27 FEBRUARY 1886, Page 3

A remarkable return, quoted in the Standard of Monday last,

seems to supply another reason for the speedy passing of a Shipping Bill. The Marine Insurance Companies are shown to have had anything but a profitable year in 1885. Their receipts from premiums were £1,702,670; and their payments for losses, 21,592,347; leaving as a balance of profit, 2170,323, which was more than swallowed up by expenses of management, £189,211. If it had not been for the accumulations of happier years, when the weather was more favourable or ships more seaworthy, the accounts of the Companies, as a whole, would have shown an actual deficit. This was prevented by an "interest income" of 2144,378.