EXPENSE
The expence of Govemmeat in this country was formerly very moderate , for a séries of years to that of 1726, it never exceeded 360,000 livres ; the two ensuing ones it was advanced to about half a million, on account of the Golony being at war at that time with the Indian nation of Renards ; from this period it gradually increased to a million, and from the breaking out of the war with Great Britain in 1744, till peace was concluded with lier in 1748, the annual expence amounted to about two millons. In the month of August of that very year, the late Intendant, Monsieur Bigot, came over ; the expences hâve ever since increased, and to 1753 inclusive, dit not amount to less than four or five millions every year.
Làvree.
In 1754 Bills of Exchange were drawn
on France for 6,000,000
1755 on ditto ditto 5,500,000
1756 on ditto ditto 8,000,000
1757 on ditto ditto 12,000,000
1758 on ditto ditto 24,000,000
1759 on ditto ditto 30,000,000
In 1760 the Intendant was directed not
to exceed two millions four hundred thousand livres,
and drew only for 1,300,000
^ To the above is to be
added , the paper money remaining in in the country, and for which no
£4,533,333 6 8 Letters of Exchange
hâve been drawn... 22,000,000 Of the whole, upon the most moderate computation , at
£3,333,033 6 8 least eighty miUions are still due
Livres 118,800,000
The method of transacting the business was this. The Intendant for every expense emitted the ordinances which passed current with his bare signature only, one of which is annexed (No. 4,) to shew the nature of it ; in August notice was given to the proprietors to bring them into the treasury within the month of September, and until the tenthof October, the ordinances in their possession, for which they took the Treasurer's receipt, and commenced drawing the letters of exchange, which continued fifteen or twenty days, or until the navigation was shut up.
From the year 1740 to that of 1746, letters of exchange were drawn only for three fourths of the value brought into the treasury, thèse indeed payable in six, seven, eight, or uine months, when they were duly discharged, the remaining fourth, wasreimbursed the proprietors, by a card money, of which there is nearly to the amount of a million still existing in the Golony.
From 1746 to 1752 Letters of Exchange were drawn for the fuU sum brought into the Treasury, and were ail made payable some time within the issuing year. But the expences having increased considerably, orders were given to divide those of the year into three equal parts, payable in one, two or three years. This was put in exécution in 1753, but the very year following, another arrangement took place, only one fourth part was made payable in the course of the ensuing year, one half two years after that, and the remaining fourth in three.
and this method was never after observed till the year 1760.
By this means great numbers of those drawn in the preceding years, were not yet come in course of payment, when the King's arrêt of October 1759, suspended their payment entirely.
N. B. Throughout thèse calculations, and every other part of this Report, the French livre, to avoid fractions, is estimated at ten pence sterling.
OBSERVATIONS
1. I had the honour to inform the Lords of the Treasury very fully of the State of the King's Posts, in a letter to Mr. Martin, their Secretary, of the 7th of November last, at the same time that 1 transmitted ail the Accounts relative Ihereto by Mr. Ainslie, whom 1 instrusted with the management of them until 1 could receive instructions from home ; 1 am thoroughly persuaded, the proposai I therein made to their Lordships, of letting them to the highest bidder, for a term of years, is the surest expédient to make them profitable to His Majesty.
2. The duty on liquids \\i[\ ever bring in a considérable sum, for though the Canadians are not in gênerai given to drunkenness, yet men, women and children, are used to drink a certain quantity of strong liquors, the severity of the climate having probably introduced this practice ; but the great improvement likely to be made in the Fisheries, the cousumption of thèse will considerably increase.
3. As the Canadians seem thoroughly reconciled to the use of British Corn Spirits, the consumption thereof could suffer no diminution from a moderate duty upon the same of six pence per gallon, and that of Rum or New England Spirits might be raised to a shilling ; this will check the importation of the latter, and favor that of the former ; that the Revenue mav not suffer bv this measure, it
LE DHOIT CIVIL GANADIKN.
vvill Ixî iK^rossary tu prov«!nt auy at tempts wliH'li may b« rnach; of srnng',Mirig l)y llio Lakcs, wliiln tli«;y are navigablf, as woU as wlion ilu^y arfj lu ho Iravjîlh'd over by carriages.
