| Summary: | Candidates for the Ph.D. degree are required to justify their addition of still another thesis to the infinitude already in existence. It is, therefore, in obedience to law, and not in the spirit of vainglory, that l claim to have made a contribution to knowledge. As far as l have been able to discover, no work exists which describes the economic life of New France, in all its aspects during any period of its history. There are a number of monographs. J.N. Fauteux has written an excellent book on industry, M. Salone has dealt with colonization, H.A. Innis includes the French period in his book on the fur trade, W.B. Munro is the authority on the seigneurial system, Adam Shortt gives an account of finance in the introduction to his collection of financial documents and in a series of papers published in the journal of the Canadian Bankers Association. This thesis, however, is not merely a compilation of the work of others with new chapters on agriculture and trade. It is based on a comprehensive examination of original sources, some of which have not before been consulted with a view to Canadian history, notably those in France which have not yet been transcribed. With the exception of colonization and the seigneurial system, it describes economic activity in the colony in greater detail than has ever before been attempted. In brief, the parts have been drawn together to form a whole and fresh information has been added. This is my apologia.
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