The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-12-20 00:00:00

IMPORTANT TO SHAREHOLDERS IN THE NOR-
WICH UNION LIFE ASSURANCE OFFICE.

MANCHESTER, Thursday Morning.
A general meeting of the holders of policies in the Norwich
Union Life Assurance Society, resident in Manchester, was
held yesterday (Wednesday), at the Albion Hotel, in this
town, at eleven o'clock, pursuant to advertisement, for the
purpose of receiving a report of the deputation that had been
appointed to attend the general meeting at Norwich, on the
26th ult. Mr. John Edward Taylor in the chair. There
were about 25 or 26 gentlemen present on the occasion, and
Alderman Fairbrother had kindly attended, to give such in-
formation on the affairs of the society as the insurers present
on this occasion might require.
The proceedings of the meeting were commenced by Mr.
Wilson, solicitor, of Manchester, reading the report that he
had made to the insurers residing in the neighbourhood of
the meeting he was deputed to attend in London, on the 22d
November, in consequence of the extraordinary proceedings
which took place at the meeting of the 6th November last, of
which the following is a brief but accurate summary. Mr.
Pontifex, a respectable solicitor, in moving the adoption of
the report drawn up by the London Committee, entered into
various statements of the affairs of the Society, skewing great
mismanagement and neglect of duty on the part of the direc-
tors, and gross mismanagement on the part of Mr. Bignold,
secretary and manager of the affairs of the company—charges
which he considered were proved by the fact that a balance
of only £15,000 was left to the society after a lapse of seven
years, since the last bonus was declared. Upon this he (Mr.
P.) urged the necessity of the directors, and 'Mr. Bignold
being, removed, in order to prevent the office being abso-
lute&y ruined. These charges are briefly stated in the fol-
lowing words, viz.,—losses from mortgages on insufficient
security, and a false bonus in 1829, causing a deficit of
£126,000: the balance in favour of the society in June, 1836,
being but .1:15,000. The report impugned the motives of the
managers, and justified the acts and proceedings of the Lon-
don committee as being intended for the benefit of the
insurers. The report of the London committee, in addition
to the dismissal of Mr. Bignold and the directors, also urged
the removal of the office from Norwich to London ; and
when its adoption was seconded by Mr. Jones, of Bristol,
a stormy debate arose; it being evident that the meeting
was composed of three parties, viz., the London committee,
Mr. Bignold's friends, and the examiners. This stormy
meeting was put an end to by Mr. Wells moving an amend-
ment of a conciliatory nature, to the effect that the meeting was
thankful for the exertions of the committee, and for the re-
port of the examiners; but considered it for the interests of
the assurers at large that an amicable adjustment should
forthwith be made, in order to avoid useless litigation, which
must ultimately lead to the destruction of the office. This
was carried, and recommended to be laid before the general
meeting at Norwich for their serious consideration, and to
which meeting all interested in the office were requested to
go. This meeting Mr. Wilson and Mr. Broadhurst attended,
and the result is stated in their joint report, which was also
read by Mr. Wilson, and of which an outline is given below.
This meeting was attended by about 450 or 500 insurers of
high respectability, among whom were the Earl of Oxford, Sir
It. Harvey, and others of rank and consequence in the cite
and neighbourhood, as well as numerous highly respectable
insurers from London and various parts of the kingdom.
Col. Harvey was called to the chair, when Mr. Bignold read
an introductory address from the directors, in which it was
stated, that it was admitted on all hands that the Society
had outgrown its original constitution and arrangements,
and that its future well-being demanded extensive and hn-
portant changes, both in its constitution and in the details of
its management—that the examiners had most ably per-
formed their duty—that the directors considered the Union
to be essentially a Norwich one, and any attempt to remove
the seat of government would prove utterly abortive—and
that Mr. Alderman Fairbrother and Mr. Stewart, two of the
examiners, be appointed directors. After some further
proceeding, Mr. Bignolds consented to a proposition from
Alderman Fairbrother to receive £2OOO for the performance
of the duties of his office, with the use of the house—those
duties in future to be strictly defined by the directors.
A portion of the charge against Mr. Bignold, and not men-
tioned in the preceding part of this report, was that of hav-
ing mortgage deeds to the amount of £200,000 made out in
his own name only—that they were kept in his own hands—
and that they took three entire days to endorse the proper
declaration of trust upon them. Upon this point, Alder-nem
Fairbrother, as one of the examiners, stated, that there were
only eleven deeds made out in Mr. B.'s name—that proper
declarations of trtnt had been endorsed on five of them, and
with respect to the other six, it was no fault of Mr. B.'s,
but a mere oversight ; and that these six mortgages amounted
only to £6,200, out of above a million of money invested in
mortgages, and that Mr. B. had no control whatever over
these six mortgages ; and Mr. Pontifex thereupon made a
full and public apology. Mr. Bignoll himself then explained
that a few of the mortgages were made out in his name,
in order to save trouble and expense to the parties ; that
the bonus in 1829 was made in the regular way by the
directors at a public general meeting, at which thirty insurers
at least must be present—that the materials were extracted
from tie office-book in which the actuary made his calcula-
tions, and upon which be (Mr. B.) made his report to the
directors, and upon which the bonus was declared accordingly.
And in reply to a question by Mr. Pontifex, if the office was
in bad repute, he stated that it had not decreased in
public estimation, in proof of which lie stated, that the
number of policies had increased since 1836, when 478
policies—in 1837, 494—and in 1836, 503 were effected.
In reply to the charge of the loss of £200,000 on mortgages,
Mr. B. explained that the surveyor had only estimated the
loss at £35,000, but that the examiners who had valued
every thing against the office, had valued it at £62,000. With
regard to observations, as to the large annual amount which
Mr. B. had put into hs own pocket, he stated that it
was but what he was entitled to for commission, ale( ording
to the terms of his. agrement and deed of settlement,
and that the examining accountant had found his accounts
strictly correct, with the exception of an error of £6,
which was made against himself. This report recom-
mended that a committee be formed of four directors
and four insurers, of which Alderman Fairbrother and
Mr. Stewart were to prepare a new code of laws, or
deed of settlement, for the future government lof the
society which were to be submitted to Mr. Brodie, Mr. Tyr-
rell, and Mr. Duval, (as their referee in case they should
differ in opinion,) three of the mint eminent conveyancing
counsel of the present day ; plans of retrenchment and
economy were laid down, by which a saving of £7,000 a year
would be effected in the expenditure of the association, and
Mr. Alder Man Fairbrother and Mr. Stewart had contented
to become directors, in order to carry out the plans for the
government of the social which tilt), 1..1-projected.

WOLVES IN SHROPSHIRE.—On Wednesday last, four large-
wolves were seen passing through the village of Lillzshall,
near Newport, in this county. They were quickly pursued
by the tenants, who succeeded in shooting one through the
neck, and killed it. The other three were then captured,
and safely lodged by a keeper near to the Duke of Suther-
land's mansion, to the great satisfaction of the farmers. Many
sheep had been torn. It is supposed these wolves, had es-
caped from some collection of beasts.--Shrewsbury chronicle.
SIR ALEXANDER JOHNSTON.—•DUMFRIES BURGHS.--
Contrary to a very general opinion entertained somuweeks
ago, Sir Alexander Johnston, of Carnsalloch, seems deter-
mined to stand forward for our burghs. The address he has
issued is couched in very general terms ; but Sir Alexander's
pointed declaration in favour of the ballot, and the boast of
his votes in Mary-le-bone, give us at least one, clear pledge,
instar omniuns, that he is " a whig and something more.'
Duntfries Herald.
NEw PATENT.—Among the list of patents grented (luring
the past month, we observe one to Mr. Jan Faram, of Mid-
dlewich, for certain improveMents in the mode of construct-
ing, applying, and using railway switches for connecting
different lines of railway, or two distinct railwa. a, and for
passing locomotive steam and other engines, all s
carriages and waggons from the one to the othm of such rail-
way, and for certain apparatus connected therewith.
A. beautiful specimen of the rough-legged buzzard was
caught last week in the neig!thouthood of Stroud. This bird
inhabits the pine forests in she north of Euroi e, and rarely
visits Britain, and then only the eastern parts of the country,
to which it appears to be driven by the winds, in the course
of its continental migrations. It has not been noticed in
Scotland. The specimen above mentioned is now in the
hands of Mr. Skelton, curator, Zoological Gardens, Chel-
tenham.

SATURDAY.—The Duke and Prince George
of Cambridge, and the Duke of Beaufort, with his guests, the
Earl of Chesterfield, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Lord A. Fitz-
clarence, Hon. Captain Macdonald, Viscount Villiers, Hon.
A. Villiers, Earl Bathurst. Mr. Codrington, &c.,
either hunt or shoot every day. The Duchess of Cambridge
and the princesses, when the weather permits, enjoy a drive
in this neighbourhood. There is a carpet dance every even-
ing after dinner. The interior of this tine mansion has been
much improved in appearance by the artists Messrs. Mills
and Edwards, who were here some time previous to the ar-
rival of the royal visiters. ' , • _

DEATH OF ADMIRAL SIR WM. HARWOOD, G.C.B. and
G.C.H.—We have to announce the death of the above gallant
member of the British navy,which took place at his residence,
at Bath, on Thursday last. Sir Wm. had been residingst the
above city for some time previous to his demise, fin tile advan-
tage of its waters. The deceased entered the navy at an early
age,where he served under the late king, then Duke of Cla-
rence, in the West Indies. He participated in the glories of
Trafalgar, under the immortal Nelson, having the command
of the Belleisle, during that splendid engagement. A few
years since, this distinguished officer was Port Admiral of
Plymouth, which, we believe, as the last appointment he
held under the Government. Thus has descended to the
grave one of the brightest ornaments of our navy, full of
years and honours.
OWENITE MASUCERADES.—We are informed that, the
mi.erable creatures who congregate in the " 11 all of Sci-
ence," are not satisfied with the, amount of licentiousness
and wretchedness which their doctrines and practices have
caused already, but that they 'are determined to exceed their
past doings in infamy. We understand that they are ac-
tually making preparations for holding a MASQUERADE,
in the course of a few days ! ! V. hat do the truly pious,
sober, and chaste members of the coininttili'y think of that?
Our intention in thus directing public attention to the filthy
projects of this filthy nest of atbeist.s, LI, to put to the people
whether such abominations shall be permitted. We put it to
parents and guardians, whether. such a scene of beastly
wickedness, perilling as it doss the present and immortal
welfare of the young, should be tolerated ,in a Christian
land. Why do not the police put this loathsome thing down,
as a common nuisance.—Sheffie/4 Patriot.
HOLYWELI. AND GREEN FIELD COLLIER-V.—About eigh-
teen months ago a Joint Stock Company was formed by gen-
tlemen residing in London, Liverpoal, and Manchester,
for the purpose of proving the lands at the Greenfield Estate
for coals, near Itolyivell, the property of Sir Edward Mostyn.
Bart., under the superintendence of Mr. Bennetts, of that
neighbourhood, which have fully answered the most sanguine
expectations. An engine is now at work of sufficient power
to drain the water from the mine, and to wind up from SO to
100 tons of coals per day. A very splendid circular walled
shaft, eleven feet diameter, is just completed to the first bed
of coal (which is of superior quality, and about three feet
four inches thick) 62 yards deep from the surface. The town
of Holywell will shortly be supplied with this necessary
article from this colliery, viz. the llolywell and Greenfield
Colliery, to their great convenience, as it will prove a saving
to the inhabitants of from three to five miles in carriage.—
Chester Courant.
ANCIENT INKS.—According to the Roman naturalist
Pliny, and other authors, the basis of the ink used by ancient
writers was formed of lamp-black, or the black taken front
burnt ivory, and soot front furnaces and baths. Some have
also supposed, that the black liquor which the cattle-fish
yields was frequently employed. One thing is certain, that,
whatever were the component ingredients, front the black-
ness and solidity in the most ancient manuscripts, from an
ink-stand found at Ile.-cul ovum, ia which the ink appears
as a thick oil, and from chemical analysis, the ink of antiquity
was much more opaque, as well as encaustic, than that which
is used in modern times. Inks of different colours were
much in vogue : red, purple, blue, anti gold and silver inks,
were the principal varieties. The red was made front
vermillion, cinnabar, and carmine ; the purple, front muecx,—
one kind of which, called the purple encaustic, was ap-
propriated to the exclusive use of the emperors. Golden
ink was much more popular amongst the Greeks than amongst
the Romans. During the middle or dark ages, the manufac-
ture both of it and of silver ink was an extensive and lucra-
tive branch of trade, and the illuminated manuscripts whielt
remain arc a striking proof of the high degree of perfection
to which the art was carried. The making of the inks them-
selves was a distinct busn.ess ; another comic !Led with it,
and to which it owed its Origin, was that of inscribing the
titles, capitals, as well as emphatic' words, in coloured and
gold and silver inks.