... Our new copartnery commenced ... the Seven Years’ War had just been terminated.... The rate of exchange for bills on London was as high as three, four and even five per cent. against Scotland. This, of necessity, occasioned demands on the bank at Edinburgh for specie which they were unable or unwilling to answer.... In London the character and credit of Scottish paper was at the lowest ebb, and the Bank of England was extremely shy of discounting bills drawn on London from Edinburgh. It was therefore a task of no ordinary difficulty to conduct the affairs of our two houses with safety (p. 19).... Very soon after (1771) two important events took place, extremely memorable in the history of the house. I mean the commission from the Farmers-general of France for the purchase of tobaccos in Scotland; and the erecting of the Banking Co., in St. James’ Street, London. The great company in France, known by the name of the Farmers-general, from their having farmed the public taxes of that kingdom under the old government, enjoyed by consequence the exclusive privilege of importing tobacco into France, with which they were chiefly supplied from Scotland, the article being originally procured by the merchants of Glasgow from North America (p. 27). ROMAN ROADS IN YORKSHIRE (D. Defoe, _Tour through Great Britain_, p. 123) From Ferrybridge, within a mile of Pontefract, extends a large stone Causeway, about a mile in length, to a village called Brotherton. A little to the south of this village, the great Road divides into two parts; one goes on to the right to York, and the other through Aberford and Watherley to Scotland.... This Causeway in many places is entirely perfect, although undoubtedly a work of 16 or 1700 years old, and in other places where it is broken up, the courses appear to be of different materials; the bottom is clay or earth, upon that is chalk, then gravel, upon the gravel is stone, and then gravel upon that.... This Causeway runs in a direct line from Doncaster to Castleford, where it makes an angle and runs in another direct line to Aberford, Tadcaster and York. It is very easy to trace its course over moors and open grounds which have not been cultivated; but there are few or no remains upon the enclosed lands. There is no doubt but that the Romans had communications between all their stations in this country, by roads of this kind. THE ROMAN WALL (A. Young, _Northern Tour_, Letter XVI, p. 112)