So he decreed that each settler should take up his land in the shape of one of the long narrow French farms, that stretched back from the water-front; and that no claim should contain a greater number of acres than did one of these same farms.

This proclamation undoubtedly had a very good effect.
Financial Difficulties.
He next wrestled steadily, but much less successfully, with the financial question.

He attempted to establish a land bank, as it were, setting aside a great tract of land to secure certain issues of Continental money.

The scheme failed, and in spite of his public assurance that the Continental currency would shortly be equal in value to gold and silver, it swiftly sank until it was not worth two cents on the dollar.
This wretched and worthless paper-money, which the Americans brought with them, was a perfect curse to the country.

Its rapid depreciation made it almost impossible to pay the troops, or to secure them supplies, and as a consequence they became disorderly and mutinous.