LOSS IN SMYRNA FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18888, 22 December 1924, Page 11

LOSS IN SMYRNA FIRE.

CLAIMS FOR INSURANCE.

HELD TO BE ACT OF WAR.

Beuter. LONDON. Deo. ]9. After a hearing lasting for 12 days, Mr. Justice Rowlett, in the Commercial Court, gave judgment for the defendant

insurance, companies in the Smyrna fire caso, holding that the fire was an act of war, and therefore excluded from risks covered by insurance policies. The decision will b e a big blow to many British traders, who were ruined by the fire, for the action was treated as a test case for claims amounting to nearly £20,000,555 under insurance policies with British and other companies.

Tho fire at Smyrna, after the en";ry of tho Turks on September 9, 1922, ranks among the major conflagration of history. The area of the destroyed district was nearly a square mile, and included the Armenian, Greek and European quarters. The terrors of the fire were supplemented by the orgies of the Turkish army, which got out of hand and engaged in a riot of jnassacrc, loot and rapine. The present action was a test case brought by tho American Tobacco Company, which claimed to recover insurance on its properly destroyed by the fire from the Guardian Assurance Company. Tho liability of 8, number of insurance companies to pay insurances on other destroyed property depended on the judgment in this case. Plaintiff's counsel said the issue was whether tho fire was accidental or came within the exceptions under the policies on which tho action was brought. His case was that tho fire was accidental.