Towns > Edinburgh > 1846-1975 - Post Office Edinburgh and Leith directory > 1846-1847

XVI TXsUKAXC E DIUECTOllY.
[^Standard Life Assurance Compani/ — Continved.^
first Proprietary Orfiee in Scotland, anri only soeond in point of business to one other Office,
■whether we take the Mutual or Proprietary. During the year 1S41, the amount of new assu-'
ranees effected was .;e200,000 ; in 1842, .t'250,0U0; in 1843, ^'3 J0,0O0 ; in 1844, ^390,000; in
1S45, the year ju.st closed, .4.'450,000, beins; an excess of about ^'60,000 over the highest of the
previous vears. Tliis last year, too, you are aware, v.as one towards the latter [uirt of which
there was'a great and general depre.-.sion in the money market, and during the whole of which
peonle"s minds ;vcre occupied with schemes and speculations, by no means favourable to the pros-
perity of such institutions as this. Again, the Accumulated Funds of the Society have actually
doubled during the period from IS 10 to the present time; and while the funds have thus been
doubled, the revenue has been nearly trebled. Let ns next take the number of Policies issued.
I see that, in 1831, a Company, I believe in the most extensive business in England (the Law Life
Assurance Company), congratulate themselves on having, in the course of the year, issued 609
Policies, and 5f)S Policies per annum on an average of the seven previous years. Last year we
issued 698 Policies. These results are certainly extremely satisfactory in themselves, and still
more so because they indicate, not a fluctuating, but a steady success, and give us ground to expect
that the future prosperity of the Company will be equal to the past." He concluded by congra-
tulating the Meeting upon the cordiality and good feeling that existed among the Scotch Assu-
rance Offices. '^
Jamks Gadesden, Esq., of Ewell Castle, Surrey, as one of the London Directors, stated the
satisfaction which he had derived from the Report, and the Chairman's observations. He also
expressed much gratification at the explanations afforded him by the Manager as to the Com-
pany's Scotch Investments, and the method in which the calculations connected with the Investi-
gation had been made and checked.
Sir James Eyue, M.D., London, as one of the London Directors, also congratulated the Meet-
ing on the satisfactory nature of the Report, and expressed the pleasure which he had derived
from the investigation of the accounts which he had made along with Z\Ir Gadesden.
John Tod, Esq., of Kirkhiil, moved that the Report of the Directors be approved of.
William Wood, Esq., seconded the motion for the approval of the Report, which was carried
by acclamation.
The thanks of the Meeting were then presented to the Investigation Committee for the admi- ,
rable Report which had been laid before the Meeting of the state of the affairs of the Company, i I
WiLLiA.M Eraser, Esq , of Friarshall, moved a vote of thanks to the Directors of the Company.' :
James A. CiiEyxn, L.sq., of Kilmaron, moved a vote of thanks to the Board of Directors in
London.
Sir James Evre and ISlv Gadesden, on the part of the I/ondon Directors, acknowledged the
compliment, and expressed the anxiety felt by the Board in London to promote the prosperity of
the Company by every means in their power.
Sir James Evre moved a vote of thanks to Mr Wood for his able Report on the Morlality or
Emerged Rinks of the Company.
Mr Wood acknowledged the compliment, and stated that the result of his investigation was
most satisfactory. lie had looked carefully over the whole papers upon which Life Policies had
been granted, and which had become emerged by the death of the assured, from the first forma-
tion of the Company to the present time, and the result ef that inquiry had been to satisfy him
that the selection had at all times been carefully and judiciously m?.de ; and the truth of this
opinion was confirmed by the number of deaths having been always greatly smaller than might
have been expected from the calculations. lie concluded by sugge.sting a plan on which the
Assurance Ofl^ces generally should collect and arrange their results, so as to give the means of
testing from time to time the value of selected lives.
Javcs Simson, Esq., President of the Royal College of Surgeons, moved a vote of thanks to
the Medical Officers and the Medical Directors of the Company.
John- Sligo, Esq , of Carmyle, moved a vote of thanks to the Local Boards of the Company,
which was acknowledged by Alexander Mackenzie, Esq., of Perth, a Member of the Perth
Board.
The Chairman proposed a vote of thanks to the Manager.
Eagle Henderson, Esq., Merchant, moved a vote of thanks to the Secretary in London, and
to the Secretary in Dublin.
John Tiio.-.[son, Esq., of Gogarburn, moved a vote of thanks to the Company's Agents, which
was acknowledged by George Gray, Esq., of Perth.
David Campbell^ Esq., Writer to the Signet, as Law-Agent of the Company, then addressed
the Meeting, — " I have pleasure," he observed, " in stating, that since the institution of the Com-
pany in 182j, I have never required to conduct a single lawsuit. Nor has there been a single
case submitted to arbitration connected v.ilh claims on policies. Every thing has been promptly
and satisfactorilv adjusted; and 1 may add, that I am satisfied the Directors will never get into a
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