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the conquest of new france-第13章

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because Spain stood sternly on her own rights and punished

British smugglers。 During many years the tension between the two

nations grew。 No doubt Spanish officials were harsh。 Tales were

repeated in England of their brutalities to British sailors who

fell into their hands。 In 1739 the story of a certain Captain

Jenkins that his ear had been cut off by Spanish captors and

thrown in his face with an insulting message to his government

brought matters to a climax。 Events in other parts of Europe soon

made the war general。 When; in 1740; the young King of Prussia;

Frederick II; came to the throne; his first act was to march an

army into Silesia。 To this province he had; he said; in the male

line; a better claim than that of the woman; Maria Theresa; who

had just inherited the Austrian crown。 Frederick conquered

Silesia and held it。 In 1744 he was allied with Spain and France;

while Britain allied herself with Austria; and thus Britain and

France were again at war。



In America both sides had long seen that the war was inevitable。

Never had French opinion been more arrogant in asserting France's

right to North America than after the Treaty of Utrecht。 At the

dinner…table of the Governor in Quebec there was incessant talk

of Britain's incapacity; of the sheer luck by which she had

blundered into the occupation of great areas; while in truth she

was weak through lack of union and organization。 A natural

antipathy; it was said; existed between her colonies and herself;

she was a monarchy while they were really independent republics。

France; on the other hand; had grown stronger since the last war。

In 1713 she had retained the island of Cape Breton and now she

had made it a new menace to British power。 Boston; which had

breathed more freely after the fall of Port Royal in 1710; soon

had renewed cause for alarm in regard to its shipping。 On the

southern coast of Cape Breton; there was a spacious harbor with a

narrow entrance easily fortified; and here France began to build

the fortress of Louisbourg。 It was planned on the most approved

military principles of the time。 Through its strength; the

boastful talk went; France should master North America。 The King

sent out cannon; undertook to build a hospital; to furnish

chaplains for the service of the Church; to help education; and

so on。 Above all; he sent to Louisbourg soldiers。



Reports of these wonderful things reached the English colonies

and caused fears and misgivings。 New England believed that

Louisbourg reflected the pomp and wealth of Versailles。 The

fortress was; in truth; slow in building and never more than a

rather desolate outpost of France。 It contained in all about four

thousand people。 During the thirty years of the long truce it

became so strong that it was without a rival on the Atlantic

coast。 The excellent harbor was a haven for the fishermen of

adjacent waters and a base for French privateers; who were a

terror to all the near trade routes of the Atlantic。 On the

military side Louisbourg seemed a success。 But the French failed

in their effort to colonize the island of Cape Breton on which

the fortress stood。 Today this island has great iron and other

industries。 There are coal…mines near Louisbourg; and its harbor;

long deserted after the fall of the power of France; has now an

extensive commerce。 The island was indeed fabulously rich in

coals and minerals。 To use these things; however; was to be the

task of a new age of industry。 The colonist of the eighteenth

centurya merchant; a farmer; or a fur traderthought that Cape

Breton was bleak and infertile and refused to settle there。

Louisbourg remained a compact fortress with a good harbor; free

from ice during most of the year; but too much haunted by fog。 It

looked out on a much…traveled sea。 But it remained set in the

wilderness。



Even if Louisbourg made up for the loss of Port Royal; this did

not; however; console France for the cession of Acadia。 The fixed

idea of those who shaped the policy of Canada was to recover

Acadia and meanwhile to keep its French settlers loyal to France。

The Acadians were not a promising people with whom to work。 In

Acadia; or Nova Scotia; as the English called it; these backward

people had slowly gathered during a hundred years and had

remained remote and neglected。 They had cleared farms; built

primitive houses; planted orchards; and reared cattle。 In 1713

their number did not exceed two or three thousand; but already

they were showing the amazing fertility of the French race in

America。 They were prosperous but ignorant。 Almost none of them

could read。 After the cession of their land to Britain in 1713

they had been guaranteed by treaty the free exercise of their

religion and they were Catholics to a man。 It seems as if history

need hardly mention a people so feeble and obscure。

Circumstances; however; made the role of the Acadians important。

Their position was unique。 The Treaty of Utrecht gave them the

right to leave Acadia within a year; taking with them their

personal effects。 To this Queen Anne added the just privilege of

selling their lands and houses。 Neither the Acadians themselves;

however; nor their new British masters were desirous that they

should leave。 The Acadians were content in their old homes; and

the British did not wish them to help in building up the

neighboring French stronghold on Cape Breton。 It thus happened

that the French officials could induce few of the Acadians to

migrate and the English troubled them little。 Having been

resolute in acquiring Nova Scotia; Britain proceeded straightway

to neglect it。 She brought in few settlers。 She kept there less

than two hundred soldiers and even to these she paid so little

attention that sometimes they had no uniforms。 The Acadians

prospered; multiplied; and quarreled as to the boundaries of

their lands。 They rendered no military service; paid no taxes;

and had the country to themselves as completely as if there had

been no British conquest。 They rarely saw a British official。 If

they asked the British Governor at Annapolis to settle for them

some vexed question of rights or ownership he did so and they did

not even pay a fee。



This is not; however; the whole story。 England's neglect of the

colony was France's opportunity。 Perhaps the French court did not

follow closely what was going on in Acadia。 The successive French

Governors of Canada at Quebec were; however; alert; and their

policy was to incite the Abenaki Indians on the New England

frontier to harass the English settlements; and to keep the

Acadians an active factor in the support of French plans。 The

nature of French intrigue is best seen in the career of Sebastien

Rale。 He was a highly educated Jesuit priest。 It was long a

tradition among the Jesuits to send some of their best men as

missionaries among the Indians。 Rale spent nearly the whole of

his life with the Abenakis at the mission station of Norridgewock

on the Ken
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