Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-05
THE BRITISH INSURANCE
Disposition to Deal Literally With
Claims.
SEISMIC ASSOCIATION MEETING
Report Revived That Pope is Suffer
ing From Heart Failure-Royal
Visit to Canada.

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
LONDON, April Fl, 1906.
The sudden and awful catastrophe which
has overtaken San Francisco has made all
Europe aghast at its magnitude and the
sympathies Of all classes of people are
pouring out toward America. The disaster
Is uncomfortable here, and the newspapers
have no other topic to offer their readers
Pages upon pages OF kilograms and special
stories from the devastated city are print
ed and the more ambitious papers publish
pictures of San Francisco and It's build
ings.
The disaster is the more keenIy felt here
because so many English know of Califor-
MA and go there either to visit settle,
while at Los Angeles. of course, there is
large English colony. The sympathy felt
Is finding a practical outcome. Meetings
are being held and subscriptions raised for
the sufferers which show that both coun-
tries are bound in more than ordinary
bonds of fraternity.
At the United States embassy there has
been a throng of inquirers in search of In
tellfgence touching the fate of relatives
and friends in the ruined city, but no pri-
vate messages have yet been received. Mr.
WhltelaW Reid has dispatched a message
OF sympathy and inquiry to the mayor Of
San Francisco, but no answer has been re-
turned. Though this catastrophe Is with
out precedent of its class In American his
tory, our British cousins have such high
opinion of the general prosperity and char
acteristfc recuperative resources of the
American nation that they are confident
that nothing money can do will be wanting
In the effort to succor the dishoused popu-
latlon and to afford relief to the tens of
thousands who will be ruined in the awful
havoc wrought by the seismic disturbance
The American Society In London. which is
ftol oo1 ctr ,,r-1x- taa6
community. convened a special meeting of
It's members yesterday, at which Mr..
Whiteaw Reid presided, and through this
society wealthy Americans in London will
lind an Immediate channel of practical
sympathy directed toward the needs Of the
unfortunate sufferers from this overwhelm-
ing calamity.
1t is impossible to say yet how much the
British insurance companies will suffer
from the disaster in San Francisco. In most
cases the policies exclude loss from earth
quake, but this will not, 1t is believed free
them from responsibility for the fires that
followed and were due TO the wrecking of
the buildings The stocks OF several OF the
fire insurance companies fell yesterday and
today. British offices have been contract
ing rather than increasing their fire risks
in America, and the assurances have been
we'll spread over other companies by re-
insurance There is, however, no doubt
that the British offices affected will have to
pay considerable sum In losses.
Talk With Insurance Manager.
was talking with the manager of a
large fire company here. He said that his
company is fully prepared for a consider
able loss, and he was in no way dismayed
by the prospect. He pointed to the Chicago
and Baltimore fires as caIamities which
in the end proved extremely beneficial to
British companies of the first rank The
promptitude and generosity with which
such companies settled claims arising out
OF those fires gave American insurers such
confidence in the British offices that the
volume of business entrusted to them has
since enormously increased.
The Pacific coast the manager said had
for some years past afforded to British
companies the most profitable portion of
their American business, while as between
San Francisco and Liverpool commercial
relations are not only on an immense scale,
but of the most intimate nature. Hence
there will be on the part of the companies
every inclination to deal literally with
claims which are well founded.
The determination of liability on the part
of insurance companies in the present in
stance, however will be a matter involv-
ing questions Of the utmost nicely Under
the ordinary fire policy in this country a
Will be, however he intimated, very gem
fire consequent upon earthquake In Amer
lea the case is slightly different The
Pacific coast being more or less subject to
earthquake, 1t is only natural that property
owners should desire to cover such risks,
on that side have agreed upon what is
known as the New York Standard form OF
policy. Upon this policy there is no eX-
press reference to earthquakes, but the pro-
vision Is that the insurance company shall
be liable for fire occurring in q building
that has not wholly or partially fallen.
The position. therefore. Is that If build
ing has fallen as a result of earthquake
or any other cause and then takes fire
there is no responsibility on the company,
whilst If 1t takes fire whilst standing
whether the cause Of fire be earthquake
or not, and falls as consequence of the
ager whom l saw remarked, this distinc-
ton opens out questions of a difficult kind,
for when once a building Is In ruins how is
it to be ascertained whether the actual
burning preceded or followed It's fall? There
will be, however, he intimated q very gem
eral desire to deal in no niggardly spirit
with sufferers IN a field of insurance which
has been for so long profitably worked by
the companies.
The California earthquake cannot fail to
add a special interest to the proceedings of
the International Seismic Association a
body formed to investigate these phenom-
ena which is to meet this year on the
continent. Great Britain has officially
Joined the association, the treasury having
agreed, at the request Of the Royal So
ciety, to make q grant in aid of the work.
including the expenses of a British dele
gate. The grant will be spread over four
years. and 1t has been made. I under
StttHu, Ou tHt COHO1tlOn LHdL france, Ger
many and the United States also Join the
association. l believe these three coun-
tries, as well as other nations, have all
agreed to send delegates to the conference.
at which Great Britain will be represented
by Prof. Schuster. who will also be dele
gate of the Royal Society at the meeting
of the council of the International Associa-
ton of Academies, to be held at Vienna at
the close of next month.
~
The report is revived that the pope Is
suffering from heart failure, and hear
from Rome that his condition is causing his
encourage considerable anxiety. Plus x
leaves on all who come In contact with
him the impression Of weary. broken and
sorrowful man; man who has gone
through serious illness. The trying times
the church Is passing through. especially
in France have greatly depressed him, and
exhausted even his strong constitution.
Formerly one of the most jovial men in the
world he is today completely changed In
everything. The climate Of Rome new
habits, unfamiliar work and new methods
of life, coupled with the fmpossibility Of
taking the long walks to which he was &C.
customed, have had q most disastrous In
fiuence on the vigorous peasant nature of
the pope.