Shareholders and other interested parties will note that Berkshire has posted its second quarter interim report to shareholders about a week earlier than the date originally scheduled. The reason for this change is that on Monday August 10, 1998, Berkshire expects to file a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that relates to the planned merger with General Re. The Registration Statement will contain financial data for Berkshire and General Re as of June 30, 1998 and for the six month period then ended. Accordingly, Berkshire's 10-Q for the period ending June 30, 1998 was filed with the SEC on August 7, 1998.