26 CAPTAIN ZACHARY G. LAMSON 



license * system that most of the commerce 

 was carried on. Licenses were first used 

 in 1806 and were granted by both the 

 French and English, allowing the ship of 

 a neutral or even a belligerent to enter their 

 ports and discharge a cargo without moles- 

 tation. The effect of this upon neutrals 

 was deplorable. Licenses were forged, logs 

 falsified, false affidavits -made and bribery 

 freely used. 2 



1 "To such a length did the license system proceed 

 under the Imperial government that it constituted the 

 principal source of the private revenue of Napoleon. And 

 we have the authority of Napoleon himself for the asser- 

 tion that the treasure thus accumulated amounted at the 

 opening of the Russian war in 1812 to the enormous sum 

 of four hundred million of francs, or $80,000,000."- 

 ALLISON, History of Europe, vol. iii, p. 562. 



2 Part of a circular letter read by Mr. Broughmam in 

 the English Parliament. 



"Liverpool. Gentlemen. We take the liberty to in- 

 form you that we have established ourselves in this town, 

 for the purpose of making simulated papers, which we 

 are enabled to do in a way which will give ample satisfac- 

 tion to our patrons, understanding all the necessary lan- 

 guages. Of any change that may occur in the different 

 places on the continent, we are careful to have the latest 



