The Temperance and General Provident Institution has published its thirty-eighth animal report: a document of sterling vnluo. It refers to an insurance instution, which, .formed in December, 1840, has now a capital of two aud a-lialf millions. The nett profits in 1878 were £166,000. One para graph in tho report is of singular importance as bearing on the' question of vital statistics. Since 18!5O this institution has had two sections—one for total abstainers and one for moderate drinkers—respectively called the Temperance]! and General sections. During tho whole of that period the Tem perance suction hai shown a superiority over the Genera) section, as evinced by the greater amount of bonus payable to the Temperance insurers. This superiority has becu maintained in every year of the entire series. What it was last year is attested by tho paragraph we now quote—"Theactuary, Mr U. P. Hardy, report:) the mortality on the LiEe Policies to have buen as follows, viz. :-Expected clnims iv tho temperance section IS7 for £35,873 : the actual claims were 117 for £24,338. In the general sec tion 299 claims were expected for £62,451; the actual have been 317 for £63,735. It thus appears that the total claims were 434; but those in the temperance' section were 117 instead of 187 as expected, and those .in the general section 317 instead of 299 as expected ; in tho ono case 70 fewer than expected, in the other 18 more. If the temperance section claims had been according to the general section rate they would have been 19S, whereas they were only 117 ; and had tho claims in the general auction boon as thoso in the tempcrauce section were, they would have been 191, whereas they wore actually 317! Allowing a broad niarpin for accidental fluctuation, the disparity is so remarkable that, taken in conjunction with the facts of twenty eight preceding years, it ought to put an end to the fallacy which associates the use of strong drink with longevity and health."

"Alliance News," June 7th, 1879.
