cite? and whether they do not raise clamours against the government
for their ill success, to avoid the suspicion of negligence or fraud?

That other frauds are committed in the practice of insuring, is well
known to the honourable gentleman: it is a common practice to take money
upon bottomry, by way of pledge, for the captain's fidelity, and to
destroy this security by insuring above the real value; so that the
captain may gain by neglecting the care of his vessel, or, at least,
secure himself from loss, and indulge his ease or his pleasure without
any interruption from the fear of diminishing his fortune.

The whole practice of insurance, sir, is, in its present state, I
believe, so perplexed with frauds, and of such manifest tendency to the
obstruction of commerce, that it absolutely requires some legal
regulations.

Sir John BARNARD then spoke to this purpose:--Of frauds in the practice
of insurance, with regard to which the honourable gentleman has appealed
to me, I can confidently affirm that I am totally ignorant: I know not
of any fraudulent practices openly carried on, or established by custom,
which I suppose are meant: for with regard to single acts of fraud,
committed by particular men, it is not to be supposed but that they have
been detected in this, as in all other branches of traffick: nor can I
conceive that any argument can be drawn from them against the practice;
for if every part of commerce is to be prohibited, which has furnished
villains with opportunities of deceit, we shall contract trade into a
narrow compass.

With regard, sir, to the instance of the Royal George, though the
proceedings of the officers are not wholly to be vindicated, yet part of
their conduct is less inexplicable than it has been represented. Their
return to Antigua, when they were bound for Britain, and were within a
week's sailing of their port, is easily to be defended, if the wind was
contrary to their intended course; for it is not difficult to conceive
that they might reach a distant port, with a favourable wind, much
sooner than one much nearer, with the wind against them.

I have always observed, sir, that the gentlemen engaged in the trade to
the East Indies, assume an air of superiority, to which I know not what
claim they can produce, and seem to imagine, that their charter gives
them more extensive knowledge, and more acute sagacity, than falls to
the lot of men not combined in their association.

But howev