The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-05
The Royal Insurance COmDanV

Inc HOyat Insurance COmDanV
Is deservedly among the foremost of those re-
markedly successful jointstock enterprises NJ
which Liverpool is proverbially proud All
great, cautious, well-conducted insurance
establishments in particular, may be regarded
as lulhllng most useful and Invaluable func-
lions, not only in this country, but more or less
throughout our magnificent colonies and depen.
cles II not throughout the world But il Is the
rare fortune of few of them steadily to achieve
such height of prosperity and stability as the
Royal" has attained TO within the comparatively
snort period of twenty-five years from its forma
tlon, Notwithstanding the unparalleled none
tary pressure of last year, and the consequent
commercial depression under which the entire
commercial world still suffers-above all, not
Sithstandlng the long and trying period of over
three years, during which fires have been much
more numerous than in any former like period.
ana consequently have involved larger amount
OF losses to the entire body of insurance CON-
anies-notwithstanding all these exceptional
drawbacks, we say, the prudenty managed
hoya" remains proudly pre-emisent- great
ana durable monument of commercial stability
and financial security.
Z On looking at the "Report" which was nre
sented at Its annual meeting yesterday, we find
establishment in the three kingdoms has paid
the same increase of fire duty 10 Government as
the "Royap has paid for the past year. In
other aspects, also, which are perhaps best
glanced at under their several heads, we find most
gratifying features which are not merely mega.
lively but positively encouraging. It is a proud
spectacle to behold large insurance establish
ment not only passing substantially unscathed
through period of unusual losses to all ipsu
rance companies and of peculiar disaster to not
few, and not only retaining public confidence
unshaken and undiminished, but positively in
creaslng Its business year after year until its
ratio OF progressiveness seems to surmount all
momentary obstacles, and to flow naturally
onWards like majestic food-tide.
The gradual increase in Premiums on its Fire
Business, even during an interregnum of extra
ordinary commercial stagnation, is especially
noteworthy. Within the last five years that
annual increase has gone on from 99OO, $50 in the
year 1862 to as much as f447, ,27l in the year
1866.
Equally, if not still more satisfactory is the
life branch of its business-in spite of the
habitual and extreme caution which is experi
enced in accepting none but healthy lives. It
will be seen that, Notwithstanding a temporary
lull in life assurances during the depression of
the last few months, in the wears 1865 and 1896
additional life assurances have been effected
with the Royal to the extent of FL 748, 57l being
positively more within that couple of years than
during the whole quinquennial period ending
with 1850. The Report" refers with peculiar
satisfaction to the encouraging circumstance
that in the last Actuarial Report" of probable
increase to the life and annuity funds of one
million sterling in ten years, or 91O0,O 600 annu-
ally, has been largely exceeded. That actual
increase in the past year has been 9I24,I
making the total sums now invested on life ac.
count 9898, ,746.,
On the one hand, then, it needs but intelli-
gently to examine the present Report" to
ascertain that the increase in its life business is
self-evident and highly satisfactory-quite as
self-evident as is the large increase in its fire
business. On the other hand, when we remem-
Der that within some half-dozen years or less
upwards of 800 new insurance concerns have
been speculatively started, and that most of
them soon came to grief, while some few of
them only saved themselves from total ruin by
timely amalgamations with od-established COM
panies-we may say, that we may now take for
granted that, whatever form joint-stock ina
MAS" may [neXt assume, speculation most as
Euredly won't run in the line of new Insurance
Companies. Like the man in the parable, who
had tasted both old wine and new, and had no
desire for the latter all the intelligent and pru.
dent portion of the public practically and over
whelmingly proclaim ''the old better."-From
Liverpool Mail August 10, 1867.