56 A. D. 1784. 



fugar and coffee than would be neceflary for tlieir pafiage. In confe- 

 quence of the monopoly thus given to the Mole, the two articles of tol- 

 erated exportation immediately rofe there to an extravagant price. 



But thefe regulations were foon after fet afide by a new arret, dated 

 30'" Augufl 1784, but not pubHflied till the 30"^ of November. By this 

 order the Car^nage at S'. Lucia was continued a free port ; and new ones 

 were opened at S\ Pierre in Martinique, Pointe a Pitre in Guadaloupe, 

 and Cayes S'. Louis in S'. Domingo, Cap Nicholas Mole being thence- 

 forth (hut up. Foreign vefTels, of at leaft fixty tuns*, loaded with tim- 

 ber of all kinds, dye-woods, coals, live ftock, fait beef (but not fait pork) 

 fait fifh, rice, legumes, raw or tanned hides, peltry, rofin, pitch, and tar, 

 were allowed to enter in thofe ports, and difpofe of their cargoes. And 

 all veflels fo loaded, or in ballafl, were permitted to take onboard only 

 melaffes and rum (taffia) and goods brought from France f , on paying 

 the local duties, eflabliflied, or to be eftabliflied, in each colony, with a 

 further duty of one per cent ad valorem on all imports and exports. A 

 further duty of three livres was impofcd upon every quintal (or hundred- 

 weight) of fait beef, cod, or other fifh, in order to form a fund for pre- 

 miums to be given on fait cod and other fifh from the French fifheries ; 

 but fait meat, carried from France in French vefTels, was exempted from 

 thofe duties. In each free port commiffaries, appointed by the refident 

 French merchants and the French commanders of veflels, were em- 

 pov/ered to watch over the flridl obfervance of this order, and, at their 

 pleafure, to vifit all vefTels at their arrival and departure. 



It is evident from the whole tenor of this arret, that, while it profefl- 

 edly holds out liberty and advantage to foreigners, it in fa6l only allows 

 the importation of articles, which the iflands rhay be in need of, and 

 the exportation of articles, which are of no kind of ufe to themfelves, 

 either in the Wefl-Indies or at home ; the fale of the goods imported 

 being moreover entirely at the mercy of the refident French merchants 

 by virtue of the controuling powers vefled in their commiffaries. A po- 

 licy, founded on fuch narrow principles of monopoly and felf-accommod- 

 ation, could not be expecTted to produce any permanent commercial in- 

 tercourfe, which can only flourifh by the reciprocation of advantages, 

 and the enjoyment of every degree of liberty confiftent with the fimplefl 

 and eafiefl commercial regulation. 



The French, however, flill allowed Dunkirk, L'Orient, Bayonne, and 

 Marfeille, to remain open as free ports to allure the envied trade of 

 America to their own country. And, in addition to the permilhon for- 

 merly granted to the citizens of the United flates of America, of touch- 



* ' Du port de foixante tonneaux au moins." by fome of thofe who propofed to inveft the Ame- 

 Qu. if it (hould not rather be ou moins ? and, if fo, ricans with thefull enjoyment of the rights of Brit- 

 the tranflation is, not exceedmgfixty tuns, the limit- ifn fubjefts in the Weft-Indies, as giving them fuU 

 ation of tunnage propofed by the advocates for pcrmilTion to take onboard every article of the pro- 

 the admiffion of American veiTels into our iflands. duce of the French iflands. How truely the read- 

 er This anet was, perhaps Ignorantly, explained er of it may eafily jndgc. 



