Sentence:  But was it responsible governance to pass the Longitude Act without other efforts to protect British seamen? Or might it have been <WSD>subterfuge</WSD>—a disingenuous attempt to shift attention away from the realities of their life at sea. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  An indirect or deceptive device or stratagem; a blind. Refers especially to war and diplomatics.