would readily range themselves once more under the fleur-de-lys; Canada had already sent her contingent of 1700 men under M. de Ramsay to aid the enterprise, and M. de Conflans, with four ships of the line from the West Indies, was directed to join the squadron.

This formidable fleet was but a short time at sea when the ships separated and fell into hopeless confusion. On the 12th of September, indeed, the Duc d'Anville reached the western continent in the Northumberland, accompanied by a few other vessels, but there no laurels awaited the gallant admiral, he was suddenly seized with apoplexy, and in four days his body was committed to the deep. The vice-admiral immediately proposed returning to France on account of the absence of the greater part of his force, but other officers strongly opposed this desponding counsel, and urged a bold attack upon Nova Scotia' rather than an inglorious retreat. The more vigorous course was adopted by a council of war, which threw the vice-admiral into such a state of frantic

7" La cour de France avoit extrêmement à cœur de recouvrer cette province (Acadia); les efforts reitérés des Anglois pour l'avoir en leur puissance, et plus encore, leur triomphe après l'avoir conquise, avoit enfin ouvert les yeux aux François sur la grandeur de la pérte qu'ils avoient faite. M. de Pontchartrain écrivit ainsi à M. de Beauharnois: 'Je vous ai fait assez connoître combien il est important de reprendre ce poste (le Port Royal) avant que les ennemies y soient solidement établis. La conservation de toute l'Amérique septentrionale, et le commerce des Pêches le démandent également ce sont deux objets qui me touchent vivement.'"-Charlevoix, tom. iv., p. 90.

1745

excitement that he ran himself through the body, fancying he had fallen into the hands of the enemy. De la Jonquière succeeded to the command, and although more than three-score years of age, acted with unimpaired energy. But the elements were again hostile to France, the fleet was dispersed by a violent storm off Cape Sable, and the shattered remnant of the expedition returned ingloriously to their country, without having accomplished any of the objects for which they had been sent forth.

The government at Paris was however by no means cast down by these untoward occurrences; and the armament was speedily equipped to renew their efforts against the English colonies; the expedition was prepared at Brest under the command of M. de la Jonquière, and at the same time a squadron under M. de St. George was armed with a view to threaten the coasts of British India.

The English ministry early informed of all the movements of their opponents, resolved to intercept both these squadrons, which they had been apprised would sail from port at the same time. Admiral Anson and rear-admiral Warren were ordered upon this enterprise with a formidable fleet, and taking their departure from Plymouth steered for Cape Finisterre on the Gallican coast. On the 3rd of 1746 May they fell in with the French squadrons of six large men-of-war, as many frigates, four armed East Indiamen, and a valuable convoy of thirty ships. The enemy's heavier vessels immediately formed in order of battle while the merchantmen made all

sail away under the protection of the frigates. The British were also ready for action, and a severe combat ensued; before night all the French line of battle ships were captured after a spirited defence, but two-thirds of the convoy escaped through the darkness of the night. A considerable quantity of bullion fell into the hands of the victors, and their grateful sovereign rewarded the courage and good fortune of the admirals, by raising Anson to the peerage, and decorating Warren with the ribbon of the Bath.

Admiral de la Jonquière, the newly appointed governor of Canada, was among the numerous captives who graced the triumph of the British fleet; when the news of this event reached Paris the king appointed to the vacant dignity the Comte de la Galissonière, an officer of distinguished merit and

8

8 "Roland Michel Barrin, Marquis de la Galissonière, remplit la poste de gouverneur comme s'il ne se fût toute sa vie occupé que de cet objet... Il établit à Quebec un arsenal maritime, et un chantier de construction, où l'on n'employa que les bois des pays. Il conçut, proposa, et fit adopter le vasté plan dont il commenca l'éxécution, de joindre le Canada et la Louisiana par une chaine de forts et d'établissements, le long de l'Ohio et des Mississippi, à travers les régions désertes qui séparaient ces deux colonies à l'ouest des lacs. A l'avantage d'établir entre elles une communication moins pénible et moins long que par le nord, se joignoit celui de pouvoir faire parvenir les dépêches en France, en hiver par la Louisiane, tandis que l'embouchure du fleuve St. Laurent est fermeé par les glaces; enfin celui de resserrer les Anglais entre les montagnes et la mer. Il emporta tous les regrets quand il revint en France, en 1749. .. La défaite de l'amiral Anglais, Byng, et la prise de Minorque que fut le fruit de cette victoire décisive, couronnèrent sa carrière.

ability. The wisdom of this selection was speedily displayed; the new governor no sooner entered upon the duties of office than his active zeal found employment in endeavouring to develope the magnificent resources of his province. He made himself thoroughly acquainted with the face of the country, the climate, population, agriculture, and commerce, and then presented an able statement to the French court of the great importance of the colony, and a system which, had it been adopted in time, might have secured it against English aggression.

The Comte de la Galissonière proposed that M. du Quesne, a skilful engineer, should be appointed

Il avoit entrepris cette dernière expédition contre l'avis des médecins qui lui avoient annoncé sa mort comme prochaine, s'il se rembarquoit. . . Il cacha ses maux tant qu'il put, mais il fut enfin obligé de se démettre du commandement. Il revint en France et se mit en route pour Fontainebleau où étoit alors le roi. Les forces lui manquèrent totalement à Nemours, où il mourut le 26 Octobre, 1756. . . . A ses talens éminens comme marin, la Galissoniére unissoit une infinité de connaissances. Sérieux et ferme, mais en même tems doux, modéré, affable, et intégre, il se faisoit respecter et chérir de tous ceux qui servoient sous ses ordres

Tant de belles qualités étoient cachées sous un extérieur peu avantageux. La Galissonière étoit de petite taille et bossu. Lorsque les sauvages vinrent le saluer à son arrivée au Canada, frappés de son peu d'apparence, ils lui parlèrent en ces termes, Il faut que tu aies une bien belle âme, puisqu' avec un si vilain corps, le grand chef notre père t'a envoyé ici pour nous commander.' Ils ne tardèrent pas à reconnaître la justice de leur opinion, et entourèrent de leur amour et de leur vénération, en l'appellant du nom de père, l'homme qui ne se servit du pouvoir que pour améliorer leur sort."-Biographie Universelle, art. Galissonière.

to establish a line of fortifications through the interior of the country, and at the same time, urged the government of France to send out 10,000 peasants to form settlements on the banks of the great lakes and southern rivers. By these means he affirmed that the English colonies would be restricted within the narrow tract lying eastward from the Alleghany Mountains, and in time laid open to invasion and ruin. His advice was, however, disregarded, and the splendid province of Canada soon passed for ever from under the sway of France.9

"In observing on old maps the extent of the ancient French colonies in America, I was haunted by one painful idea. I asked myself how the government of my country could have left colonies to perish which would now be to us a source of inexhaustible prosperity. From Acadia and Canada to Louisiana, from the mouth of the St. Lawrence to that of the Mississippi, the territories of New France surrounded what originally formed the confederation of the thirteen United States. The eleven other States, the district of Colombia, the Michigan, North West, Missouri, Oregon, and Arkansas territories belonged or would have belonged to us, as they now belong to the United States, by the cession of the English and Spaniards, our first heirs in Canada and in Louisiana. More than two-thirds of North America would acknowledge the sovereignty of France. We possessed here vast countries which might have offered a home to the excess of our population, an important market to our commerce, a nursery to our navy. Now we are forced to confine in our prisons culprits condemned by the tribunals, for want of a spot of ground whereon to place these wretched creatures. We are excluded from the New World where the human race is recommencing. The English and Spanish languages serve to express the thoughts of many millions of men in Africa, in Asia, in the South Sea Islands, on the continent of the two Americas; and we, disinherited of the conquests of our courage and our genius, hear