quantities of ingots or bars of gold and silver lodged in this
bank？
41 Whether it be not true； that the bank of Amsterdam never makes
payments in cash？
42 Whether； nevertheless； it be not also true； that no man who
hath credit in the bank can want money from particular persons；
who are willing to become creditors in his stead？
43 Whether any man thinks himself the poorer； because his money
is in the。 bank？
44 Whether the creditors of the bank of Amsterdam are not at
liberty to withdraw their money when they please； and whether
this liberty doth not make them less desirous to use it？
45 Whether this bank be not shut up twice in the year for ten or
fifteen days； during which time the accounts are balanced？
53 Whether we are by nature a more stupid people than the Dutch？
And yet whether these things are sufficiently considered by our
patriots？
54 Whether anything less than the utter subversion of those
Republics can break the banks of Venice and Amsterdam？
55 Whether at Hamburgh the citizens have not the management of
the bank； without the meddling or inspection of the Senate？
56 Whether the directors be not four principal burghers chosen by
plurality of voices； whose business is to see the rules observed；
and furnish the cashiers with money？
57 Whether the book…keepers are not obliged to balance their
accounts every week； and exhibit them to the controllers or
directors？
58 Whether any besides the citizens are admitted to have compte
en banc at Hamburgh？
59 Whether there be not a certain limit； under which no sum can
be entered into the bank？
60 Whether each particular person doth not pay a fee in order to
be admitted to a compte en banc at Hamburgh and Amsterdam？
61 Whether the effects lodged in the bank of Hamburgh are liable
to be seized for debt or forfeiture？
62 Whether this bank doth not lend money upon pawns at low
interest and only for half a year； after which term； in default
of payment； the pawns are punctually sold by auction？
63 Whether the book…keepers of the bank of Hamburgh are not
obliged upon oath never to reveal what sums of money are paid in
or out of the bank； or what effects any particular person has
therein？
64 Whether； therefore； it be possible to know the state or stock
of this bank； and yet whether it be not of the greatest
reputation and most established credit throughout the North？
66 Whether an absolute monarchy be so apt to gain credit； and
whether the vivacity of some humours could so well suit with the
slow steps and discreet management which a bank requires？
67 Whether the bank called the general bank of France； contrived
by Mr Law； and established by letters patent in May； 1716； was
not in truth a particular and not a national bank； being in the
hands of a particular company privileged and protected by the
Government？
68 Whether the Government did not order that the notes of this
bank should pass on a par with ready money in all payments of the
revenue？
69 Whether this bank was not obliged to issue only such notes as
were payable at sight？
70 Whether it was not made a capital crime to forge the notes of
this bank？
71 Whether this bank was not restrained from trading either by
sea or land； and from taking up money upon interest？
72 Whether the original stock thereof was not six millions of
livres； divided into actions of a thousand crowns each？
73 Whether the proprietors were not to hold general assemblies
twice in the year； for the regulating of their affairs？
74 Whether the accompts of this bank were not balanced twice
every year？
75 Whether there were not two chests belonging to this bank； the
one called the general chest containing their specie； their bills
and their copper plates for the printing of those bills； under
the custody of three locks； whereof the keys were kept by the
director； the inspector and treasurer。 also another called； the
ordinary chest； containing part of the stock not exceeding two
hundred thousand crowns； under the key of the treasurer？
76 Whether out of this last mentioned sum； each particular
cashier was not to be intrusted with a share not exceeding the
value of twenty thousand crowns at a time； and that under good
security？
77 Whether the Regent did not reserve to himself the power of
calling this bank to account； so often as he should think good；
and of appointing the inspector？
78 Whether in the beginning of the year 1719 the French King did
not convert the general bank of France into a Banque Royale；
having himself purchased the stock of the company and taken it
into his own hands； and appointed the Duke of Orleans chief
manager thereof？
79 Whether from that time； all matters relating to the bank were
not transacted in the name； and by the sole authority； of the
king？
80 Whether his Majesty did not undertake to receive and keep the
cash of all particular persons； subjects； or foreigners； in his
said Royale Banque； without being paid for that trouble？ And
whether it was not declared； that such cash should not be liable
to seizure on any pretext； not even on the king's own account？
81 Whether the treasurer alone did not sign all the bills；
receive all the stock paid into the bank； and keep account of all
the in…goings and out…goings？
82 Whether there were not three registers for the enregistering
of the bills kept in the Banque Royale； one by the inspector；
another by the controller； and a third by the treasurer？
83 Whether there was not also a fourth register； containing the
profits of the bank； which was visited； at least once a week； by
the inspector and controller？
84 Whether； beside the general bureau or compter in the city of
Paris； there were not also appointed five more in the towns of
Lyons； Tours； Rochelle； Orleans； and Amiens； each whereof was
provided with two chests； one of specie for discharging bills at
sight； and another of bank bills to be issued as there should be
demand？
85 Whether； in the above mentioned towns； it was not prohibited
to make payments in silver； exceeding the sum of six hundred
livres？
86 Whether all creditors were not empowered to demand payment in
bank bills instead of specie？
87 Whether； in a short compass of time； this bank did not undergo
many new changes and regulations by several successive acts of
council？
88 Whether the untimely； repeated； and boundless fabrication of
bills did not precipitate the ruin of this bank？
89 Whether it be not true； that before the end of July； 1719；
they had fabricated four hundred millions of livres in
bank…notes； to which they added the sum of one hundred and twenty
millions more on the twelfth of September following； also the
same sum of one hundred and twenty millions on the twenty…fourth
of 3 October； and again on the twenty…ninth of December； in the
same year； the farther sum of three hundred and sixty millions；
making the whole； from an original stock of six millions； mount；
within the compass of one year； to a thousand millions of livres？
90 Whether on the twenty…eighth of February； 1720； the king did
not make an union of the bank with the united company of the East
and West Indies； which from that time had the administration and
profits of the Banque Royale？
91 Whether the king did not still profess himself responsible for
the value of the bank bills； and whether the company were not
responsible to his Majesty for their management？
92 Whether sixteen hundred millions of livres； lent to his
majesty by the company； was not a sufficient pledge to indemnify
the king？
93 Whether the new directors were not prohibited to make any more
bills without an act of council？
94 Whether the chests and books of the Banque were not subjected
to the joint inspection of a Counsellor of State； and the Prevot
des Marchands； assisted by two Echevins； a judge； and a consul；
who had power to visit when they would and without warning？
95 Whether in less than two years the actions or shares of the
Indian Company （first established for Mississippi； and afterwards
increased by the addition of other compares and further？ and
whether this privileges） did not rise to near 2000 per cent must
be ascribed to real advantages of trade； or to mere frenzy？
96 Whether； from first to last； there were not fabricated bank
bills； of one kind or other； to the value of more than two
thousand and six hundred millions of livres； or one hundred and
thirty millions sterling？
97 Whether the credit of the bank did not decline from its union
with the Indian Company？
98 Whether； notwithstanding all the above…mentioned extraordinary
measures； the bank bills did not still pass at par with gold and
silver to May； 1720； when the French king thought fit； by a new
act of council； to make a reduction of their value； which proved
a fatal blow； the effects whereof； though soon retracted； no
subsequent skill or management could ever repair？
99 Whether； what no reason； reflexion； or foresight could do；
this simple matter of fact （the most powerful argument with the
multitude） did not do at once； to wit； open the eyes of the
people？
100 Whether the dealers in that sort of ware had ever troubled
their heads with the nature of credit； or the true use and end of
banks； but only considered their bills and actions as things； to
which the general demand gave a price？
101 Whether the Government was not in great perplexity to
contrive expedients for the getting rid of those bank bills；
which had been lately multiplied with such an unlimited passion？
102 Whether notes to the value of about ninety millions were not
sunk by being paid off in specie； with the cash of the Compagnie
des Indes； with that of the bank； and that of the Hotels des
Monnoyes？ Whether five hundred and thirty millions were not
converted into annuities at the royal treasury？ Whether several
hundred millions more in bank bills were not extinguished and
replaced by annuities on the City of Paris； on taxes throughout
the provinces； &c。； &c？
103 Whether； after all other shifts； the last and grand resource
for exhausting that ocean； was not the erecting of a compte en
banc in several towns of France？
104 Whether； when t