Contraband C O N T R A B A N D (cid:2)(cid:3) Louis Mandrin and the Making of a Global Underground M K ICHAEL WASS Cambridge, Massachusetts London, England 2014 Copyright © 2014 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data Kwass, Michael. Contraband : Louis Mandrin and the making of a global underground / Michael Kwass. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978- 0-6 74- 72683- 3 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Mandrin, Louis, 1725– 1755. 2. Criminals— France—Biography. 3. Smugglers— France—Biography. 4. Smuggling—F rance—History— 18th century. 5. France— Commerce—History—18th century. 6. France— Economic conditions— 18th century. 7. France— Social conditions— 18th century. I. Title. HV6248.M278K93 2014 364.1'336092— dc23 [B] 2013032888 For Laura, Max, and Isabel Contents List of Figures ix Introduction 1 1. The Globalization of Eu rop e an Consumption 15 2. The King Intervenes 41 3. The Making of a Smuggler 70 4. The Shadow Economy 87 5. Rebel Rebel 117 6. Triumph 139 7. The Would-B e General 163 8. Captured 197 9. The Execution of Louis Mandrin 217 10. Mandrin into Print 252 11. Smuggling in the Enlightenment 285 12. Revolution 318 Conclusion 354 Notes 367 Ack now ledgm ents 447 Index 449 Figures 1.1 World trade, circa 1750: select goods and routes 22–23 1.2 Fraternal Charity 27 1.3 Fashionable Pastime 29 1.4 C hintz underskirt from Coromandel coast, India, circa 1750 36 2.1 Farm headquarters at the Hôtel de Longueville 48 2.2 Distribution of Farm tobacco in France 50–51 2.3 The Tobacco Border 62 2.4 Calico knockoffs 66 3.1 F rancis I Bridge over the Guiers in Pont- de-B eauvoisin 71 4.1 Map of the Gabelles 90–91 5.1 Mandrin’s expeditions in France 124 5.2 Receipt signed by Mandrin, expedition of October 1754 136 9.1 Galley ship 233 9.2 Sixteenth- century depiction of the Place des Clercs 243 9.3 Mandrin in his cell and at his execution 245 10.1 Announcement of Mandrin’s verdict 255 10.2 Portrait of Mandrin in Bourg 266 10.3 Mandrin, Captain of the Smugglers 267 10.4 Mandrin in Bourg, Autun, and Beaune 268 10.5 Mandrin’s forced sale in Beaune 270 10.6 Mandrin as a gentleman- offi cer 274 10.7 Mandrin as a gentleman 275 11.1 L e Testament politique de Louis Mandrin 289 12.1 S ack of the “Bons Homes” customs gate 329 12.2 S ack of the Gobelins customs gate 330 12.3 Down with Taxes 331