The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-06-16 00:00:00

W. D. 'H

6 1 6 9 31.8 5.4
40.... 5 7 1 0 19 1 1 6 35 8 5.9
50.... 1 2 13 1 4 22 1 6 17 30.5 13 2
60.... 2 2 10 3 2 1 4 1 4 43.6 20.9
70. ... 10 4 22 11 5 13 14 0 6 23.7 23.0

•••••• • • ..“.• _ _ _ _
It is clear that societies, which adopt either the
calculations of the Highland Society or of Ansel!,
are very far below the result of actual experience,
and must eventually be brought into difficulties.
Taking the sick allowance during the 32 years of
life, laid down in this scale as the expectation of life
for such a member, we find that up to the period of
his death he will have received, at various times, as
sick allowance, £25, in round numbers, towards
which amount, without taking into consideration
any expenses of management, which will undoubtedly
absorb the accruing interest, there will only be left
a balance from his contributions of £2l Bs.

Every effort should be made to add to the pros-
perity and permanence of institutions which, well
managed, are calculated so materially to ameliorate
the social condition of the people. Mr. Nelson
shews, in the following table, and his comments upon
it, that the establishment of Friendly Societies has
actually contributed to lengthen the duration of life
amongst those contributing to them :
Expectation in Difference in favour of
Age. Friendly England and Friendly Societies.
Societies. Wales. In Years. Per Cent.
20...... 43.77 . 40.69 3.08...... 7.5
30 ..36.60. .. 34.09 .
40.. 29.33 .. 24.47........ 1. 8...... 6.7
50.. 22.19....
60 15.69....

"A very important distinction is here found to prevail
between the value of life in the two tables. The circum-
stances in which the humble and working population of
the country is placed have generally been thought adverse
to a rolonged duration of life ; but the healthiest life ta-
bles hitherto formed have not shown anything so favour-
able as the present results, even among what are generally
considered the select classes of society."
And he continues :

"The blessing thus bestowed on the frugal and indus-
trious workmen of the country, composing Friendly Soci-
eties, in having granted them, as appears by the present
inquiry, a prolonged duration of life, must really be re-
garded as a true and distinctive feature of that class of
persons, and is, no doubt, the result of their simple and
uniform habits of life, and the more regular and natural
physical exercises to which they are habituated!'
There can be no doubt the habits of saving and
of temperance induced by the necessity imposed
upon the working classes to keep up their contri
butions, tend materially to the preservation health;
and the gratuitous attendance of the club doctor, in
cases of sickness, is an important boon to the poor
man, who might otherwise be led to neglect incipient
disease, or driven to the employment of unskilful
quacks. The ease of mind, too, arising from the
reflection that comparative comfort in old age is se-
cured, tends greatly to retard the necessity of resort-
ing to the Benefit Societies for temporary aid, and
to prolong the life of the member.
One important fact arrived at by Mr. Neison we
cannot refrain from bringing before the attention of
this great commercial community, in the hope of
urging forward an attempt to provide a remedy :

' The rural labourer of thirty gears of age," he says,
" may expect to enjoy forty more years of life ; but the
miner of the same age can look forward only to thirty-
three years of life, the baker thirty-two years, the plum-
ber or painter thirty years, and last and lowest, the poor
clerk twenty-seven years—the latter period being thirteen
years below the expectation of life of the rural labourer,
seven years below that of the community in general, nine
years below that of the general body of the members of
Friendly Societies. We trust this appalling condition of
the clerks will stimulate themselves, those who are exert-
ing themselves in their behalf, and those who have power
to aid them, to renewed efforts to improve their condition,
and rescue them from that early grave to which the class
has hitherto been consigned."

The fact here disclosed is truly a melancholy one.
The class whose dull and dreary labours regulate
the wheels of the great commercial machine--who
are doomed, from year's end to year's end, to count
the wealth that flows in to increase the already
abundant store of the capitalist; and who seldom
dares even to hope for a better lot as the reward of
his attention and fidelity; possessed, from the ne-
cessity of his position, of an education which lea's
to the acquirement of tastes above those of the mere
mechanic, by our cruel parsimony, and the exaction
of an amount of sedentary labour above their power
to bear, we are dooming to penury in life, and a
premature old age and death. This unhappy class,
we fear, have seldom the opportunity, enjoyed by
other more fortunate classes, of making use of the
means afforded by Benefit Societies of providing for
the approach of sickness, or for interment after
death. Their whole career is one of toilsome
struggle—that worst of all struggles, the attempt to
make appearances belie the actual poverty of their
lot. Were it for this class alone, it would well be-
come the mercantile body in Liverpool to originate
and aid the establishment of some society upon a
safe and substantial basis, by means of which they
might be drawn to make a provision for the future.
The poor clerk is not to be allured into habits of
saving by gaudy frippery. He might, however, be
encouraged by receiving the countenance of his su-
periors in wealth; and could he even be brought a
little nearer to them in the exchange of the ordinary
amenities of life, he would he rendered a happier
man, and none the less valuable and faithful ser-
vant.

.•MaZEMVOYMINIMMB=•,III%I%M..I•MT•MWM.M.I.3
THE POTATO PANIC.

This ingenious device has served its turn. The Corn
Bill is passing through its last stages, the Legislature
having been frightened from its propriety by awful visions
of famine and rotten potatoes. The bubble, however,
has burst at length, our streets being yesterday placarded
with announcements that " potatoes of excellent quality"
are on sale in this town at Is. Gd. per measure. On re-
ferring to our file, we find that on the corresponding
market day of last year the prices were quoted as fol-
lows :—Cups, ls. to ls. Bd. ; Pink Eyes, 2s. As-
suming the potatoes now placarded, therefore, to be the
bast description of the commonest species, they are 2d.
per measure cheaper than last year, and Gd. if pink
eyes 1 _ _

e wonder if Sir Robort Peel, or his Potato Commis-
sioners, would be pleased, if required to repay the losses
incurred by those unfortunate speculators in this article—
chiefly composed of the humbler classes of tradesmen,—
who have embarked their money upon the faith of official
prognostications of scarcity; or if they can feel otherwise
than ashamed at the needless suffering which they have
caused amongst portions of the Irish people, whose sup-
plies have been drawn from them to supply wants in this
country which never existed.

ROYAL MERSEY YACHT CLUB.—WE are informed,
that in consequence of the requisite number of yachts
not being entered to contend for the 4'50 prize, which was
to have taken place on Saturday, the 20th of June, the
match is for the present postponed.
EXAMINATION OF THE FEMALE CHILDREN OF THE
MECIIANICS' INSTITUTION.—Yesterday, the second an-
nual examination of the pupils of the girls' and infants'
school, Blackburn-house, Hope-street, (attached to the
Mechanics' Institution,) commenced, in presence of a
large concourse, chiefly of ladies and the female friends of
the children. The examination gave great satisfaction,
the progress of the pupils being peculiarly marked during
the past twelve months. The girls and infants are taught
reading, writing, arithmetic, sewing, singing, dancing,
drawing, &c. There are at present attached to the insti-
tution, in this department, 280 girls from seven years of
age and upwards, and 60 infants, making in all 340 of
these interesting juveniles. There are about twenty teach-
ers, including several females who have themselves been
latterly trained in the schools. The pupils acquitted
themselves with great credit, their replies, especially on
grammatical questions, and their productions in drawing
and writing, being at once striking and extraordinary.
These schools were commenced as an experiment, and
their suceess has so far exceeded all expectation, that the
premises are now being enlarged for the reception of the
additional applicants. A new work-room and a new in-
fant schoolroom are in progress of completion, both to be
lighted and ventilated on the most approved principles.
These additions will require an outlay of about £ioo. A
large play-ground and garden are attached to the estab-
lishment, and in these, as an interlude between the two
Farts of the examination, the children walked about in
procession, presenting a deeply interesting appearance.
The present mistresses are, Miss Jones, who superintends
the literary department, and her assistants are Miss Gal-
lagher and Miss Francis; Miss Hollis is the teacher of
sewing, Mr. Swindles of writing, Miss Appleton of arith-
metic, and Mrs. &cider of drawing. The examination
will be resumed and concluded this day, from ten to two
o'clock ; and, on Thursday evening, a public meeting
will be held in the Lecture Room of the Institution, in
Mount-street, for the distribution of prizes to the suc-
cessful pupils in the several schools, after which will ensue
the midsummer vacation, which will be prolonged, so
that the scholars may see Prince Albert, on his intended
two days' visit to our magnificent town. Several im-
provements in the girls' schools are to be brought into
operation during the next twelve months, the experimental
proceedings of the past having been so successful.