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79 1717.

  “A Spanish mission is conducted from Fort St John Baptist to the Assinais.  The french governor, La Motte, had assented to this measure as a preliminary step towards a revival of commercial intercourse between the French & Spanish colonies which had been interdicted for some time past very much to the disadvantage of the former.  This is the first time the Spanish ever gained footing eastward of the Del Norte with the exception of their having “[?driven]” the wretched remains of La Salle’s colony from the bay of St. Bernard.  Every step taken by the Spaniards to get possession of this part of the country, appears characterized by the most deliberate intrigue & duplicity.  Crozat, having been in possession of Louisiana 5 years, during which he had expended 425,000 livres, while the whole trade of the province yielded him only 300,000 livres, relinquishes his patent to the Mississippi or West Company projected & formed by the celebrated John Law.  At this time the French inhabitants of Louisiana amounted to 700 persons only.  But under the auspices of this company the affairs of the province soon assumed a more flattering aspect.  In the course of the first six years subsequent to the transfer more than 4,000 French settlers were added to the colony,