The laws of France did not permit the holding of any Christian in slavery. This meant that the conversion of Indians or other slaves would confer freedom upon them.[290] But the law was never enforced. The French clergy went on continuously with their work of converting, baptizing and teaching both bond and free; and in the “Code Noir” of 1724, Louis XV commanded that all slaves in the French colonies, “be educated in the Apostolic Roman Catholic religion, and be baptized,” and enjoined their owners to have these matters attended to within a reasonable time.[291] The code dealt directly with negro slaves, but the Indian slaves still in existence were necessarily included in its provisions. In Louisiana Indian slavery began with the founding of the colony. A report of the colony written in 1704, states that at Fort Louis de Louisiane, having a white population of 180 soldiers and 27 French families numbering 64 persons, (a total of 244 white persons), there were six Indian boy slaves from twelve to eighteen years of age, and five Indian girl slaves from fifteen to twenty years of age.[292] In 1708, the colony consisted of fourteen officers, seventy-six soldiers, thirteen sailors, three priests, six mechanics, one Indian interpreter, twenty-four laborers, twenty-eight women, twenty-five children, (a total of 190 free persons), and eighty Indian slaves.[293] In 1713, besides the soldiers, there were twenty-eight families, twenty negroes and a few Indian women and children.[294] The following statistics are given in the archives of the Ministry of the Colonies in Paris:[295] Census of New Orleans, November 24, 1721. Recapitulation: Men, 446; Women, 140; Children, 96; Negro slaves 523; Indian slaves, 51. Census of New Orleans in 1723. Recapitulation: Men, bearing arms, 229; Women or girls, 169; Children, 183; Orphans, 45; Slaves, 267. General census of the Colony of Louisiana on January 1, 1726. Recapitulation: Masters, 1952; Hired men and servants, 276; Negro slaves, 1540; Indian slaves, 229. General census of the Department of New Orleans on July 1, 1727. Recapitulation: _Masters_ _Hired_ _Negroes_ _Savage_ New Orleans 729 65 127 17 The Bayou and Chantilly 42 5 73 5 Inhabitants up the River on the Right 243 26 883 45 Idem on the Left 306 35 456 5 On the Shore of Lake Ponchartrain 7 2 14 On Bayou Tauchpao 2 5 8 1 ———— ——— ———— —— Total 1329 138 1561 73