On the Rate of Mortality in the Navy

Extract

I have lately examined the Blue Book on the Health of the Navy for the year 1878, in order to ascertain whether the information contained in it could be utilized for life insurance purposes. I thought that it might perhaps assist the Actuary in fixing the rate of extra premium to be charged for sea risk; but the general conclusion at which I have arrived is, that while the information contained in the Blue Book is extremely valuable for the purpose of estimating the healthiness or unhealthiness of different naval stations, and the special risks that have to be guarded against in each, and for other kindred purposes, yet the information is of very little value (if any) to insurance companies. It may, nevertheless, be useful to lay before the readers of the Journal of the Institute of Actuaries a few of the figures contained in the book.