16 TOBACCO : ITS HISTORY. 



and more popular, the government of Louis XIV. 

 increased the duty, and then converted the culti- 

 vation into a monopoly. This was conceded to 

 a speculator for six years, in consideration of the 

 payment of 700,000 francs in three instalments, 

 the enormous sum of more than 29,000/. sterling. 

 In 1720 the consideration for the monopoly was 

 more than doubled; in 1771 it was nearly 

 quadrupled, amounting to about 1,100,0007. per 

 annum. As the consumption of tobacco con- 

 tinued to increase, the government took upon 

 itself the entire monopoly, under the name of 

 Regie; and some idea may be formed of the 

 enormous increase in the consumption of tobacco, 

 when it is stated that in 1844 the revenue rose 

 to the sum of 102,000,000 francs, more than 

 4,000,000/. sterling; since which date it has 

 been constantly and steadily increasing, at the 

 average rate of from 2,000,000 to 5,000,000 

 francs per annum. The list before me is from 

 1829 to 1844. It is very probable that the 

 revenue for last year exceeded that of England, 

 which is set down at 5,220,388/. We must cer- 

 tainly pay the French kings and their ministers 



