Insurance of Live Stock. 537 



tliis would make tlie total loss 2,100,000?., which has fallen with cruel 

 inequality on the heads of cattle-owners. [Dr. Farr next quoted 

 several remarkable instances of losses.] This loss has occurred in 11 

 months among 4,929,64:5 head of stock, which at 101. a-head are worth 

 49,296,450Z. 



It has been computed, upon very imperfect data, that a fourth part 

 of the cattle are slaughtered or die every year, that is, that their mean 

 lifetime is four years; and applying these proportions, about 1,232,417 

 head of cattle are killed every year. The mortality by disease in 

 common years is guessed at 4 or 5 per cent, including calves ; and, 

 allowing for that, we have this account for the year ending May 

 1866 :— 



Estimated numbers of home cattle killed for market 1,022,411 



Killed by common diseases 200,000 



Killed by rinderpest 210,000 



Total 1,432,411 



In the ordinary coui-se, upon this assumption, the cattle stock of the 

 country has been reduced by about 210,000 head, to be made up by 

 importation. These estimates, as you are well aware, are conjectm'al, 

 because, while our commercial statistics have been attended to for 

 centuries, statistics of the great agricultural interest have been entirely 

 neglected, to our now great confusion. The statements must, however, 

 be true within certain limits, and suffice to show the magnitude of this 

 great question of cattle insm'ance, to which I invite youi* attention. 

 Eemark one fact, that the loss of cattle in ordinary years is large, on 

 the lowest computation. The loss of farm stock by fii'e does not 

 probably exceed 11. 10s. per 1,000?. annually, and it is insured at the 

 rate of 27. 10s. per 1,000Z. If the loss of cattle by disease in ordinary 

 is 4 per cent., the loss by disease must be 40?. on every 1000?. of 

 stock; and in the time of rinderpest 80?. a-year, or 8 per cent. The 

 cattle being of a delicate organization necessarily encounter greater 

 danger from hundreds of causes than that to which agricultural 

 stock is exposed from fire ; and as the loss is unequally distributed, 

 insm'ance is indispensably requii'ed in this matter, as well as in the 

 other, for the security alike of landlord and tenant. 



It is right to add that, in addition to the direct loss of cattle which 

 a certain number of owners have sustained, the whole of the cattle- 

 onmers of the country have been subjected to restrictions and 

 interferences with the movement, sale, and propagation of stock 

 that can scarcely be estimated at a lower figm-e than the 2,100,000?. 

 of direct loss. It will be one of the advantages of insurance that 

 some of the most vexatious of the restrictions may, on calm considera- 

 tion, be safely remitted. The owners who have lost stock, when cattle 

 can be insm-ed, will be able to obtain advances of money which under 

 present circiunstances no capitalists will make. 



Lite Stock Ixsukance o^ the Voltintaet Principle. 



To establish a society on this principle, the following course may 

 be pursued. 



