Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-27
NOW CENTURIES OLD
LIoyd'S, in London, Famous for
Marine Insurance.
AGENTS ALL OVER WORLD
Furnishes Maritime Information for
an Army of Underwriters.
ACCEPT ALMOST ANY RISK"
Corporation Possesses Original Policy
on Life of Napoleon-One
Dated 1900.
Foreign Correspondence Of Tho Star.


LONDON, tDecember 70 1911.
Exactly 100 years ago the first of the
famous Lloyd's agencies. which now sur
round the world was begun at Falmouth
The first agent was William Broad. and
to his successors Messrs. William Broad,
who still hold the appointment. Lloyd's
lave just sent a letter of congratulation.
To most people, though the name is
familiar enough, Lloyd's is 'wropt in
mstry.' The average man in the street
knows that it has to do with ships, and
if vessel is as perfect as vessels can be
il will be known as al" Beyond that
little is known. Concerning its agencies
the public knows practically nothing at
all. Yet no completer system of gather
ing information exists in the world than
Lloyds agencies, which form the i'm
mense organization for the collection and
distribution of maritime intelligence pub
l;shed daily in Lloyd's List.
Iloyd's List is the legitimate successor
of I.loyd's News. which was established
in 1896. and which. with the exception of
the London Gazette, is the oldest existing
newspaper published in Europe. From
every coast in the world Lloyds agents
make report to 1t of the arrival. departure
and casualties of vessels within their dis
tricts. by cable and wireless telegraphy.
Association of Underwriters.
In order 10 appreciate to the full the
Importance of this. it is necessary to turn
t. LIoyd's itself. I-loyd's. briefly, is an
association of marine underwriters in the
city of London. 1t is prepared to under
take all sorts and conditions of insurance.
but the effecting of marine insurance is
Ii.e main duty, and it is in respect of this
N,ty important function that the men,
ters OF and subscribers to Lloyd's may
&c CLASSIFIED as ID the underwriters, who
accept the risks: g, the brokers. who
/ lice the insurance on behalf of the own
T.. of the ships or cargoes.
Here, in a great room in the Royal
L-.change. in the very heart of the
Great city of London, sits the army OF
Gerwriters whose business 1t is to
;>4slst the brokers who appear before
Lucm in effecting the insurance of
ships throughout the world. Natu-
rally, it is very necessary that an un--
Lerwriter should be possessed of Il
minute knowledge of ships and of the
individual and personal history of the
people connected with them, and it is
this information, which is constantly
being supplied by it's agents all over
the world. which places him in
position to determine speedily and
correctly the condition Of almost every
merchant vessel af1oat.
The value OF these reports from
lloydS is great, too, not only to I'M
derwriters. but also to merchants and
shipowners, as it is frequently En
advantage that a vessel should be in
tercepted off the coast and ordered to
its port of destination Shipowners in
this way often have the earliest infor-
nation of the arrival Of their ships.
Overdue vessels are reported upon,
also, at the various signal stations.
and vessels arriving Off outlying sig
nal stations often bring important IN
telligence as to derelicts and wrecks,
which is in turn at once passed on.
ALL Known Facts Recorded.
Much Of the personal information
sent in by Lloyd's agents finds its way
into a volume called the Captains
Register" This il a marine "Diction-
airy of Biography" wherein is re-
corded as infinitely as the history Of
tine vessels themselves, every known
fact regarding the seafaring life of
every captain, the names of the va
rious ships he has commanded, the &C
cidents and disasters his ships have
met with. as well as any record he
nave have for creditable performances
or for heroic service
In fact the work that is performed
by Lloyds agents is absolutely inval-
liable. Their duties, so far as it is pos
sole, may be broadly defined as fol-
lows: In case of shipwreck, to render
TO masters of vessels any advice or
assistance they may require. to report
~ telegraph direct to Loyd's all cas-
UaltieS which may occur to vessels
within their district. and to otherwise
Teport all marine happenings within
their ken--a fairly comprehensive list
When they report that a ship has either
met with serious accident or has been
wrecked, the whole circumstances are re-
corded in the loss book at Lloyd's, which
is posted up from day to day. When
news comes of an overdue ship. they toll
wee the famous bell which hangs in the
Underwater room: when news comes
that vessel has been lost it is tolled
once. This bell once belonged to the ILL
iated thirtytwo-sun frisate, III. NJ. s.
Iutine, which sailed gayly out from Var
mouth roads for Hamburg. October ..
!tHb. carrying gold and silver bars and
money valued at f1 ,2O7 900 sterling. On
the same night she went down in the
Zuyder Zee carrying with her all the
vast treasure. From time 20 time salvage
operations have been carried on. but sol
far only G1o.oo0 has been recovered.
Never Posted Till Hopeless.