[10 BRITISH LIFE ASSURANCE, 1914-1918 
It is a matter for congratulation, and a tribute to the 
patriotic spirit of the Companies, that such facts as these 
have to be recorded; and this applies especially to Industrial 
Assurance, where possible commitments were so heavy and 
powers to have acted otherwise so extensive. 
The rates of extra premium orginally fixed by the Ordinary 
Companies for assured lives actually in the Army or Navy at 
the outbreak of war were £5 5s. 0d. per £100 assured for any 
period not exceeding one year for combatants, and £3 3s. 0d. 
on like terms for non-combatants. The Navy for this purpose 
were taken as all being combatants. For entrants into assur- 
ance after the outbreak of war £7 7s. 0d. and £5 5s. 0d. instead 
of £5 5s. 0d. and £3 3s. 0d. respectively. For members of the 
Royal Army Medical Corps and for army chaplains extra 
premium less by £2 2s. 0d. per £100 assured. All home service 
was free of extra. Naval volunteers were free, but £7 7s. 0d. 
per £100 assured was the extra for new entrants (i. e. assurers 
after outbreak of war) if afloat. 
There are further provisions of a minor character, but the 
list need not be extended, nor need it as a whole occupy much 
attention, considering to how comparatively small a number of 
the assured lives engaged in war the figures applied. Rates 
of this kind make no pretension to be anything but empirical, 
and are sharply bounded on the upward side by what it is 
possible to ask. As hostilities developed it became tragically 
clear that such charges, or any others which could reasonably 
be made, were wholly inadequate to the risk run. This was 
acknowledged so early as December 1914, when the rates fixed 
for officers proposing fresh assurances were rescinded, and the 
matter left to the individual Companies, ‘ on the ground of the 
inadequacy of the extra premiums in face of the experience of 
the Offices since the war began ’. Similarly, in July 1915, when 
the war was nearing the end of its first yearand the question arose 
as to the rate at which the extra premium should be fixed on 
renewal, the Associations advised the Companies to renew 
on the same terms as originally fixed, as it seemed to be officially 
sonsidered (i. e. by the Military Authorities) that the charge of