The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-25
a VAST SUM TO BE PAID.
Countless Insurance Policies on th'
Life of Queen Victoria.

Countless Insurance Policies on the
Life of Queen Victoria.
LONDON. Jan. 25--The financial effects
OF the Queens death will be widespread
and in the aggregate enormous. The most
direct penalty falls on the insurance com
panies, nearly all of which suffer. They
have, however, no reason TO complain be
case owing to the Queens advanced age
they received much more in prani ums
during the past half century than they
must now disburse as principal.
The Queens life was never insured in
American fashion for the benefit of her
children. It was, however, insured by
/ hundreds. probably thousands Of persons
in no way connected with her. but whose
business would suffer by her death. It is
possible to insure against almost any i'm
sginable contingency in England if sufi-
cient premium is paid. The current rate
on the Queen life a few months ago was
II per cent for one year
Most OF the theatrical nd other amuse-
ment managers and the proprietoTs of
fashionable shops were accustomed to in
sure the Queens life at the beginning of
the season in order that they might re-
coup the heavy loss her death would en-
tail Practically every theatre IL England
Will remain closed until after the funeral
and the attendance thereafter viii be Sc
riOusly affected for a long time. The
blight descends on several branches of
trade which viii continue throughout the
year OF mourning.
Another numerous class who insured
the Queens life quite heavily were those
who are dependent upon the privy purse
either by direct payments or as tenants
of the many royal estates. such as Hamp
ton Court Palace All these privileges
cease unless the King sees 1T TO renew
them There is also the Queens nuLner-
Gus personal encourage. who viii mostly
be supplanted, as the King already has
his own
Lastly, there are those among the poor
who insured the Queens life as specU-
lation- There are may such. The prac-
tice vas fostered by the benefit societies
whose ordinary business IS 20 insure chill
drens lives for small sum for penny
week. Their agents were everywhere
among the poorest classes. and their Gus
tom was, where there were no children to
insure to induce the ignorant 10 pay a
penny week to insure the life of the
Queen Il is difficult 10 understand the
motive appealed TO. but certainly the So
HcItations were successful in thousands
OF cases. The losses that all these com
panies must meet largely account for the
weakness Of cOusols, which they are com
PEELED to sell
This practice of iHsUrins lives without
. medical examination or knowledge Of
The person insured is entirely opposed to
American practice American Offices here
continually received offers OF such bust
ness. The late Duke of Edinburgh once
sought TO obtain so 600 insurance from
an American company, but declined an
examination Of the risk His application
was refused.
Many other financial and commercial
agreements lapse through the Queens
death. These are matters in which the
Queen had not the remotest concern. and
II is difficult to understand why they were
made terminable upon such contingency
unless 1t was peculiar manifestation Of
loyalty. There are many private leases
expiring in this way and also partner
ships, etc.
There is an exa ggerated idea of the
Queens private fortune. She was Of
course. rich woman but VAS not fabu-
lOusly wealthy. as was often assumed II
was stated a few months ago that she bad
Just invested c l, 600 600 in London ground
rent properties. The Queen caused the
statement to be cOntradicted. with The
gratuitoUs addition that she did not pos
sess a million pounds to invest 1t is the
cles that the allowance Of the King viii
be fixed at G500.00O annually viii h if he
surrenders the Crown lands to the Gov
eminent will be entirely covered by the
income therefrom.