the conquest of new france-第24章

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seashore；　that　the　natives　would　be　no　more　an　obstacle　to　them

than　the　flies　and　mosquitoes；　which　indeed　they　resembled；　and

that　not　the　breadth　of　a　finger…nail　of　land　belonged　to　the

Indians。　Washington　was　told　by　one　of　the　French　that　〃it　was

their　absolute　design　to　take　possession　of　the　Ohio　and；　by；

they　would　do　it！〃　It　was　no　matter　that　the　French　were

outnumbered　two　to　one　by　the　English；　for　the　English　were

dilatory　and　ineffective。



In　the　end；　Washington　arrived　at　Fort　Le　Boeuf　and　presented　a

letter　from　Dinwiddie；　the　Lieutenant…Governor　of　Virginia；

pointing　out　that　the　British　could　not　permit　an　armed　force

from　Canada　to　invade　their　territory　of　the　Ohio　and　requiring

that　the　French　should　leave　the　country　at　once。　Legardeur　de

Saint…Pierre；　to　whom　this　firm　demand　was　delivered；　〃an　elderly

gentleman；〃　says　Washington；　with　〃much　the　air　of　a　soldier〃

gave；　of　course；　a　polite　answer　in　the　manner　of　his　nation；　but

he　intended；　he　said；　to　remain　where　he　was　as　long　as　he　had

instructions　so　to　do。　Washington　kept　his　eyes　open　and　made

careful　observations　of　the　plan　of　the　fort；　the　number　of　men；

and　also　of　the　canoes；　of　which　he　noted　that　there　were　more

than　two　hundred　ready　and　many　others　building。　The　French　tried

to　entice　away　his　Indians　and　he　says；　〃I　cannot　say　that　ever

in　my　life　I　suffered　so　much　anxiety。〃　On　the　journey　back　he

nearly　perished　when　he　fell　into　an　ice…cold　stream　and　was

obliged　to　spend　the　night　on　a　tiny　island　in　frozen　clothing。

He　brought　comfort　as　cold　to　the　waiting　Dinwiddie。



The　French　meanwhile　were　always　a　little　ahead　of　the　English　in

their　planning。　Early　in　April；　1754；　a　French　force　of　five　or

six　hundred　men　from　Canada；　which　had　set　out　while　Quebec　was

still　in　the　icy　grip　of　winter；　reached　the　upper　waters　of　the

Ohio。　They　attacked　and　destroyed　a　fort　which　the　English　had

begun　at　the　forks　where　now　stands　Pittsburgh；　and；　in　its

place；　began　a　formidable　one；　called　Fort　Duquesne　after　the

Governor　of　Canada。　In　vain　was　Washington　sent　with　a　few

hundred　men　to　take　possession　of　this　fort　and　to　assert　the

claim　of　the　English　to　the　land。　He　fell　in　with　a　French

scouting　party　under　young　Coulon　de　Jumonville；　killed　its

leader　and　nine　others；　and　took　more　than　a　score　of

prisonerswarfare　bloody　enough　in　a　time　of　supposed　peace。　But

the　French　were　now　on　the　Ohio　in　greater　numbers　than　the

English。　At　a　spot　known　as　the　Great　Meadows；　where　Washington

had　hastily　thrown　up　defenses；　which　he　called　Fort　Necessity；

he　was　forced　to　surrender；　but　was　allowed　to　lead　his　force

back　to　Virginia；　defeated　in　the　first　military　adventure　of　his

career。　The　French　took　the　view　that　his　killing　of　the　young

officer　Jumonville　was　assassination；　since　no　state　of　war

existed；　and　raised　a　fierce　clamor　that　Washington　was　a

murderera　strange　contrast　to　his　relations　with　France　in　the

years　to　come。



What　astonishes　us　in　regard　to　these　events　is　that　Britain　and

France　long　remained　nominally　at　peace　while　they　were　carrying

on　active　hostilities　in　America　and　sending　from　Europe　armies

to　fight。　There　were　various　reasons　for　this　hesitation　about

plunging　formally　into　war。　Each　side　wished　to　delay　until　sure

of　its　alliances　in　Europe。　During　the　war　ending　in　1748　France

had　fought　with　Frederick　of　Prussia　against　Austria；　and　Britain

had　been　Austria's　ally。　The　war　had　been　chiefly　a　land　war；　but

France　had　been　beaten　on　the　sea。　Now　Britain　and　Prussia　were

drawing　together　and；　if　France　fought　them；　it　must　be　with

Austria　as　an　ally。　Such　an　alliance　offered　France　but　slight

advantage。　Austria；　an　inland　power；　could　not　help　France

against　an　adversary　whose　strength　was　on　the　sea；　she　could　not

aid　the　designs　of　France　in　America　or　in　India；　where　the

capable　French　leader　Dupleix　was　in　a　fair　way　to　build　up　a

mighty　oriental　empire。　Nor　had　France　anything　to　gain　in　Europe

from　an　Austrian　alliance。　The　shoe　was　on　the　other　foot。　The

supreme　passion　of　Maria　Theresa　who　ruled　Austria　was　to　recover

the　province　of　Silesia　which　had　been　seized　in　1740　by　Prussia

and　heldheld　to　this　day。　Austria　could　do　little　for　France

but　France　could　do　much　for　Austria。　So　Austria　worked　for　this

alliance。　It　is　a　story　of　intrigue。　Usually　in　France　the　King

carried　on　negotiations　with　foreign　countries　only　through　his

ministers；　who　knew　the　real　interests　of　France。　Now　the　astute

Austrian　statesman；　Kaunitz；　went　past　the　ministers　of　Louis　XV

to　Louis　himself。　This　was　the　heyday　of　Madame　de　Pompadour；　the

King's　mistress。　Maria　Theresa　condescended　to　intrigue　with　this

woman　whom　in　her　heart　she　despised。　There　is　still　much　mystery

in　the　affair。　The　King　was　flattered　into　thinking　that

personally　he　was　swaying　the　affairs　of　Europe　and　took　delight

in　deceiving　his　ministers　and　working　behind　their　backs。　While

events　in　America　were　making　war　between　France　and　Britain

inevitable；　France　was　being　tied　to　an　ally　who　could　give　her

little　aid。　She　must　spend　herself　to　fight　Austria's　battles　on

the　land；　while　her　real　interests　required　that　she　should　build

up　her　fleet　to　fight　on　the　sea　the　great　adversary　across　the

English　Channel。



The　destiny　of　North　America　might；　indeed；　well　have　been　other

than　it　is。　A　France　strong　on　the　sea；　able　to　bring　across　to

America　great　forces；　might　have　held；　at　any　rate；　her　place　on

the　St。　Lawrence　and　occupied　the　valleys　of　the　Ohio　and　the

Mississippi。　We　can　hardly　doubt　that　the　English　colonies；

united　by　a　common　deadly　peril；　could　have　held　against　France

most　of　the　Atlantic　coast。　But　she　might　well　have　divided　with

them　North　America；　and　today　the　lands　north　of　the　Ohio　and

westward　beyond　the　Ohio　to　the　Pacific　Ocean　might　have　been

French。　The　two　nations　on　the　brink　of　war　in　1754　were　playing

for　mighty　stakes；　and　victory　was　to　the　power　which　had　control

of　the　sea。　France　had　a　great　army；　Britain　a　great　fleet。　In

this　contrast　lay　wrapped　the　secret　of　the　future　of　North

America。



As　the　crisis　drew　near　the　vital　thought　about　the　future　of

America　was　found；　not　in　America；　but　in　Europe。　The　English

colonies　were　so　accustomed　to　distrust　each　other　that；　when

Virginia　grew　excited　about　French　designs　on　the　Ohio；

Pennsylvania　or　North　Carolina　was　as　likely　as　not　to　say　that

it　was　the　French　who　were　in　the　right　and　a　stupid；　or

excitable；　or　conceited；　colonial　governor　who　was　in　the　wrong。

In　Paris　and　London；　on　the　other　hand；　there　were　no　illusions

about　affairs　in　America。　In　both　capitals　it　was　realized　that　a

grim　fight　was　on。　During　the　winter　of　1754…55　extensive

preparations　were　being　made　on　both　sides。　France　equipped　an

army　under　Baron　Dieskau　to　go　to　Canada；　Britain　equipped　one

under　General　Braddock　to　go　to　Virginia。　Each　nation　asked　the

other　why　it　was　sending　troops　to　America　and　each　gave　the

assurance　of　benevolent　designs。　But　in　the　spring　of　1755　a

British　fleet　under　Admiral　Boscawen　put　to　sea　with　instructions

to　capture　any　French　vessels　bound　for　North　America。　At　the

same　time　the　two　armies　were　on　the　way　across　the　Atlantic。

Dieskau　went　to　Canada；　Braddock　to　Virginia；　each　instructed　to

attack　the　other　side；　while　in　the　meantime　ambassadors　at　the

two　courts　gave　bland　assurances　that　their　only　thought　was　to

preserve　peace。



The　English　colonists　showed　a　political　blindness　that　amounted

to　imbecility。　Albany　was　the　central　point　from　which　the

dangers　on　all　sides　might　best　be　surveyed。　Here　came　together

in　the　summer　of　1754　delegates　from　seven　of　the　colonies　to

consider　the　common　peril。　The　French　were　busy　in　winning；　as

they　did；　the　support　of　the　many　Indian　tribes　of　the　West；　and

the　old　allies　of　the　English；　the　Iroquois；　were　nervous　f