CORONATION INSURANCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 107, 27 June 1911, Page 7

CORONATION INSURANCE.

After the experience of 1902, insurances against, the risk of loss in connection with this Coronation must have been much more numerous than they were nine years ago". In J9U2 the blow fell with terrible suddenness and severity on people whose trade, or business depended upon tho national rejoicings. Syndicates that had erected stands, promoters of entertainments, dealers in food and flowers were hi! very hard indeed. The sum spent, on decorations and' illuminations was huge. One writer, who went into the matter carefully, estimated that the loss amounted to millions. He mentioned, as forming a guide to a rough estimate of the loss to people interested, the calculation that at the time of the Diamond Jubilee four hundred tons of English gold, or £50,000.000 changed hands/' To mention illustrative instances; the slump at Covent Garden after the postponement, was terrible. Lilies of the Valley, sold early in the week at 15s a hunch, went for 2s Gel and 3s; roses dropped from 12s a dozen bunches to Is Gd. The Billingsgate fish market had the worst day in its .history. This, year prudent people will have insured against loss by postponement'. Six weeks ago tho ‘Standard” said that the majority of those having valuable sites had already insured themselves in one w'ay or another, and there were thousands of policies outstanding in reference to the. health of tho Royal Family, and tens of thousands of policies covering in one way or another a possible hitch in the arrangements for the Coronation itself and the subsequent visits to the city. The greater part of tho “risk” was then regarded ,as . over, and whereas at the conijnencoment of tho year premiums of 25gs. and 30gs. p>r cent, were being freely charged and paid against a postponement of tho Coronation, the rates had, during tho ond of April, and tho hoginning of May, fallen to Bgs. to lOgs. per cent. It was considered probable that this premium would he firm up to tho day of tho Coronation.