very extraordinary na-
ture, if we are to credit the following statement
of its substance, given in terms the most confi-
dent in a Ministerial Evening Paper of Satur-

day, viz.:
" The despatches from Admiral Codrington announce,
that the Egyptian fleet, in the harbour of Navarino, bad
violated the armistice. On the 4th inst. a portion of this
fleet was intercepted by Admiral Cedrington, steering in
the direction of Patras, and, as it afterwards appeared, in-
tending to relieve that place. They were subsequently
joined by another division. Admiral Codrington apprised
them that they were violating the armistice which bad
been concluded with Ibrahim Pacha. The Turkish Com-
mander replied, that he was acting under the orders of the
Pacha, and affected not to know that the proceeding was
any violation of the existing armistice. Admiral Codi•ing-
ton fired at some of the transports to make them show their
colours. Three or four disregarded the summons, when
they were immediately boarded, and the remarkable circum-
stance transpired that they were protected by Austrian
papers, and a Turkish finnan, conjointly. They were, of
course, suffered to depart. At first Admiral Codrington
intimated to the Egyptian fleet, which had left the harbour
of Navarino, that as they had violated the armistice, they
should not be permitted either to proceed or to return to
Navarino. This, however, was not persisted in, and at the
date of the despatches they were on their return to join the
rest of the fleet."
We cannot trust ourselves to comment upon
this intelligence otherwise than hypothetically.
If the statement of the Ministerial Evening
Journal be correct, and if the British Admiral
has not violated his instructions in acting in
the manner described, then we shall be compel-
led to say, that the Administration is awfully re-
sponsible for a transaction which cannot be
otherwise considered than as tarnishing the ho-
nour of the British flag, and degrading the na-
tional character of England. As we cannot
bring ourselves to doubt the fidelity of our co-
temporary, we must ask, what in effect does the
intelligence amount to ? It is, that the Go-
vernment of England, after fitting out a naval
armament to bear upon the ships and subjects of

an old Ally, who it is not even -pretended had
given England, any direct cause of complaint :
after the Commander of that armament had, in
pursuance of his instructions, bounced and threat-
ened ; after shots had been fired, and lives either
lost or endanged, •in pursuit of this object
of the English Government--the state-
ment, we repeat, is, that after all this
had been said and done, the British Ad-
miral. found himself; on the arrival of the cri-
sis, bound hanu and foot. And by what? By
an anxious desire on the part of his Government
to prevent the effusion of blood ? By its re-
luctance to outrage beyond a certain point an old
and unoffending Ally ? • By any remains, or
any return of a regard to the Law of Nations or
the principle of good faith ? Alas ! it is by no
feeling so worthy as the most worthless of these,
that the British Admiral finds himself suddenly
divested of his authority, and arrested at the very
outset of his hostile career, with which he -had
been instructed to threaten one of the most an-
cient and faithful Allies of his country. He is
stopped in his course by certain little bits of pa-
per, purporting to emanate from the Court of
.'ienna, which are discovered, enveloped dain-
tily and curiously stowed away in the innermost
pigeon-hole of the most complicated bureau,
'standing in the most retired cabin of certain
Turkish vessels. In these ragged, dirty, and
concealed morsels of paper, there has it seems
been found a charm so potent as to quell the
roaring and paralyze the strength of the British
Lion, in his fiercest mood—
" Thus conscience does make cowards of us all."
The consciousness of an unjust cause has a
constant tendency to infect the councils of those
who contrive with imbecility, and to shed over
the minds and arms of those who are to execute,
irresolution and feebleness. This is one of the
everlasting decrees of that Providence, all whose
ordinances are wise and just. And it is surely
not too much to say that the authority of this
beneficent law has never been more signally dis-
played than in the present instance, if there be
any truth in the statement that the British force
engaged in the prosecution of an iniquitous and
unprincipled undertaking, has been turned aside
from its course, by an ambush of paper. If the
British squadron had any right at all to blockade
the Egyptian fleet in the harbour of Navarino it
unquestionably had a right to enforce that bloc-
kade, in defiance of the discovery that Austrian
paper ballets had been shipped in the latter as
part of its ammunition. This at least appears to
us to be quite clear ; although we should not
be greatly surprized if our present liberal Minis-
' try, or their equally liberal and ingenious advo-
vocates, were to argue, that what is just towards
a feeble State, may cease to be so when it be-
comes known that the feeble State is backed by a
powerful friend.—Morning Post.