30 THE SUGAR BEET. 



1840. It was proposed to suppress the culture of the 

 beet, and for this purpose the government was to piir- 

 chase the existing factories; but Thiers carried the 

 house, he having made a most eloquent speech proving 

 the absurdity of such a scheme, but, on the contrary, 

 showed that, if left alone, or better still, encouraged, 

 benefits would result to the French nation. 



1843. The government proposed again to purchase 

 the existing factories after which they were to be 

 abolished, but here again Thiers objected and carried 

 his point. 



1847. The colonial and home sugars are equally 

 taxed. That is to say, the duty on one was equal to 

 the tax on the fabrication of the other. The omfy 

 rational law passed during this period was the prohibi- 

 tion of the importation of foreign refined sugars, and 

 in this manner the French refiners were protected. 



1848. The French Republic being in existence, 

 slavery in the colonies was abolished; this was an 

 immense advantage to home production, the tax still 

 remaining the same. 



1851. A new law unfortunately nearly brought about 

 a panic ; it consisted in obliging all Beet Sugar estab- 

 lishments to have each a given room where the govern- 

 ment authorities could have the production under their 

 direct control. This should be closed with lock and 

 key and opened only with their iDcrmission. 



1853. Alcohol was selling at. a high figure, and many 

 of the factories were transformed into distilleries. 



