Respondentia

in maritime law, is a loan of money on goods laden on board of a ship, which in the course of the voyage must, from their nature, be sold or exchanged, on maritime interest, upon this condition, that if the goods should be lost in the course of the voyage, by any of the perils enumerated in the contract, the lender shall lose his money; if not, that the borrower shall pay him the sum borrowed, with the interest agreed upon. This contract is called respondentia, because the money is lent on the personal responsibility of the borrower. It differs principally from bottomry, in the following circumstances: bottomry is a loan on the ship; respondentia is a loan upon the goods. The money is to be repaid to the lender, with maritime interest, upon the arrival of the ship, in the one case; and of the goods, in the other. In all other respects the contracts are nearly the same, and are governed by the same principles. In the former the ship and tackle, being hypothecated, are liable, as well as the person of the borrower; in the latter the lender has, in general, only the personal security of the borrower.

Marsh. Ins. B. 2, c. 1, p. 734. See Lex. Mer. Amer. 354; Com. Dig. Merchant, E 4; 1 Fonb. Eq. 247, n. l.; Ib. 252, n. o.; 2 Bl. Com. 457; Park, Ins. ch. 21; Wesk. Ins. 44; Beawes's Lex. Mer. 148; 3 Chitty's Com. Law, 445 to 536; Bac. Abr. Merchant and Merchandize, K; Bottomry.