REPORT OF THE SUPERIVTE\'DEVT.   xi

that such adverse balance was reversed at the end of the year 1887, when a favour-able balance of $341,938 was shown, and that this favourable balance increased there-after from year to year (with the exception of the year 1893) up to the close of 1895 when it amounted to 83,654,856.

Year.   Balance.   Year.   Balance.

1875   1q75   

1876   

1877   

1878   

1879   

1880   

1881   

1882    

1883   

1884   

188.)   

15811   

1887   

1888   

1859   

18908   

1891   1892   

1893   

1894   

1895   

+ Favourable.   — Adverse.

As the reports of the general business of the British companies, which are appended to their several statements, are made up in a form not readily understood, except by an expert, I have this year, as in previous years, made an approximate analysis of them which will be found on page lxxiii. Only two or three of these companies profess to make any special provision for the liability under the head of << Unearned Premiums," but they set aside a certain suns under the title of " Fire Fund," which is held to meet future contingencies, and is charged against the company as a liability. I have taken 60 per cent of the annual revenue from premiums as a fair approximation to the exact pro rata of the premiums on unexpired risks, which forms the basis of the item in our returns for Canadian business. Also, in cases where life insurance is combined with fire (the assets of these branches being required by the Imperial statute to be kept separately) I have omitted the life business entirely, considering that the life funds are more than sufficient to cover the liabilities in this branch, and thus making the results, as regards paid-up capital, less favourable to the companies.

AMERICAN FIRE COMPANIES.

The receipts for premiums were $1,048,743 ; the payments for losses, $787,258 ; and the general expenses $314,532. Hence, for every $100 of premiums received there were spent on the average $75.07 in payment of losses, and 829.99 in general expenses.

The following detail gives the balances for the different companies :

BalaucPs in favour.—Hartford, $511 ; Insurance Co. of North America, $4,806 ; Queen, $15,693. Total, 821,010.

• 51,765

• 89,015 ; 1875 to 1876

   -4,210,951   1875 to 1877

   + 6711.458   1875 to 1878

• 210,430 1875 to 1879

• 727,389 1875 to 1880

• 161,162 1873 to 1881

• 481,511 1875 to 1852
     T 439,797   1875 to 1883

• 443,919 1875 to 1884
     + 674,984   1875 to 1885

• 237,2111 1873 to 1886

   359,243   1873 to 1887

• 752,956 1875 to 1888

• 918,128 1875 to 1889
     1- 712,981   1875 to 1890

• 470,014 { 1875 to 1891

• 452,941 1875 to 1892

• 203,430 1875 to 1893

• 172,105 1815 to 1894

• 39,223 1875 to 1895

•  140,780 — 4,070,171 — 3,393,713

• 3,183.283

• 2,455,894

• 2,294,732

• 1,813,221

1,373,424

929,505

254,521

17,305

•  341,938

• 1,094,894

• 2,013,022

• 2,726,003

• 3,196,017

• 3,648,958

• 3,443,528

• 3,615,633 ,- 3,654,856

8