EVENTS PRECEDING THE SIEGE

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N exemplification of the saying that the lives of great men form the history of their times can be found in these volumes. The progress of the Seven Years' War in America can be traced in the lives of Wolfe and Montcalm, more particularly in the life of the latter hero, who from his coming to Canada in 1756 till his death in 1759 stands out conspicuous amongst friends and foes alike. With his death the crisis passed, and although the war still lingered the interest of the reader of history is hardly raised again above the normal, by the heroic but unavailing efforts of Levis in the spring of 1760. Wolfe appears upon the scene of conflict in 1758 before Louisbourg, and the story of his actions becomes the narrative of the Siege.

In the following year, the heroes who represented the two greatest nations of their time had a common sphere of action, and played their parts as became the noble races from which they sprang. The story of the Siege of Quebec is the life of Wolfe and Montcalm for a few brief months, and their lives the story of the Siege.

It is assumed that those readers who consult so voluminous a work as this upon so short an epoch are, at least, fairly familiar with the events preceding the final struggle for supremacy in America. We may, however, offer a few

observations upon the part of the seven years' war in America which was anterior to the appearance of Montcalm or Wolfe.

In the first place, if we do not consider the technical date of war, as determined by the formal declarations, but the date of actual hostilities, we see that "The seven years' War" is a misnomer.

The French had possessed themselves by right of discovery and military occupation of vast stretches of country which they might expect to hold by colonization, but which, as we now know, they never could have done.

Bordering upon these lands for thousand of miles, were the settlements of the British people, who came to stay, to make homes, and to seek more lands when and where they needed them. The story of the collisions and conflicts, local in their character at first, we shall not follow. It is a tale of alleged aggression and trespass on the one hand, and alleged interference on the other.

It is the story, too, of gallant men and gallant deeds, intermingled with tales of alleged injustice and inhumanity; of a powerful, comparatively wealthy, and numerous people harassed and finally held at bay by a handful of resourceful, courageous men whose dominant military spirit was worth more than wealth or numbers. At last the stronger nation, stronger at sea as well as on land, stronger in its institutions and material resources, roused itself under the influence of its great war minister and the end came, as come it must in all unequal contests.

Although the French and English were actually at war in America for several years to the knowledge and

with the connivance of the mother countries, France and England chose to ignore the fact officially while each was preparing for the fray.

At last the pretence of peace could no longer be maintained and the formal declarations of war were issued. As they give a summary of events, and of grievances against each other, we deem it advisable to reproduce them here as an introduction to the story which is begun in this volume with the life of Wofe.

These declarations are taken from "An Impartial History of the Late War, deduced from the committing of Hostilities in 1749 to the signing of the Definitive Treaty of Peace in 1763."-Second Edition, London, 1763.

HIS MAJESTY'S DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST

George Rex.

THE FRENCH KING

The unwarrantable proceedings of the French in the West Indies and North America, since the conclusion of the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, and the usurptions and incroachments made by them upon our territories, and the settlements of our subjects in those parts, particularly in our province of Nova Scotia, have been so notorious, and so frequent, that they cannot but be looked upon as a sufficient evidence of a formed design and resolution in that court to pursue invariably such measures as should most effectually promote their ambitious views, without

any regard to the most solemn treaties and engagements. We have not been wanting on our part to make, from time to time, the most serious representations to the French King upon these repeated acts of violence, and to endeavour to obtain redress and satisfaction for the injuries done to our subjects, and to prevent the like causes of complaint for the future; but though frequent assurances have been given, that everything should be settled agreeably to the treaties subsisting between the two crowns, and particularly that the evacuations of the four neutral islands in the West Indies should be effected, (which was expressly promised to our ambassador in France) the execution of these assurances, and of the treaties on which they were founded, has been evaded under the most frivolous pretences and the injustifiable practices of the French governors, and of the officers acting under their authority, were still carried on, till, at length, in the month of April 1754, they brooke out into open acts of hostility, when in the time of profound peace, without any declaration of war, and without any previous notice given, or application made, a body of French forces, under the command of an officer bearing the French King's commission, attacked in a hostile manner, and possesed themselves of the English fort on the Ohio in North America.

But notwithstanding this act of hostility, which could not but be looked upon as a commencement of war; Yet from our earnest desire of peace, and in hopes the court of France would disavow this violence and injustice, we contented ourselves with sending such a force to America, as was indispensably necessary for the immediate defence

and protection of our subjects against fresh attacks and insults.

In the mean time great naval armaments were preparing in the ports of France, and a considerable body of French troops embarked for North America; and though the French Ambassador was sent back to England with specious professions of a desire to accommodate these differences, yet it appeared, that their real design was only to gain time for the passage of those troops to America, which they hoped would secure the superiority of the French forces in those parts, and enable them to carry their ambitious and oppressive projects into execution.

In these circumstances we could not but think it incumbent upon us to endeavour to prevent the success of so dangerous a design, and to oppose the landing of the French troops in America; and in consequence of the just and necessary measures we had taken for that purpose, the French ambassador was immediately recalled from our court; the fortifications at Dunkirk, which had been preparing for some time were enlarged; great bodies of troops marched down to our coast, and our Kingdoms were threatened with an invasion.

In order to prevent the execution of these designs, and to provide for the security of our Kingdoms, which were thus threatened, we could no longer forbear giving orders for the seizing at sea the ships of the French King, and his subjects; notwithstanding which, as we were still unwilling to give up all hopes that an accommodation. might be effected, we had contented ourselves hitherto with detaining the said ships, and preserving them, and (as far