2 46 HISTORY OF THE [book. vi. 
Indies (different in all respects from colonies in 
northern latitudes) answer in every point of view, 
and, if I mistake not, to a much greater extent 
than is commonly imagined, all the purposes and 
expectations for which colonies have been at any 
time established. They furnish, as we have seen, 
a sure and exclusive market for the merchandise 
and manufactures of the mother country and her 
dependencies, to the yearly amount of very near 
four millions of pounds sterling. They produce to 
an immense value, and in quantities not only suffi¬ 
cient for her own consumption, but also for a great 
export to foreign markets, many valuable and most 
necessary commodities, none of which interfere in 
any respect with her own productions; and most 
of which, as I shall demonstrate hereafter, she 
cannot obtain on equal terms elsewhere:—accom¬ 
panied too with this peculiar benefit, that in the 
transfer of these articles from one part of her sub¬ 
jects to another part, not one shilling is taken from 
the general circulating wealth of the kingdom. 
Lastly, they give such employment to her ships 
count of the average imports from the French sugar islands, and the duties 
paid thereon, was published in 1785 ; viz. 
Li'vres. 
130,000 casks sugar valued at 90,000,000 
60 millions of lbs. coffee 45,000,000 
2 millions of lbs. indigo 18,000,000 
millions of lbs. cacao 1,000,000 
3 millions of lbs.’cotton 6,000,000 
duties; Lfares. 
Droits de Domaine d’occident 5,600,000 
Droits d’octroi a l’Amerique 7,344,000 
Duties on sug^r refined in France 4,592,000 
Duties on coffee 750,000 
Duties on indigo 37 ; 5 00 
Total 18,323,500 
Total 
16c,000,000 
