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chiefly in sports and agriculture； hard drinking and politics。
When only twenty…seven he was already a leader among the Whigs；
at thirty…two he was Secretary for War； and before he was forty
he had become Prime Minister； a post which he really created and
was the first Englishman to hold。 Friendship with France marked a
new phase of British policy。 Walpole's baffled enemies said that
he was bribed by France。 His shrewd insight kept France lukewarm
in its support of the Stuart rising in 1715； which he punished
with great severity。 But it was as a master of finance that he
was strongest。 While continental nations were wasting men and
money Walpole gloried in saving English lives and English gold。
He found new and fruitful modes of taxation； but when urged to
tax the colonies he preferred； as he said； to leave that to a
bolder man。 It is a pity that anyone was ever found bold enough
to do it。
Walpole's policy endured for a quarter of a century。 He abandoned
it only after a bitter struggle in which he was attacked as
sacrificing the national honor for the sake of peace。 Spain was
an easy mark for those who wished to arouse the warlike spirit。
She still persecuted and burned heretics； a great cause of
offense。 in Protestant Britain； and she was rigorous in excluding
foreigners from trading with her colonies。 To be the one
exception in this policy of exclusion was the privilege enjoyed
by Britain。 When the fortunes of Spain were low in 1713； she had
been forced not merely to cede Gibraltar but also to give to the
British the monopoly of supplying the Spanish colonies with negro
slaves and the right to send one ship a year to trade at Porto
Bello in South America。 It seems a sufficiently ignoble bargain
for a great nation to exact： the monopoly of carrying and selling
cargoes of black men and the right to send a single ship yearly
to a Spanish colony。 We can hardly imagine grave diplomats of our
day haggling over such terms。 But the eighteenth century was not
the twentieth。 From the treaty the British expected amazing
results。 The South Sea Company was formed to carry on a vast
trade with South America。 One ship a year could； of course； carry
little； but the ships laden with negroes could smuggle into the
colonies merchandise and the one trading ship could be and was
reloaded fraudulently from lighters so that its cargo was
multiplied manyfold。 Out of the belief in huge profits from this
trade with its exaggerated visions of profit grew in 1720 the
famous South Sea Bubble which inaugurated a period of frantic
speculation in England。 Worthless shares in companies formed for
trade in the South Seas sold at a thousand per cent of their face
value。 It is a form of madness to which human greed is ever
liable。 Walpole's financial insight condemned from the first the
wild outburst； and his common sense during the crisis helped to
stem the tide of disaster。 The South Sea Bubble burst partly
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