An important point was decided against the presumed privilege of the city in 1767. Two gentlemen, wishing to purchase stock, employed friends, not brokers, to procure it. The chamberlain, deeming this an invasion of the civic prerogatives, commenced proceedings against them. In both cases, however, the defendants gained the day. “And,” says the authority, “it is now settled that every person is at liberty to employ his friends to buy or sell government securities without employing a broker.” Some of the frequenters of Jonathan’s were dexterous manipulators, and, however the speculator might congratulate himself on his success in the Alley, it occasionally happened that he found himself lightened of his profit. Thus, in one day in the above year, no fewer than four brokers were robbed of their pocketbooks, containing large amounts of property. The thief was taken; but, in place of expressing contrition, he gave a voluntary and unexpected opinion, that one man had as much right to rob as another, and that he was only acting as an honorary magistrate, in taking that of which they had cheated their neighbours. In 1771, a somewhat curious calculation was made, that if the debt of 130 millions were counted in shillings at the rate of 100 a minute, it would occupy one person 49 years, 158 days, and 7 hours. The same person also declared its weight in the same coin to be 41,935,484 troy pounds; and that it would require 279,570 men to carry it. CHAPTER VII. _Crisis of 1772.—Indian Adventurers, their Ostentation, their Character.—Failure of Douglas, Heron, & Co.—Neale, Fordyce, & Co.—Sketch of Mr. Fordyce.—His Success in the Alley.—Alarm of his Partners.—His Artifice.—His Failure.—General Bankruptcy.—Liberality of a Nabob.—Reply of a Quaker.—Witticism of John Wilkes.—War of American Independence.—Artifices of Ministers.—Anecdote of Mr. Atkinson.—Value of Life on the Stock Exchange.—Longevity of a Stock-broker._