The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-05-20
chinese Insurance Societies.


as we know, has never been described
by any English writer. We refer to the
societies for mutual insurance againsta
variety of risks and losses.
For the following details of these as
1 sociatiOns we are indebted to the wri-
tingof q Russian agriculturist long resi-
! dent in China, NJ. SlzatchkofE. Insur-
4 anee, he tells us, has long been applied
by the Chinese to q number of differ
ent purposes. Houses are insured, SO
are Iife-interests. Claims for relief in
time of sickness, and q multitude of
other objects, are likewise thus secured.
We will, however, confine our remarks
to two instances--t nance Of
standing crops and tn ee of in
surfing against law suits 81 which
are much in vogue in e-of district.
The landholders of each individual
village with the residents in its imme
diate neighborhood form a separate So
ciety, the affair of which are conducted
! by the village elders, without any inter
ference on the part of the Government
officials.
The process of forming one of these
t associations is thus described:
A general meeting Of the Villagers
/ is convened; but q day or two previous
| to this, the three elders and four or five
of the most influential among the vii
| layers assemble in the joss-hOuse fOrthe
! discussion Of the necessary prelimina-
| ries, such as forming an approximate
! estimate of the extent of land to be in-
sured, and of the probable rates of pre-
MUM, causing proclamation to be
made of their proceedings, and giN
notice thereof to the police authorities
! Affairs having been so far adjusted, on
| the day of meeting, each landholder-
Il ,,If
! ing eligible-who desires to particiRr
| in the mutual insurance of tic
crops, is expected to appes
elders in the temple to affIX qua
ture against his. name in the list pre-
pared by them. Those who do not TIN
appear are considered to be unwiliin
to Share in the arrangement.
The number of watchmen to be hired
is then determined in accordance with
the extent of land insured. About Pc
Kin two Watchmen are allowed to eve
ry three hundred English acres for the
open country. In hilly districts, and
where the view is much inSeded by
enclosures; the number Is doubled.
Each Watchman receives about twelve
shillings for the whole peliOd of his
service.
The precise rates of premium to bc
charged for each acre of land insured
are then fixed. This is III great meas
ure dependent upon the condition of
the adjacent districts. Where all Is
4qUiet, and no reasons exists for aCtici-
pating any serious disorders, il is con-
sidered sufficient to have in hand, after
the Watchmen have been paid, a sur
plus equal to one-tenth of the sum col
Iected in premiums. On the Othe hand,
when disturbances are rife, and the
general aspect of affairs less assuring
the rates of premium are raised 50 n
leave in some cases, after paying .
watchmen, a reserve equal to one-fif
of the total amount assured.
It must be understood that these A
rangements are made for the duraud
of each crop separated ly-sometime
still shorter pert Is. In many disA
seedtime to harvest, which of course,
includes a provision against injury from
cattle, and losses by robbery and fire.
Around Piekin, however, the insurance
of the winter crops is made from the
middle of June, when the grain has at
taincd its full growth, until harvest OH
~. Spring crops are invariably insured
from the day of sowing to the day of
harvest.
How the liabilities Of the members
ere enforced, NJ. SkatchkOh does not
tell us. w e arc leu W ItllCi Ilitll Clt9~
tOm,H so potent an influence IN all
things Chinese, IS found practically all
sufficient.
The rules observed for the protection
of the insured property are curious
enough in their way. The fields are
watched day and night. For every
thief taken in the act, and for every
head of cattle caught trespassing, the
Watchmen receive reward from the
society of three hundred tsians, or
about eight pence. Each instance Of
neglect Of duty is punished by a fine of
double the amount.
\ thief caught in the daytime Is pill
loried for the space Of two or three
hours in front of the Temps, after
which the elders exact from him a fine
of Ia$times the value Of the stolen pro-
duce, estimated according to its prOba-
ble price during the ensuing winter. If
he is unable to pay, the sum is paid for
him, his land being taken i'll security.
Should hc not be a landowner, he is
compelled to give a receipt for the
amount, regarded as loan from the
elders, which receipt Is handed over to
the police, to whose tender meTcies the
culprit is rclcgated. Night thefts arc
punished by fines Of half the above
amount only.
Cattle found tTCSSpaSsing are impOun-
ded, but may be redeemed by their
owners paying to the society fine, the
amount of which varies according as
the animal was found, partly or bodily
within the limits of an insured field.
In the event of fire occurring in All
insured field, the elders are bound TO in
quire into its causes. If il proves TO
have originated with the owner, he
pays TO the society a fine of one shil-
ling 800 tsianS).* If il were caused
by another person, the delinquent pays
a fine of ten times the value of the pro-
duce destroyed, the owner being indCm-
nitied by the society.
For all losses the person insured re-
ceiVes immediate payment of sum
equivalent to one and half times his
loss, estimated according to the prOba-
ble scale Of prices during the ensuing
winter.
All moneys remaining over as a sur
plus out of the premiums, fines, etc,
are treated as reserve fund applica-
BILE to various public purposes, such as
the repairs of the schools, temples, etc,
and In providing gratuitieS for the pO-
lice. These funds are generally put
out us loans to some of the village
landowners, who pay one per cent per
month for the accommodation.
Any inadequacy of funds OH the part
of the society Is made up by charging
an extra premium upon each acre OF
land insured.
The practice of insuring against law
uits is conducted upon analogous prill-
ciples. II is hardly necessary, MIR.
! Skatchloff observes, to advert 10 the
rapacity of Chinese officials, and their
proficiency in crooked interpretations
of the law. Against dangers which
/ thus too often arise -1igurativeIy dcs-
cribed by the Chinese as "the tigers
crueltyn-a system Of mutual insur-
ance prevails in nearly every village.
When an association OF this character