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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2693, 12 February 1916, Page 13

of poundi3 in premiums reinsured part of their risks with German offices. He further stated, with proper pride, that lie had removed the whole of his-busi-ness to another office, which ho named. The writer refrained from telling him that this second office reinsured with the same German offices. It might bo assumed that the cessation of all business relations with offices in onomy countries due to the war would involve the companies in this country in serious losses should tires occur in properties reinsured in those countries, hut no anxiety need be felt on tills account, as sufficient reinsurance premiums are kept in hand here to moot the current liabilities of the reinsuring offices. Hie outbreak of war brought many difficult problems to the managers of insurance companies which required immediate Eolution, and it would not be an exaggeration to stato that the sudden cessation of normal reinsurance facilities brought about conditions resembling panic. The difficulties, however, were speedily overcome, and everything is now mining with the customary smoothness, and it is to be hoped that the practice will be discontinued altogether now that it has necessarily fallen into desuetude so far as it affects enemy countries. Very curious results might conceivably arise from the internationalism of insurance, although _ they _ would probably occuf in connection with hazards other than fire risks. At the time of tlie recent Balkan wars insurers in this country were interested in war risk policies on many properties in the _ countries affected, and losses were paid under those policies and it is quite possible that after the present war British insurers may be called upon to pay for damage done by our own engines of war. Moreover, a good deal of Balkan insurance was managed by the Bulgaria Company of Sofia, - and it is just possible that at the end of the war Bulgarian money will pay for soma of the damage that Bulgaria did.