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XL I. Facts respecting the increased Volatility and Injiamma- 

 biiity which Fish Oil and its Vapours acquire by continued or 

 renewed Exposure to certain high Temperatures; elicited 

 . by the Examination of Evidence in a late Trial in the Court 

 of Common Pleas (Severn, Kfng and Co. versus Drew, or 

 the Imperial Insurance Office), before the Lord Chief Justice 

 DALLAS and a Special Jury. 



X HIS case, important in every view, as embracing the practice 

 and principles by which fire-insurances are regulated, proved 

 not less so to science, on account of the high attainments of many 

 of the witnesses, and the curious facts that were elicited by their 

 evidence. We have therefore thought that we should render an 

 acceptable service to our readers generally, by giving the pro- 

 ceedings a place in our pages. The trial commenced on the 

 1 1th of April, and did not close till the I3th. 



Mr. Stephen opened the pleadings. 



The Solicitor-general afterwards rose, and stated the plaintiffs' 

 case in an address, embracing a complete view of the whole sub- 

 ject. The present action was brought for a sum of upwards of 

 8000/. against the defendants, who are directors of the Imperial 

 Insurance Company. The plaintiffs were very respectable and 

 opulent sugar-refiners, residing in Whitechapel. This was a part 

 6nly of a very large sum, amounting to about 70,000/. total loss 

 which had been sustained by fire in November 1819. Upon that 

 point no doubt or difficulty existed, nor was the slightest impu- 

 tation cast upon the character of the plaintiffs. The only ques- 

 tion arising between the parties turned either upon points of law, 

 or related to the manner and regularity of effecting the insurance. 

 It would be for the jury, after deliberately weighing the evidence 

 on both sides, to decide whether the plaintiffs were entitled to 

 an indemnification. With reference to this ultimate question he 

 might be allowed to mention, in the first place, that they had 

 paid an enormous premium for their insurance. It was made 

 indeed upon an express provision, and not on any of the general 

 rules by which the office directed its transactions. The rate of 

 insurance in ordinary cases was two shillings per cent., and from 

 that it graduated to five shillings, which was considered, to use 

 the language of the insurers themselves, as the rate applicable 

 to risks of a double hazard. It was the premium required where 

 tallow or any other matter easily combustible was in daily use, 

 or formed a material of manufacture. But the present case was 

 altogether singular, for the premium actually paid was no less 

 than 14 shillings, being more than double that required in all 

 ordinary cases for doubly hazardous insurances. He mentioned 



this 



