THE CHANCES OF PEACE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 181, 31 July 1915, Page 18

THE CHANCES OF PEACE.

WAR RISKS THAT ARK RKIXO rNDKUWKITTKN. An English insurance broker writes: — It has always been tlie boast nf London underwriter's that there were very few risks egaiii-t which they were not prepared to injure the public. Sometime* a ,-ensc of humour has impelled them to issue policies a;,n:nst contingencies that (inly tho weirdest of imapinations could have Buzge-tcd, but generally spoakiiis they are actuated purely by business consideration?. At the prwont time quite a business U being done in insuring people who cross tlie Channel. Representatives of London commercial houses \v ho are compelled to ?,) over frequently in Franco believe tliat in the interests of their families they oupht to make provision beforehand in case of submarine attack, and the underwriters are quite willing to oblige them. Polities are i-sue-.l to rover the outward iind homeward journey for a month from the day of sailing ut the rate of 10/ per c"nt. A traveller with hu-ine.-s on the other si.le of the Channel, by paying a premium of £5 every time he has occasion to ero'.a over to France, knows, in ease the ship in which lie makes the journey .ither way is torpolood and he is ounk, that his "family will receive the very handsome sum of £1.000. and thus a crreat weight of care i- taken off his mind. Quite a number of people have in-ured ajrainst the possibility of an early peace, thou-rh such policies "are very difficult to secure at the moment. Three months ago a client of mine took nut a policy frr £2.j00 against the continuation ot the war beyond the present year. lie paid -10 i>cr rent premium, or £1.000, and if hostilities still rpnlinue after December :il lie will receive £-2.">0f1. and I do not doubt that he considers iie is on a very jrood tliinjr. To-day he would have to pay a premium of T"> per cent. \\hi<-!i shows what UoyxTs think of the ; m-m-cls of peace, seven monllis henre. Mind you. I'.iis is quite reasonable, for three months have e!aps(<l since tho 111 per vent rate prevailed, and 'he h\c\ r.l peace by tie end «f the year is more remote , than ever. War insurances of this kind are. ot couiso. a very bitr risk, and pncMteu'l/ in the nature .;f a pimblo, but we must prtsume underwriters to kni'v their liusinoi. and if they are wiilint; to accept this kind of business no one can biimp them. 'J l.c only risk that the are refiusinir at the moment is th.it of property ownrd !>y alien enemies against riot damage. We could have hr,d any number of if we 'mI likcil to ,'ceopt them, but wo rrg.inlei ii as unpatriotic to afford our protection tn people who ounlit. in their own interests, and in the interests of the country. tr> be interned. In Knglaml alone, enemy's property is