well as the bad beaver to the English; I will restore the price of the summer-beaver as it was before my ordinance.  I will not be at a loss for a cause:  it is not in your interest to give a lower price.  You run your commerce, gentlemen, with too much good faith to give rise to suspicion that you wished for a reduction in price to 10 pence for this kind of beaver, and having it burned only to procure it yourself at that price and not burn it.  Besides, the quantity received is too small a matter to deserve consideration.

[Sidenote:  Beaver hats half worked made in the country.]

M. the marquis de Beauharnois and I have received the orders of the King with reference to beaver hats half worked made in Canada.  His Majesty has ordered us to break up the workmen’s benches and to prevent any manufacture of hats.  We have made some representations on this subject, to those made to us, namely by a man named ------, hatter, and your receiver at Quebec.  It is true that the making of beaver hats half worked and other for export to France could turn out of consequence in ruining your privilege and the hat establishments in France.  These are the only inconveniences, to my mind, to be feared, as I do not look upon such, the making of hats for the use of residents of the country.  So that we have satisfied ourselves, until further orders, to forbid the going, out of the colony, of all kind of hats, as you will see by the ordinance we have published together, M. the General and I. If we had been more strict, the three hatters established in this colony, who know no other business than their trade, the man ------ amongst others, who follow that calling from father to son, would have been reduced to begging.

The quantity of hats they will manufacture when export is stopped, cannot be of any injury to the manufactures of the kingdom and be but of small matter to your commerce.  Moreover, I am aware that these hatters employ the worst kind of beaver, which they get very cheap, and your stores at Paris are that much rid of them.

[Sidenote:  Defects in list of cloth sent.]

The cloths you sent this year are of better quality than the precedding shipment.  Messrs La Gorgendiere, Daine and Gamelin have observed on defects which happen in the lists; they told me they would inform you.

[Sidenote:  Remittance of 300 livres (shillings) to the Baron de Longueuil.]

I have the honor to thank you, gentlemen, for the remittance of 300 livres you were pleased to grant to M. the Baron of Longueuil, on my recommendation.

It is very difficult to prevent the Indians going to Chouaguen; the brandy that the English give out freely is an invincible attraction.