132 Mr W. Fraser oti the History and Constitution of 



otliers, interested in their schemes, might possess ; and the sup- 

 ply of entrants being thus cut off from them, they would very 

 speedily all cease to exist. 



The success of such simple but effectual measures has been 

 already completely exemplified in Scotland. As soon as the 

 Highland Society of Scotland published their Report on Friend- 

 ly Societies in 1824, copies were sent to the head magistrates of 

 burghs, to the convener of each county, for the use of the clerk 

 of the Peace, and to all the persons who had sent in Returns, 

 with a request to the magistrates and conveners, that the con- 

 tents might be made known to any societies in the vicinity. 

 By these means, a spirit of inquiry was soon excited, societies 

 became convinced of the erroneous principles on which they had 

 been instituted, new societies immediately began to be founded 

 upon more secure bases, these are now rapidly increasing, and, 

 although their contributions are higher, they are universally pre- 

 ferred to the old institutions, whose schemes it has generally 

 been found impracticable to improve. ,Let these or similar 

 means be resorted to in England, and the same eff'ects will un- 

 doubtedly follow. 



We formerly gave a brief detail of the investigations in- 

 to the rate of mortality among mankind, and endeavoured to 

 shew, from various sources, that the Northampton tables are 

 unfit for the practical purposes of health and life assurance. 

 This has been since completely put beyond doubt, by Mr John 

 Finlaison, actuary to the National Debt Office, who has shewn, 

 to the satisfaction of Government, that the country has for 

 some time been losing about L. 6000 a- week, or upwards of 

 L. 300,000 annually, by the state annuitants, in consequence of 

 the value of their lives having been calculated by these tables. 

 A bill has therefore been brought into Parliament this ses- 

 sion, and passed, for repealing the statute by which such an- 

 nuities were granted, and which annuities must still, for a long 

 time, remain a heavy burden on the country. It is now evident, 

 as was formerly remarked, that the premiums calculated by 

 the Northampton tables, and demanded by life assurance com- 

 panies, for sums payable at death, must have been very much 

 in excess, since those for annuities were so far deficient ; and 

 hence the propriety of the lower rate of mortality adopted by 



