into flour before it is sent to market), peas, pot and pearl ashes, furs and peltries, pork, beef, and butter. Of the two last articles but small quantities are yet furnished for exportation.

Provision is made by law for the inspection of pot and pearl ashes, flour, beef, and pork; but as these exports pass through Lower Canada, on their way to market, they are subject to reinspection there, by the laws of that province.

By a statement in the preceding Sketch of Revenue and Taxes, it may be seen that there were, in 1810, 132 licensed retailers. At the same time there were no less than 76 licensed pedlars. These travelling traders supply the interior of the country with light, cheap goods. The duty, however, on their licences is now raised, with a view to suppress their employment, as less beneficial than that of regular, stationary traders.

Much of the trade of the country is a species of indirect barter. The merchant trusts his customers with goods, and, at the proper season, receives their produce in payment, and forwards it by way of remittance to the importer. In this manner farmers frequently anticipate their crops, and if these are cut short, too often remain in debt to the merchant, whose occasion for punctual payment compels him, in such cases, to complain of the difficulty of collecting debts, while interest is accumulating against him and them. At present the inhabitants are generally less indebted than they were before the war. The public expenditures threw into circulation an unusual

quantity of money, or what passed for money, and thereby facilitated the collection and payment of debts.

The lawful rate of interest is six per cent. This regulation of interest, different from that of the mother country, and the neighbouring state of New York, the former of which is five per cent. and the latter seven, depended upon an ordinance of the old province of Quebec, until 1811, when a statute was passed by the legislature of Upper Canada on the subject.

The same act has established the damages upon protested bills of exchange drawn in this province on Europe or the West Indies, at ten per cent. in addition to the interest, besides the cost of noting, protesting, and postage; and four per cent. on such bills drawn here on any part of North America, except the West Indies.

Sterling bills, drawn by persons entitled to full or half pay from government, are negociated and remitted by merchants; and, in many instances, prevent the necessity of transmitting money across the Atlantic.

There is no bank in the province, or indeed in any of the British provinces in America. Some efforts were lately made to procure the establishment of one at Kingston*; but the current of public opinion was perceived to set so strongly against the measure, that although supported by advocates

* There is now a bank established at Kingston, and two at Montreal, which have agents throughout Upper Canada.-R. G.

of intelligence and respectability, it was abandoned, without even presenting the petitions for incorporation to the legislature*.

Bills of the bank of England are rarely seen here. Those of the banks in the United States, although discounted by a few individuals, who have remittances to make to the States, are not in circulation. Besides the distrust arising from the foreign situation of those banks, the number of counterfeits among the bills brought them into discredit. They were, indeed, counterfeited in Canada with impunity, there being no law to prohibit or punish the counterfeiting of foreign bills, until 1810, when an act was passed for that purpose by the legislature of Upper Canada. It has been followed by a similar

act in the Lower Province.

Most of the circulating specie is gold. Its plenty or scarcity is affected by the fluctuations of crops and markets, and the varying state of commercial intercourse with the United States.

Army bills, as a medium of circulation, grew out of the war. They were substituted for specie, of which there was such a scarcity, that many private individuals issued their own notes, which passed for some time instead of cash.

* A bill was afterwards passed for an incorporated bank; but by some informality did not receive the royal sanction.-R, G.

SKETCH XXIV.

MILITIA.

Persons liable to do Militia Duty-Regiments— Battalions-Companies-Their Officers-Annual Review-Company Trainings-Temporary Militia Acts during the War.

THE Militia of the province is composed of the male inhabitants from sixteen to sixty years of age. They are formed into regiments and battalions, by counties; a regiment consisting of not more than ten, nor less than eight companies; a battalion of not more than eight, nor less than five companies; and a company of not more than fifty, nor less than twenty privates. The field officers of a regiment are, a colonel, lieutenant-colonel, and major: those of a battalion are a lieutenant-colonel and major: the officers of a company are a captain, lieutenant, and ensign. There is an adjutantgeneral for the province, an adjutant for each regiment, and no intermediate grade of officers between the colonels and the governor, who is commander in chief, and appoints and commissions all the officers in his Majesty's name.

The colonels assign the limits of the companies. Each colonel is required by law to call out his regiment, to be reviewed and exercised on the 4th of June, his Majesty's birthday; and the several companies are to be called out by their captains, not less than twice, nor more than four times a year, for inspection of arms and instruction in discipline.

Those who are fifty years of age are not obliged to attend, except at the annual reviews.

The militia are numerous, in proportion to the whole number of inhabitants. They are not uniformed, and but imperfectly armed, although required by law to own arms, unless excused by their officers for inability to procure them. In the late war they were furnished with King's arms. Their officers are generally older in years and in office than those of the militia in the States, where there are more grades of rank, and more exemptions, and where resignations, promotions, and successions are more frequent.

During the war, militia acts, adapted to the state of the times, were passed for a limited term, repealing, by a general clause, all former laws on the subject. At the close of the war those temporary acts expired by their own limitation, course the old militia law revived.

Of

In the course of the war, provision was made by law for allowing pensions to militiamen, disabled by wounds, and to the widows and orphan children of such as were killed in battle. The pension list has since been extended to cases of persons disabled, and the families of persons deceased, from sickness contracted by means of actual service in the militia. A general agent of militia pensions has been provided for and appointed. A provincial aide-de-camp to the governor has been added to the organization of the militia*.

And at the session of the legislature in 1816, it has been