StanleyWheeler

Fun Facts: The Tea Act of 1773 might have been a stone calculated to kill two birds. If it was, it didn't. The British East India Company had dire financial problems. The American colonies disputed parliament's authority to tax and control them without elected representation. Parliament addressed both issues through the Tea Act with a tax of 3 pence on tea imported to the colonies. Of course existing legislation had already prohibited the colonies from importing tea from anyone other than Great Britain. Prior to 1773, the EIC didn't actually sell tea to the colonies, but sold it wholesale in Britain to merchants who then resold it to merchants in the colonies. As a result of a colonial boycott on British products, in 1770 Parliament had actually repealed most of the taxes in the Townsend Acts. The tax on tea was one of those not repealed; it was maintained as a show of authority to tax the colonies. With repeal of the Townsend taxes, the colonies lifted the boycott and trade flowed--including tea taxed at 3 pence per pound. However, in 1772 Parliament put a duty of 10% on tea imported into Great Britain and restored other taxes on tea. As a result, tea sales in Britain fell, but the EIC kept importing the tea, creating a tremendous stockpile of unsold tea. As one would expect, this created a financial crisis for the EIC. Additionally, the tea tax was used to pay the salaries of some colonial governors and judges. Parliament's solution through the Tea Act of 1773, was to refund the EIC's duty on imported tea, and to allow the EIC to export tea directly to the colonies. The EIC appointed merchants in the colonies to receive the tea on consignment who would sell the tea for a commission. The three pence per pound tax in the colonies remained in place to provide the salaries for governors and judges.

Americans learned of the Tea Act while 7 ships laden with tea were on the way to the colonies. The Sons of Liberty began to raise protests, and forced the consignees in Charleston, Philadelphia, and New York City to resign. The tea ships in those ports returned to England. In Boston, two of the tea consignees were the governor's sons. The Boston consignees did not resign. The Dartmouth arrived in Boston loaded with tea. By law, it was required to unload within 20 days or have its cargo confiscated. The Sons of Liberty urged the captain to send the ship back without paying the tea tax. Governor Hutchinson refused to allow the Dartmouth to leave. Two more tea ships, the Eleanor and the Beaver arrived. In December 1773, a small band of colonists, some of whom were dressed as native Americans, went aboard the three ships and dumped overboard the entire shipment of tea.

Seeing that a little tax resulted in a little rebellion, the British Parliament decided to up the ante, or rather to compound one mistake with another, by passing the Coercive Acts of 1774 to make an example of Massachusetts to discourage colonial resistance. We'll visit how that worked out on another day.

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As if often the case, my prediction last week for completing Clamorous Harbingers this week proved overly optimistic. At about 118K words, the action packed story which completes the Tomahawks and Dragon Fire trilogy which is the first part of the epic story in the flintlock fantasy/alternate history of the American Revolutionary War. I will endeavor to complete the fantastic tale this week.

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I've completed my vidangel watch of The Last Kingdom season 4. While not as good as the first two seasons, it was better than season 3 in some ways. King Edward has been a disappointment from the start, and with only a couple exceptions, he consistently chooses the worst option available. His mother, on the other hand, has been a complete termagant through the first three seasons. In the fourth season she makes an about face, proving to be the voice of reason which Edward largely ignores. Uhtred's son figures prominently in the early episodes of the season, and his daughter rises to prominence in the later episodes. Aethelhelm, despite having one of the coolest names, becomes the evil advisor who is easy to loathe. Brida, Uhtred's former friend is my odds on favorite to die a violent death in an upcoming season based on her implacable hatred for Uthred, because he allowed her to be taken prisoner by the Welsh. Brida and Edward are the weakest characters in season four in my opinion. Uthred's companions, Finan, Osferth, and Sihtric, are the most likable. It would be nice to see them developed further. Sigtryggr, the new Dane du jour, also has interesting potential for future development. I suspect the season 5 will be the last for Aethelflaed (Edward's sister, and new Queen of Mercia)--if the series follows the actual history. I give the season  3.5 Saxon brooches out of 5.