The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-02-04 00:00:00

to the society

Mr. Bignold observed, at this stage of the meeting, "I beg
permission to make a few observations assuring the mem-
bers now assembled how deeply I urn sensible of their kindness
in the honorable testimony this day borne to my character

and integrity, by the flattering vote of thanks now passed.
Engaged in the first formation of this society, and connected
as 1 have been with its whole history, I claim an acquaintence
with its affairs, more intimate than perhaps can be possessed
by any other individual : that thorough acquaintance enables
me to assure this meeting, that of the stability of the society
there can be no question, and of its prosperous progress in
future there is the strongest grounds for confidence, Where
is its fellow in the provincial institutions of this country,
that can old out a security of a fund in hand of £1,700,000?
—of a connexion for extent and influence so powerful as that
possessed by this society ?—of a direction of higher character
and probity—of officers and agents more devoted to its best
interests ? These are points on which this society may bear
comparison with any in the kingdom. Some persons allege,
notwithstanding the gratifying fact of 445,000 already assig-
ned as bonus, the fund now to assign of upwards of 220,000
and the fund retained tomeet prospective ex Fences of £175,000
altogether a realisation of profit exceeding £BOO,OOO in 33
years, that more gains still should have resulted from this
adventure. On this point I must beg leave respectfully to
differ from those who think lightly of our prosperity. But
then it is asked, are there not one or two societies that have
done better than the Norwich ? To that question my reply
will be, that there is no society whose legitimate gains can
have exceeded ours, although by a process of calculation,
larger apparent profits may be shown. Would you wish for
perfect stability in all your important transactions, or a sickly
prosperity ? An instance occurred in our own country of the
injury resulting from overstrained calculations of the value
of life. I allude to the Fakenham Provident Society, which
at one period allowed annuitants, on a scale far too liberal for
their funds to maintain. Facts might justify our assuming
a ratio of mortality which would place us in a more elevated
position, but it would be dangerous to the future interests of
the members that we should do so. The points to be borne
in mind as to our society are, first, its great and accumulat-
ing fund, tested in every imaginable way by able and disinter-
ested parties, and pronounced to be perfectly safe. No so-
ciety has undergone the sitting that this has in every branch
of its affairs. The integrity of its capital—the moderation
displayed in computing its profits—the perfect order and
method introduced into its book-keeping—the curtailment of
every expense not absolutely indespensabie for working the
institution, and the enlisting of able and honorable men as
directors, who independently govern its affairs. It is inten-
ded to hold annual general meetings ;to exhibit to distant
members, through the boards of management and agents in
large towns, periodical accounts, showing the exact state of
the society : and in fine, to afford the strongest grounds for
confidence in the institution, by treating with confidence all
who have an interest in its affairs. I confess I know of no
similar society that can lay equal claim to public support, nor
have we cause to complain of the support extended to us ;
for the last five years all the gaps in our business, created by
deaths, policies sold in, and policies discontinued, have been
supplied, and an increase on the previous great total of pre-
miums has been secured.—those premiums at June, 1838,
amounted to £181,041 ; but at June, 1841, they stood at
£184,549. The only other feature to call for comment is our
low rate of premiums. On the mass of our business we
grant, for 90, that for which most other offices require to be
paid £100; thus enabling persons to secure from the first a
larger reversionary payment ; or the advantage of a saving of
£lO per cent, during their lives."

MISCELLANEOUS

Dr. Hook, vicar of Leeds, was admitted a member of
the Leeds district of Independent Order of Odd Fellows, on
Monday week.

NEw WRlTS.—Shortly after parliament assembles, new
writs wilt have to he moved for Liverpool, South Shropshire,
Southampton, Leominster, West Cornwall, Thetford, Ban-
don, and Dublin University.
POSTOFFICE ROBBERIES. Two clerks of the Bristol
Postoffice have been apprehended, on suspicion of having
stolen a great quantity of money-letters from that office. In
one of their houses were found articles of plate quite beyond
his means to procure, and for the possession of which he
was unable to account.
MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.-011 Saturday last, as two
young men, brothers, were skating near Edinburgh, the ice
gave way, and both were precipitated into the water, and one
was unfortunately drowned.

The Duke of Buccleuch has been appointed to the office
of Lord of the Privy Seal, in the place of the Duke of Buck-
ingham.

Mr. Birkett, farmer, of Swineshead, had eight children
christened on the day of the baptism of the Prince. They
all walked to and from the church, two and two, attended
by their father, godfather, and godmothers.—Lincoln Mer-
cury.

MURDER AT LLANFAIR.—It is our painful duty to record
a murder which took place at Llanfair, Montgomeryshire,
under circumstances of a highly deplorable nature, on Sun-
day night last. We are not yet in possession of further in:
formation than that on Suwday night last, a family quarrel
occurred between Robert Davies, Evan Davies, and their
sister, when Evan Davies, under the two-fold excitement of
intoxication and passion, stabbed his brother Robert in the
abdomen, whereby death ensued almost immediately. The
murderer has hitherto eluded the vigilance of the police who
are in active search for him.—Salopian Journal.

DEATH Op MR. DAVIDGE.—This well-known actor and
enterprising lessee is no more : for many months, we might
say years, his health has been precarious. Mr. Davidgc was
born in Bristol, in the year 1794 ; was apprenticed to a
printer, but at an early age exhibited a penchant for the
stage ; after many efforts in the private theatres, then
abounding in Bath and Bristol, he visited London, and was
engaged as a compositor by Mr. Glendinning, of Rupert-
street, Hay-market; he worked there by day, but played at
night at the Dominion of Fancy, a small theatre opened by
John Bologna, and situate between Burleigh-street and
Southampton-street, Strand. Scott, then proprietor of the
Sans Pareil, jealous of the encroachment of this Dominion,
engaged Davidge and Giroux (the stars), and the former
acted in The Old Oak Chest. From the Sans Pareil (now
the Adelphi) he progressed to the Haymarket, and, dis-
gusted at the business assigned him, engaged at the Coburg
in 1818 ; after being there many years as an actor he became
part proprietor, his coadjutors being Messrs. Bengough and
Le Clerq. The death of the former, and the retirement of
the latter left him sole lessee. Following the example of Tom
Dibdin, he introduced the " shilling order system," and
realized £6,000. This sum he lost, and had no resource,
save an annuity of £2OO per annum, which in his prosperous
days he settled on Mrs. Davidge. Before this be had pur-
chased the City Theatre of J. K. Chapman, to whom he subse-
quently let it at £lO per week. In 1831 he went to Liverpool,
and failed (as manager), was arrested by one of the proprietors
of the Coburg, became a bankrupt, and passed his examination,
being complimented by the commissioner. After this he
was engaged by Mr. Osbaldiston, and subsequently by Du-
crow, at whose theatre he took a benefit. Shortly after this
he took the Surrey, which proved to him a mine of wealth.
By Poll and My Partner Joe he cleared £4,000 in one
season. Mr. Davidge's powers as an actor were limited : he
excelled in the representation of testy and imbecile old men ;
his performances in The Veteran or 102 will not be forgotten.
Mr. Davidge died at ten minutes past five o'clock on Mon-
day night, in the presence of his wife and Mr. Lawrence, his
treasurer ; he took a glass of sherry and a jelly half an hour
before his death .—Correspondent of the Times.

ATTEMPT TO ASCEND MOUNT WELLINGTON. Mr.
Huggins, a youth of delicate frame, and a person of the name
of Cooper, having resolved to ascend Mount Wellington,
proceeded up the mountain towards that part where the tall
basaltic columns, so visible on a clear day, and deep chasms,
oppose any further progress. They were puzzled at the dif-
ficulties, and determined to return ; but turned towards the
left instead of the right, wandering on through a great many
opposing obstacles, and only further entangling themselves.
As night came on they shared with one another their little
stock of provisions, and Huggins lay down to sleep in a cleft,
having given his watch and a pistol which he had with him to
Cooper, who kept watch, and did not sleep the whole night.
They had endeavoured, but in vain, to make a fire with the
pistol and some dried wood. In the morning they pursued
their way, and Huggins became very much fatigued, and
descended with much difficulty. At last they came to a ri-

valet, and Cooper, who was much stronger in frame, told
Huggins as he was unable to proceed further; that at all
events the rivulet led somewhere where he could get assis-
tance, and that he would see where it led to, and retrace his
steps to the point where he left his companion. He pursued
the course of the rivulet for some distance, and came to a
cataract fourteen;or fifteen feet in height. He decended this
and then returned, thinking that if Huggins could reach this
place all would be safe. He retraced his path, and after the
lapse of some time reached the place where he left him, when,
to his astonishment, he was gone. He called and traversed
the bush in every direction around, but there was no answer.
At length at some distance, on a kind of opposing eminence,
he saw a figure, which he took to be that of Huggins, and
called to him as loudly as he could, but the figure, without
seeming to pay any attention, darted into the bush like one
like one demented, and it is probable indeed, that the poor
boy's senses became bewildered, as frequently happens in
such cases. It is even now mercy to hope that such was the
the case, and that he perished—for dead lung he ;must be—
unconscious of all those pangs of misery and desolation
which must otherwise have assailed him in such a place, and
with all the remembrances of his home and family still fresh
on his mind. At this time Cooper began to suffer severely
from hunger. He wandered about, and again made for the
water, but thinks the branch he met the second time was
different from the first. He quenched his thirst, but was
much tormented by hunger. He tried to sleep, and dreamt
as he regularly did on all occasions of his sleeping, that two
shepherds who came out with him in the Seahorse brought
him food. After this night he felt no sensation of hunger,
but was pursued by an incontroulable thirst, and whenever he
deviated any distance feom the creek, he was irresistibly im-
pelled back. He struggled on through the bush without his
shoes, and in this way, for five days, he proceeded without
food or shelter, and in the most intense cold at nights, by the
moonlight of which be sometimes travelled, and sleeping
during the day. On all occasions, in spite of cold and hunger
he states that he slept soundly, and always dreamt of the
shepherds bringing him provisions. He continued to pursue
the course of the stream until Friday, not having tasted food
since Sunday, when he came in view of a hut, and picked up
two turnips. By this time he had lost all reckoning of time,
and was reduced to the most deplorable state of weakness.
Although the hut was not more than one hundred and fifty
yards from where be stood, yet so great was his exhaustion,
that he calculates it took him three hours to reach it. His
figure presented a truly distressing appearance. His clothes
where everywhere torn from his body, which had been very
much lacerated by his exertions in forcing himself through
the thickets, and his legs were covered with sores. His shoes
were gone from his feet, which were benumbed ; and it is
feared that he will lose some of his toes. Strong parties of
the 51st Regiment, and from the crews of the, Erebus and
Terror, were dispatched in search of Mr Huggins, but there
can belittle doubt that the poor fellow had perished of cold
and hungen—Hobart Town Courier.