登陆注册
5192100000016

第16章

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 century--a merchant, a farmer, or a fur trader--thought 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 1713their 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 1713they 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.

同类推荐
  • 甲申传信录

    甲申传信录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 净土往生传

    净土往生传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 圣女祠

    圣女祠

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上玄灵斗姆大圣元君本命延生心经

    太上玄灵斗姆大圣元君本命延生心经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 根本说一切有部毗奈耶破僧事

    根本说一切有部毗奈耶破僧事

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 最强神之路系统

    最强神之路系统

    叶逸,一个注定不平凡的男人他是整天玩了泡妞的叶家大少他被“成神之路”系统选中必定玩转都市玩转仙界注定此生不平凡!!!
  • 那一年,我们打残了日本:白江口海战全纪录

    那一年,我们打残了日本:白江口海战全纪录

    这是一本通俗历史读物。该书以发生在663年的白江口海战为切入点,以边缘史料为依据,用通俗易懂的现代语言来梳理中日海战史,并着重介绍了白江口海战爆发前朝鲜半岛三国、中国、日本之间错综复杂的关系和渊源,文风活跃,内容有趣,知识点丰富,有助于普通读者了解历史上的中日战争关系以及朝鲜半岛历史。
  • 妖孽之仙魔大帝

    妖孽之仙魔大帝

    “凡是我的朋友,都风风光光!”“凡是我的敌人,都痛苦欲绝!”仙魔大帝,修炼归来,纵横都市,所向披靡。
  • 斩仙狂儒

    斩仙狂儒

    现代小子步青云穿越到儒道为主的天道的世界,以《三字经》和《百家姓》双文开智,成文种武种,儒武双修;凝智慧之书,重演唐诗宋词,小说传纪。且看步青云如何在异世如何翻手为云覆手为雨,纵横天下,斩仙屠圣,唯我独尊,开辟一个新的纪元。
  • 综合营销策划

    综合营销策划

    本书共分15个章节,内容包括综合营销策划总论、营销策划创意、营销策划模式与营销策划书、SWOT分析、企业营销定位策划、市场竞争策划、企业形象策划等。
  • 江湖围剿

    江湖围剿

    怎样才算一个英雄,不必让人哭,或许就是了。所以他提着枪南行西进,二十年风雨茫茫。但是世上却总是不需要英雄,就像鸟尽弓藏。
  • 三界钉子户

    三界钉子户

    宇宙中存在着一颗星球,名为双子星,也叫双子大陆,这里的居民分为三六九等。在这颗星球上的一个村庄,诞生了一个奇异的孩童,却被无情抛弃。
  • 霍先生请宠我

    霍先生请宠我

    【1v1身心干净】醒来失忆,韩嫣被告知有个帅的惨绝人寰、富的天怒人怨、酷的冰冷无情的老公,但这老公却要因为小三送她进监狱。本以为是苦大仇深势不两立的关系,谁能告诉她,这男人动不动给她拐床上是啥情况?………………外界传闻,霍先生娶了一个善妒又坏心的太太,将他身边的花花草草全都连根拔掉,走到哪儿都贴上妒妇和毒妇的标签。某天受不了的韩嫣提出抗议:“老公,我没有做过!”霍先生道:“我知道。”“你怎么知道?我就知道我老公最好了,任何事情任何时候都信任我!”霍先生面不改色道:“你的精力被我榨干了,哪儿力气去做事儿?不过你有心情关注这些八卦,不如我们去床上再沟通一下?”韩嫣:“救命啊……我不要……”霍先生给助理打电话:“关于我的花边全部删掉,不要让我太太看到一点,谁想借我名头炒作,全面封杀。”
  • 洞真高上玉帝大洞雌一玉检五老宝经

    洞真高上玉帝大洞雌一玉检五老宝经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 足球少年成长

    足球少年成长

    日本高中联赛成为了很多人手中抨击中国青训足球的武器。而其中大多数人根本就没有关注过中国的校园足球,他们并不知道中国也是有高中联赛的。你不关注,你选择性无视,却张口闭口说“不行”,或许这才是最让人伤心的。最后希望青少年足球,能有更多的人关注和喜爱——————新书《爱豆的道士男友》已上传,希望大家多多支持