The Sun. — 1849-03-12 (London, England)

SOCIETY.--The tiiwr . was e—s sent ordinary annual court of this society, pursuant to notice, and afterwards the extraordinary quinquennial general court, were held on Saturday last, at Radley's Hotel, Bridge-street, Blackfriars. The Right Hon. Sir T. Frankland Lewis occupied the chair, and laid before the members a full statement of the receipts, disbursements, and financial position of the society for the year ending the 31st of December last, the whole of which, as sanctioned by the auditors, was received by the meeting as highly satisfactory, and adopted, and ordered to be recorded in the minutes. The meeting then resolved itself into an extraordinary quinquennial general court for the transaction of special business, and Mr. J. J Downes, the actuary, read the report of the directors for the quinquennium ending the 31st of December, 1848. The chairman then declared a bonus of 168,7941., and congratulated the meeting upon the highly satisfactory position which the society occupied. He announced a contingent bonus of 1,2, 3,4, and 5 per cent. on the sum assured to all policies now entitled to an absolute bonus and becoming claims during the next five years. He also drew attentio❑ to the following arrangement announced in the report:—" With respect to the class of assurers on the participating scale, who have not yet paid the requisite number of premiums to entitle them to participate in the present division, the directors, to make the distribution of profits more equitable, have made a provision for the payment of a conditional bonus (calculated on the amount of five annual premiums) on all policies on which claims shall accrue after the payment of the fifth annual premium, and before the next ensuing division. If the life assured survive that period, such bonus will merge into the general fund, and the assured will thenof th e premiums participate he ne proportionhes p s ipaid." ~, to Theth the meeting improved terminated amount with the usual vote of thanks to the chairman. FIRES IN THE METROPOLls.—Yesterday morning, about four o'clock, a fire of a very alarming nature broke out in the extensive range of premises belonging to Messrs. White, G reenwell, and Co., haberdashers, &C., carrying on business at 53, 54, and 55, Blackfriars-road. The discovery was made by Sergeant Davis, of the L division of police, who raised an instant alarm and; sent for the engines. After some trouble the whole of the inmates, nearly 50 persons, male and female, Were a rousewd asfrsoomfultlheoifr smoke that Tthhee building, however,alein their nightn.. a precipitate retreat into the street clothes. The engines of the the Royal Society's West of England Company, fire-escape, promptly attended, in the first floor. The found the flames raging furiously that part of the flames were not extinguished until lower part damaged by premises was burned out and the ht about nine ' I kthe water, &c. On Saturday night. India-rubberoc o'clock, , part of the house in which the premises of Mrs. Eliz th burned out, and the stock in the'shop London Brigade on fi upon ente • found the engines. The firemen__ ring the first general blaze. The firemen Was 1 floor: in a unable to get was given,wer@ discoverer' and rest of the house severely injured by fire, water, &c. Mrs. Harris was fortunately insured in the Sun Fire' instant alarm fltmhaaemkfieersre,b,4:;guBa,tnSuntwrtaainlsdhat and Fireoffice. A short time since Mrs. Harris's husband and One of her children was burned to death in a fire which destroyed the same premises. The trial of Sarah Grout, charged with murdering two of her children, came on at Chelmsford on Saturday. The unfortunate woman, during a fit of furious madness, cut down the children with a billhook. She was acquitted on the ground of insanity. Three carpet weavers, named Phasey, Rennie, and Price, were tried at Worcester on Friday, for poaching in Lord Ward's preserves. They had been attacked and terribly beaten by Lord Ward's keepers. They were all of them acquitted—a striking proof of the hatred of the farmers for the game-laws. The Bishop of London has appointed the Rev. Charles Anthony Swainson, B.D , fellow and tutor of Christ's College, Cambridge, to be one of her Majesty's peaohers at Whitehall. . . . rThfiger.oei lemoaAsfnehondn.r