1784-August-30: A new royal ordinance was promulgated by the French government to regulate trade between foreign nations and the West Indian colonies after t…
1784-August-30: A new royal ordinance was promulgated by the French government to regulate trade between foreign nations and the West Indian colonies after the war. This decree designated Cap-Français and Cayes-St.-Louis as new free ports in Saint-Domingue, joining the existing port at Môle St. Nicolas. Foreign vessels under sixty tons were permitted to enter these ports and trade for molasses and rum, though the importation of foreign flour remained prohibited. This size limitation was specifically designed to benefit American merchants, whose small vessels could easily navigate the short distances between the mainland and the islands. Despite these concessions, the ordinance was met with immediate protests from French merchants in Bordeaux who feared American competition.