Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1913 edition. Excerpt: ... policy forms the basis for the marine policies now in general use in England and in the United States.12 In 1871, Lloyd's was incorporated by Act of Parliament, and is one of the institutions "that have helped to win for England the maritime supremacy of the world."18 It is scarcely possible, therefore, to underestimate the effect which Lloyd's has had upon the development of the practice and of the law of insurance. As Mr. Frederick Martin says in the introduction to his well known volume, --appropriately called "The History of Lloyd's and of Marine Insurance in Great Britain,"14 "The history of marine insurance, bound up with wars, and frauds, and all the vicissitudes of commerce, has a romance of its own, which it was not possible altogether to exclude from this work, as it forms part of the subject. But, while giving the adventurous its place, the plan of a strictly historical recital of events has not been deviated from. It is in pursuance of this plan that the history of the ancient confederation of underwriters, known as 'Lloyd's' occupies a large space in the history of British Marine Insurance." Though Lloyd himself is thus little more than a famous name, the tone and character of his house, in one resepct, at least, is certain. An issue of the London Chronicle for 1768, contains the following passage: "The introduction and amazing progress of illicit gaming at Lloyd's Coffee House is, among others, a powerful and very melancholy proof of the degeneracy of the time. Though gaming in any degree is perverting the original and useful design of that Coffee-house, it may in some measure be excusable to speculate on the following subjects: Mr. Wilkes being elected for London; which was done from 5 to 50 guineas per cent; Mr. Wilkes...