212 A. D. 1790. 



nation by the national aflt;mbly. They alfo aboliflied the pernicious 

 and partial tax upon fait, which had for ages opprefTed the people, and 

 provoked defperate fmuggling and frequent tumults, together with the 

 taxes upon oil, foap, ftarch, leather, and iron ; and they alfo aboliflied 

 the heavy tax upon tobacco. And inftead of them a light tax was im- 

 pofed upon fixed property, and alfo a rate per cent upon perfonal pro- 

 perty and annuities, a duty upon patents, and flamp duties upon con- 

 tracts and other writings. In confequence of thcfe alterations, fait and 

 tobacco became for the firfi time conliderable articles of general com- 

 merce in France. The aflembly reftored the property of the proteftants, 

 which had been feized on the revocation of the edift of Nantes, to their 

 defcendents ; and they relieved the Jews from the heavy extra tax levied 

 npon them. They alfo ordered, that juflice fliould be adminiflered gra- 

 tuitoufly to all the people : and they eftabliflied a board of conciliation 

 in every diftrisfl, to which the parties were to be fummoned, and proper 

 means ufed to bring them to an amicable adjuftment of their differences *. 



December 29"" — The following additional duties of excife were im- 

 pofed upon foreign fpiritous liquors, viz. 

 Rum of the British colonies to pay upon im- -j 



portation, or when delivered out, if already > Sd. and if above proof Ifl -j 



warehoused _ _ _ J t peigallon. 



Brandy, and other foreign spirits, single - lOd. and above proof ]/8 J 



Spirits of the Britilli plantations may be warehoufed without paying 

 the duty : and this additional duty is allowed to be drawn back on 

 fpirits fhipped for ftores. 



Additional duties vyere alfo laid upon home-made fpirits. And it was 

 declared, that all thefe duties fhould ceafe, as foon as ^^800, 000, to be 

 now raifed by exchequer bills, Ihould be paid off. [51 Geo. I/I, c. i.] 



Additional duties of excife were alfo laid on malt, and an addition of 

 ten per cent on feveral other taxes, for the fame purpofe ; which were 

 alfo to ceafe, when that purpofe fhould be effected, [r, 2.] 



In confequenee of the permifllon contained in the a£t 28 Geo. Ill, 

 c. 6, there were imported this year from the United ftates into Nova Sco- 

 tia 40,000 barrels of bread and meal, and 80,000 bufliels of grain : and 

 alfo 54,000 flaves and heading, 16,000 hoops, 924,980 feet of boards, 

 and 285,000 fhingles. This importation affords a clear proof, after a 

 trial of feven years, that Nova Scotia is very far indeed from being able 

 to fupply the Weft-Indies v/ith provifions ; and, what is more furprifing 

 in an uncultivated country covered with trees, that it even ftands in need 

 of lumber for building houfes, and making calks for the fifh, which are 

 likely to continue the principal article of its trade. 



The French planters in S'. Domingo found a method of refining fugar 

 with the juice of Hmes and other acid fruits. This year Mr. Millet, a 

 refiner of S\ Domingo, removed to Jamaica, where he carried on his 



• With tlie merits or demerits of the -evohitlon ant revolutions in the cornmercial fyfttm of that 

 in France this work has no concern. But the an- country were entirely overlooked, 

 thor might be accu.''ed of r.egk^^, if fuch import- 4 



