94 



TlMEHRI. 



in the early numbers of the Royal Gazette. Then, as 

 now, news came sometimes, that was contradicted 

 afterwards. It had often been reported that NAPOLEON 

 was dead. On one occasion the Royal Gazette had set 

 forth in large type a report of the capture of Commodore 

 RODGERS, with the President and other vessels of the 

 squadron, which had been sent to sea by the United 

 States. That this latter statement did not prove true 

 must have been very disappointing to the Colonial Editor, 

 who had no hesitation in denouncing the President of 

 the United States as " a slave worthy of his master 

 " Bonaparte." 



Through the successes gained by her land and sea 

 forces, in her struggle with Napoleon, Great Britain 

 had not only become possessed of nearly all the 

 Colonies of France and those of her allies, but had also 

 cut off France from commerce with the outside world. 

 One consequence of this, the building up of the beet-root 

 industry, West Indians rue to this day.* The condition 

 of France, bereft of her foreign trade, attracted the 

 attention of the enterprising citizens of the young 

 Republic of the United States. As neutrals, they were 

 ready to trade with either France or Great Britain. They 

 traded with both. The supplying of France did not, how- 

 ever, suit Great Britain, with her assured naval 



* On the 18th of March :8o8, Napoleon wrote to the distinguished 

 chemist, Berthollet, enquiring whether it were true that a man called 

 Achard had made good sugar from maple, at Berlin. Was it true, 

 also, he asked, that good sugar could be made from turnips. Ber- 

 thollet was required to enquire as to these matters. 



In the early part of 1812, the French were so sorely put to it for 

 want of sugar, that they had to relieve their feelings by caricaturing 

 the Emperor's hobby for beet-root. A cartoon represented Napoleon 



