Early documents show that the Initial paid up capital was $50,000 divided into 100 shares of $800 each, This was increased as the business developed until in 1868 the capital was $1,250,000, divided into 250 shares of $5,000 each with $1,000 per share paid up. Every third year the profits were divided, until the British, Committee was formed.
Branches were first established in London, Shanghai, Singapore, Yokohama, and' Melbourne. At the commencement of the twentieth century ofoes were opened in Manila and Calcutta, and in 1906 an amalgamation with the China Traders' Insur-lance Company, Lid, was effected. Further branches were established at Tokyo, Hankow, Tientsin, Bombay, Sydney, Adelaide, Auckland, Wellington, Sourabaya, Toronto, Vancouver, Brisbane, Perth, Christehurch, Buenos Aires, Johannesburg, New York, and Callforntu, 1915 an amalgamation wa: made with the China Fire Insurance Company, Lid, in 1919 with the North China Insurance Ca, Ltd., and in 1924 with the Yangtsze Insutance Association, Ltd.
First in Aviation interesting fact in the com: pany's history is that they have the distinction of being the first company in the world to issue an avia tion policy. This was in 1919. This particular branch of the business ater became too large to handle, s0 they carried on aviation insurance jointly with the White Cross Avia-Yon" Ingurance Association (of Lloya's Underwriters) under the name of the British Aviation Insurtance Group from January 1, 1024, until 1930, when it was formed' into private company, the British Aviation Insurance Group, Ltd., in which company the society is a shareholder fand has a seat on the board.
During war times, the company organized and ran a war savings deposit in Hongkong.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.