769 



MORTALITY, LAW OF. 



MORTALITY, LAW OF. 



770 



now known to give the probabilities of life too low at the younger and 

 middle ages. Some of this (but probably not all) is due to the increased 

 value of life in England since the middle of the last century. This 

 table contains both males and females in nearly equal numbers. The 

 accordance of the Northampton Table with De Moivre's Hypothesis at 

 the middle ages of life is remarkably close. (Price, ' Obs. on ReV. 

 Paym.,' vol. ii., p. 94.) 



2. The Carlisle Table. The materials of this table were obtained by 

 Mr. Milne from a tract published by Dr. Heysham of Carlisle, in 1797, 

 containing the bills of mortality from 1779 to 1787, both inclusive. 

 The proportion is ten females to nine males. From the verifications 

 which this table has since received, it must be considered as the most 

 correct representative of healthy life in England which exists. (Milne, 

 ' On Annuities,' p. 404.) 



3. The Equitable Table. The tract in which this is found is cited 

 above. It represents the experience of the Equitable Society from 

 1760 to 1829, and agrees closely at the middle ages with the Carlisle 



table. The agreement would be a little closer in most parts bvit for 

 the following circumstance. In the formation of this table it is pre- 

 sumed that all those who discontinued their insurance lived, one with 

 another, one-half of their year of discontinuance in the society. Now 

 (throwing aside short insurances, which are always very small in 

 number) the modes of discontinuance are only abandonment by neglect 

 to renew the premium, and sale to the society. In the former case the 

 parties live the whole year of discontinuance in the society, since their 

 intention not to renew would be no bar to a claim on the part o their 

 executors if their death took place during a year at the beginning of 

 which premium had been paid ; and it is well known that in the earlier 

 history of every insurance office, abandonments were much more 

 frequent than sales. And even in the case of sales to the office, it may 

 reasonably be assumed, unless proof to the contrary were shown, that 

 they take place, for the most part, shortly before a new premium 

 becomes due, parties frequently choosing to take the benefit of the 

 insurance as long as they can, and to sell when a new payment is 



I. DECREMENTS OF HUMAN LIFE, ACCORDING TO THE NORTHAMPTON, CARLISLE, EQUITABLE, AXD FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' TABLES. 



ARTS AND SCI. DIV. VOL. V. 



