182 VISIT TO DENMARK [1799. 



at present it is in a bad way, the India house being 

 actually shut up, as we heard then, and the people 

 complaining most dismally that their trade is ruined. 

 The consequence of all this is, that coffee has been for- 

 bid in order to encourage tea, to the great annoyance 

 of the people. Indeed, while Lord Henry Spencer 

 was our minister at Stockholm, so violent an alterca- 

 tion arose on this subject among the ministers, that 

 several are said to have been obliged to quit the Court, 

 and Lord Henry sent on the subject a courier-extra- 

 ordinary to England. French brandy was also for- 

 bidden ; but (from some instances of discontent which 

 occurred) it was found better to take off this pro- 

 hibition. 



The great obstacle to commercial improvement is 

 the depreciation of the rix-dollar, which introduces 

 endless confusion, as well as loss. Thus, in retailing, 

 if a person wishes to buy an article whose price is not 

 expressed by any note, he must either pay more than 

 the price or give specie, by which he loses ; for if you 

 give away specie in common dealings the agio is not 

 allowed, which you paid to get it. Thus, too, all officers 

 under Government are paid in the rix-dollar, so that, 

 since its immense fall, the value of the salaries has 

 fallen in proportion, whilst the price of provisions 

 rises. Besides rix-dollars and banco, they have lately 

 issued a note of very singular kind viz., a piece 

 of copper intrinsically worth one-sixth of a skelling, 

 which is made worth a half-skelling, and is called a 

 pallet. It is singular enough that a number of prices 



