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AHISTORY of the FRENCH REVOLUTION;
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PARLL4MENIARY REPORT.

The Select Committee appointed to consider of the Laws respect-
ing FRIENDLY SOCILTIES, and to report the same, with their Ob-
servations thereupon, to the House: and who were empowered
to report the Minutes of Evidence taken before them; have,
pursuant to the Orders of the House. considered the Matters to
them referred, and have agreed upon the following Report
(Continuedfroni car Ayer of Yesterday.)
Your Committee regret, that the period of the Ses-
sion at which their inquiries have been closed, has pre-
vented them froM undertaking the systematic arrange-
ment and critical examination of their materials, which
were certainly desirable; at the same time, they are
cooscious that their materials, ample as they are, are
tar from complete; and they trust, that by submitting
them to the House in their present state, at the close of
the Session, they ensure for them the greatest probabi-
lity of correction and completion.
The mote usual objects of the Slcieties are, an al-
lowance in case of sickness, a pension in old age, and
the insurance of a sum of money at death. It is re-
mai kable, that uniil a ith;n a very few years, no data
were collected whereon a calculation of the average
one! rence of sickness at the several ages of min,
could be formed e ith tolerable accuracy ; but it is for-
tunate, that a calculation msde.anany years ago, upon
a hypothetical assumption, has been found to lead to
practical results, not very different from those of the
more recent inquiries.
The hypothesis of Dr. Price was, that in societies
consisting of persons under 32 years of age, a 48th
pact of the members will be always in a state of inca-
pacitation, from illness or accidents; that from the age
of 32 to 42, this proportion increases to one quarter
more than a 48th part; from 43 to .51, to one-half
mote; from 52 to .58, to three.quarters more; and
ftom 58 to 64, to double. The first branch of this
proposition, referring to an age under 32, is stated to
have been founded, in some degree, upon experience;
the others proceed upon the assumption, that after that
age, as life approaches to its close, sickness becomes
more frequent, in the same ratio as life becomes less
ialuable. in strictness, perhaps, some allowance ought
to have been made in respect of accidents, the liability
to which does not increase as life advances ; but the
correction would be very inconsiderable.
Upon this supposition, Dr. Price required from every
subscriber under 32, who should desire to have an al-
lowance in sickness of four shillings, a weekly pay-
ment of one penny, being the forty-eighth part of foul
shillings; the same payment increased by a quarter,
thar is one penny farthing, from subscribers between
the ages of 32 and 42, and so on to two-pence from
members whose age exceeded 58 years.
Mr. Morgan, the nephew of Dr. Price, and Actuary
to the Equitable Assurance Office for lives and survi-
vorships, continues to use this table; and Mr. Frend,
Actuary to the Rock Assurance Company, and also an
eminent mathematician, entirely concurs with Mr.
Morgan. These two Gentlemen have been employed
in certifying, under the Act, the tables of a great
number of societies; among others, those of a very
considerable society, which has attracted much of the
public attention, The Friendly Institution, founded at
Southwel', in Nottinghamshire, by the Rev. John
Thomas Becher, under the presidency of Vice-Admiral
Sotheron, one of your Committee.
The tables of this society (which will be found in the
Appendix), have been adopted by a society upon a
large Scale, lately formed in Hampshire, by Mr. Fle.
ming, another of your Committee, and by others which
are in progress. The payments required by these tables,
for provision against sickness, are somewhat greater
than those required by Dr. Price; the excess may be
considered as necessary, for greater security, and for
the expense of management.
The Houseoeill observe, that other actuaries besides
Messrs. Morgan and Frend have borne their testimony
to the sufficiency of the South well tables, so far as they
apply to sickness ; and your Committee request parti-
cular'attention to the evidence of Mr. Finlaison, Ac-
tuary to the National Debt Office, who having, at his
first examination befo.e the Committee, signified an
opinion that sickness does not follow any general law;

and having, in consequence of suggestions from the
Committee, paid further attention to the subject, has
finally expressed his -conviction, that sickness may be
reduced to an almost certain law ; and has furnished
the Committee with a very ettensive body of infor-
mation upon the subject. Your Committee, however,
think it neht to add, that the late period at which they
received Mr. Finlaison's last paper, renders it necessary
for them merely to submit it for consideration ; they are
not prepared to express their concurrence in its contents.
The House will find in the evidence, and in this paper
of Mr. Finlaison, frequent reference to " The Scots
Tables." The tables here intended, are those which
are appended to a " Report on Friendly or Benefit So-
cieties, exhibiting the law of sickness as deduced from
returns by Friendly S cieties in different parts of Scot-
land, drawn up by a committee of the Highland SO.
ciety of Scotland." In the year 1820, this society cir-
culated am,ng a number of Friendly Societies, in dif-
ferent parts of Scotland, blank scheduleseto be tilled up
with information in much detail, as to the ages of the
members, and the quantity of sickness which had oc-
curred. Returns were received from about eighty so-
cieties, and various tables were Constructed upon the
result. One of these was framed open a principle en-
tirely new, and purported to give, in we ks and deci-
mals of a week, the average duration of sickness likely
to occur to an individual of each age, during • a year.
Th's average is found to be, in all the earlier periods of
life (and your Committee w, nl.l observe, that in regard
to the later period, they wish to reserve tin ir observa-
tions tili they come to superannuation) considerably
less than the average assumed by Dr. Price, or in the
South well Tables. Whether this difference is owing
to a defect in the form in which the statement of facts
was required, to the defective mode in which the requi-
sition was answered, to the superior healthiness of the
districts to which the returns applied, or to what other
cause, your Committee have not formed a decided judg-
ment. Much detail upon all these points will be found in
the evidence; but the Committee have not thought it
necessary to pursue a more extended inquiry into this
question, because they trust that they have procured,
and still more that they will have pointed out the means
of procuring, a body of information more complete,
more accurate, and more generally applicable. They
desire, however,to recommend the Report to the peru-
sal of all persons who take an interest in inquiries of
this nature; and they have derived many valuable
hints from the proceedings of the society, and the evi-
dence of Mr. Oliphant, writer to the Signet, by whom
the Report was framed.
But the Committee certainly do not feel justified in
recommending these Scots tables, or any which require
payments lower than those required at Southwell, for
adoption by any society in England. For sickness, the
South well tables may safely be adopted, provided that
a separate and sufficient provision be made for sickness
or disability occurring after the age of sixty-five.
In reference to the adequacy of the sick contributions,
'tout Committee desire the particular attention of tire
House to the evidence of Mr. George Glenny, and Mr.
Thomas Dean. These persons are the framers or ms-
nagers .sof two very considerable societies, established
within a few years in the Metropolis; the one sty:ed
" The Royal Union Association, at No. 5, Lancaster
Place, Waterloo Bridge:" the other, o The Mutual In-
surance Betn.fit Institution, No. 50, in Thread-
needle Street."
These institutions are Friendly Societies upon a very
large scale; an.' the first-named adds to its enumeration
of ordinary objects, which are allowances in sickness
and old age, Life Insurance, Endowments for Chil-
dren, &c. that it is" for encouraging the establishment'
and improvement of Benefit Societies throughout the
kingdom ;" and invites the correspondence or persons
desirous of forming societies or clubs in the country.
There is a wide difference between the two Societies,
in regard to the rate of contribution. The " Union,"
the actuary of which, Mr. Glenny, has been extensively
employed in certifying rules and tables under the Act,
requires payments considerably higher than the e of
the Southwell Institution; this is accounted for, partly
by the greater un!.ealthiness of the metropolis, and
partly by the necessity of a considerable allowance for
the expenses of management, where there is not, as at
Southwell, the support of voluntary donations. And
this leads your Committee to make a remark, of some
importance, that the addition made for management
should not be, as in some instances it is, a per centage
upon the contribution, inasmuch as the expense of ma-
nagement bears a proportion rather to the number of
the members, than to the amount of their payments.
The other institution began with payments too low;
and has found it necessary to increase the contributions.
The tables, nevertheless, as allowed at the Sessions,
bore the signature of respectable actuaries.
The next of the wore usual objects of Friendly Socie-
I ties is the Insurance of an Annuity in old age; a pen-
sion to commence at the age of 65 for instance, or 70.
This also was one of the contingencies for which Dr.
Price calculated a table of payments; and the basis of
this calculation was the table of the expectation of life
commonly called the Northampton Table. The opinion
of Messrs. Morgan and Fiend, founded upon this table,
is also adopted by the Southwell Institution, and by
the Societies which have been formed in imitation oil
that eminent establishment. The actuary of the Union '1
Association requires payment considerably higher,
without stating distinctly upon what observation of the
expectation of life he founds his opinion; but Mr. Fin-
laison has furnished your Committee with much valua-
ble evidence, tending to shew that the Northampton
Tables give an expectation of life so much too unfa-
vourable, as to render the use of them for annuities in
old age extremely unsafe. Mr. Fitilaisun founds his
opinion in great measure upon the experience drawn
from the duration of life among the natnitiees in the
Government Tontines, and the Annuitants of Govern-
ment under the Act 48 Geo. 111. c. 142.
It is certain that the experience of the offices for In-
surance on Lives, has proved the Northampton Tables,
to be much more unfavourable to human life than the
purposes of those offices requite; but it is to be consi-
dered, that bad lives are rejected at those offices, and
the lives insured can therefore not be taken as furnish,
ing a fair average for life in general. But there is no
reason for supposing that the lives of those persons of

various ranks, who have converted their stock into life
annuities, are peculiarly good. lives; and the Tontine
nominees cnnsisted of persons selected by lot from the
children of the Clergy and Magistracy throughout
the country.
Your Committee the less regt et that the necessity of
closing their labours prevents them from pursuing this
inquiry further, because they are disposed to believe
that the Ivitlenci which they have annexed to their
Report, u induce the House to resume the inquiry in
another Session, and to consider the propriety of col-
lecting, j,ty Parliamentary authority, such information
as mat plaie the disputed questions almost beyond
controversy.

suchor aMemberstee
of
management th
In the meantime, they cannot but recommend to
Houseof
Fasriemndalyy take part in the
fmgreat
caution in settling the tate of contribution for superan-
nuated allowan, es ; and they are not prepared to re-
commend in this case, as they have in sickness, the
Southwell 'fables as a standard. Perhaps the tables
calculated by Mr. Finlaison are, for this contingency,
the safest standard. It will readily be perceived that
too low a rate of subscription for allowances in old age,
is the most dangerous error into which a society can
fall. The sufficiency of the contribution for sickness,
would in truth rather aggravate than palliate the mis-
cbef ; because a society consisting of persons of nearly
the same age, which should have a rate adequate for
sickness, and inadequate for old age, would continue to
flourish until the members all became superannuated,
when all would be ruined; whereas the insufficiency of
the rate for sickness would be obvious at a much earlier
period, as it has become in the mutual insurance; and
a remedy might be applied before the evil had become
extensive.
It has been alleged, in justification of the sufficiency
of the Southwell rate of superannuation, that as an in-
surance will be also made for sickness, the one contin-
gency will balance the other: the man who attains the
age of 65, and becomes a claimant for a sußerannua-
tion allowance, will probably have drawn but little on
account of sickness. It is obvious, that this is only
true, if the amount of the two insurances bear a due
proportion, one to the other.
A difference of opinion exists as to these superannd-
ation allowances. In • some institutions, no allowance
is granted by reason of old age only ; an old man, if
incapacitated by his infirmity for profitable labour, is
in the situation of any other infirm person, and entitled
to the reduced allowance given in sickness, which has
continued for more than a year, or whatever may be
the limited period. It has been 'Only observed, that
this is an arrangement much !Dore beneficial to the
aged member, than one by which he is debarred from
receiving a sick allowance, and only entitled to the
very small pension which is sometithes given by way
of superannuation ; not more, in some instances, than
Is. or even 6d. weekly. But your Committee are
strongly impressed with an opinion of the desirableness
of a superannuation allowance, adequate to the main-
tenance of the subscriber, without a resort to the parish.
It is true, that the addition to be made to the monthly
contribution, in order to secure this benefit, is consider-
Ale, and the remoteness of the benefit may disincline
persons from subscribing for it, who are not unwilling
to make a small sacr fice, in order to be relieved unJer
the nearer contingency of sickness; and a man's rosl
sible savings may be sufficient to allow of his providing
for the one contingency, anti not (or the other. Yet
as one main object of the institutioi s is to enable poor
persons to maintain themselves through life, without
recourse to the public fund, and to create a spirit of in-
dependence, every encouragemeot and facility ought
assuredly to be given to persons who are willing to
protect themselves against the necessity of either recur-
ring, at the close of their lives, to the pauperism ahich
they have avoided in their years of labour ; or being
engaged in V e struggle with the stewards of their club,
which, while their incapacity for labour is in any de-
gree doubtful, most continu illy harass and oppress them.
Your Committee have no particular observation to
make upon the subject of Insurance for the payment of
a sum on death. In the Appendix, some valuable*
suggestions will be found. The Not thampton Tables
may certainly be adoi ted with perfect safety; and if
the other contingencies aie amply provided for, a de-
duction may safely be made from the Northampton
rate, for this part of the insurance.
In concluding this important branch of their Report,
your Committee now proceed to the suggestions which
have occurred to them for the amendment of the law ;
so far as it regards the sanction of the actuaries, your
Committee are decidedly of opinion that some altera-
tion must be made.
One mode which has suggested itself for securing
the object contemplated in this part of the Act, is the
Parliamentary enactment of Tables, applicable to all
tke purposes of Friendly Societies. But even if the
House were satisfied that the data exist for construct-
ing such tables with suffic;ent certainty, it might be re-
marked, that this suggestion puts entirely out of the
question all differences of locality or occupation.
But the rate of mortality, and of sickness in Eng-
land, is not at present sufficiently well ascertained to
justify a Parliamentary enactment of any particular set
of Tables. Even the generally received opinion, of the
improvement in the value of life, is rejected by certain
observers of much eminence. And it must be owned,
that no extensive information has hitherto been col-
lected, as to the duration of life among the lower
orders; and it is obvious, that neither experience, drawn
from the higher and middling classes, nor results taken
Ifrom the Army or Navy, or from the London Hos-
pitals, can be depended upon, in reference to the gene-
ral mass of the manufacturing. or agricultural popttla
tion. In some cases, even a similar result is produced,
in the higher and lower classes, by the operation of
different causes: thus, it is generally believed, in
France as well as in England, that among the 1 wee
classes, more children are burn, but of those a smaller
proportion teaches maturity. The same number of per-
sons might then be found at the same age,with the same
number of children, though the fruitfulness of their
several marriages had been extremely different.
clear, that if this fruitfulness were the point to be ascer-
tained by experience, the inquitet who should satisfy

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