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dropped anchor which held； for happily the storm abated。 Fog guns
and lights as signals of distress availed little to the ships in
difficulty。 Eight British transports laden with troops and two
ships carrying supplies were dashed to pieces on the rocks。 The
shrieks of drowning men could be heard in the darkness。 The scene
was the rocky Isle aux Oeufs and adjacent reefs off the north
shore。 About seven hundred soldiers； including twenty…nine
officers； and in addition perhaps two hundred sailors； were lost
on that awful night。
The disaster was not overwhelming and Walker might have gone on
and captured Quebec。 He had not lost a single war…ship and he had
still some eleven thousand men。 General Hill might have stiffened
the back of the forlorn Admiral； but Hill himself was no better。
Vetch spoke for going on。 He knew the St。 Lawrence waters for he
had been at Quebec and had actually charted a part of the river
and was more familiar with it； he believed； than were the
Canadians themselves。 What pilots there were declared； however；
that to go on was impossible and the helpless captains of the
ships were of opinion that； with the warning of such a disaster；
they could not disregard this counsel。 Though the character of
the English is such that usually a reverse serves to stiffen
their backs； in this case it was not so。 A council of war yielded
to the panic of the hour and the great fleet turned homeward。
Soon it was gathered in what is now Sydney harbor in Cape Breton。
》From here the New England ships went home and Walker sailed for
England。 At Spithead the Edgar； the flag…ship； blew up and all on
board perished。 Walker was on shore at the time。 So far was he
from being disgraced that he was given a new command。 Later； when
the Whigs came in； he was dismissed from the service； less； it
seems； in blame for the disaster than for his Tory opinions。 It
is not an unusual irony of life that Vetch； the one wholly
efficient leader in the expedition； ended his days in a debtor's
prison。
Quebec had shivered before a menace； the greatest in its history。
Through the long months of the summer of 1711 there had been
prayer and fasting to avert the danger。 Apparently trading ships
had deserted the lower St。 Lawrence in alarm； for no word had
arrived at Quebec of the approach of Walker's fleet。 Nor had the
great disaster been witnessed by any onlookers。 The island where
it occurred was then and still remains desert。 Up to the middle
of October； nearly two months after the disaster； the watchers at
Quebec feared that they might see any day a British fleet
rounding the head of the Island of Orleans。 On the 19th of
October the first news of the disaster arrived and then it was
easy for Quebec to believe that God had struck the English
wretches with a terrible vengeance。 Three thousand men； it was
said； had reached land and then perished miserably。 Many bodies
had been found naked and in attitudes of despair。 Other thousands
had perished in the water。 Vessel…loads of spoil had been
gathered； rich plate； beautiful swords； magnificent clothing；
gold； silver； jewels。 The truth seems to be that some weeks after
the disaster the evidences of the wrecks were discovered。 Even to
this day ships are battered to pieces in those rock…strewn waters
and no one survives to tell the story。 Some fishermen landing on
the island had found human bodies； dead horses and other animals；
and the hulls of seven ships。 They had gathered some
wreckageand that was the whole story。 Quebec sang Te Deum。 From
attacks by sea there had now been two escapes which showed God's
love for Canada。 In the little church of Notre Dame des
Victoires； consecrated at that time to the memory of the
deliverance from Phips and Walker； daily prayers are still poured
out for the well…being of Canada。 God had been a present help on
land as well as on the sea。 Nicholson； with more than two
thousand men； had been waiting at his camp near Lake Champlain to
descend on Montreal as soon as Walker reached Quebec。 When he
received the news of the disaster he broke up his force and
retired。 For the moment Canada was safe from the threatened
invasion。
In spite of this apparent deliverance； the long war； now near its
end； brought a destructive blow to French power in America。
Though France still possessed vigor and resources which her
enemies were apt to underrate； the war had gone against her in
Europe。 Her finest armies had been destroyed by Marlborough； her
taxation was crushing； her credit was ruined； her people were
suffering for lack of food。 The allies had begun to think that
there was no humiliation which they might not put upon France。
Louis XIV； they said； must give up Alsace； which； with Lorraine；
he had taken some years earlier； and he must help to drive his
own grandson from the Spanish throne。 This exorbitant demand
stirred the pride not only of Louis but of the French nation； and
the allies found that they could not trample France under their
feet。 The Treaty of Utrecht； concluded in 1718； shows that each
side was too strong as yet to be crushed。 In dismissing
Marlborough； Great Britain had lost one of her chief assets。 His
name had become a terror to France。 To this day； both in France
and in French Canada； is sung the popular ditty 〃Monsieur
Malbrouck est mort；〃 a song of delight at a report that
Marlborough was dead。 When in place of Marlborough leaders of the
type of General Hill were appointed to high command； France could
not be finally beaten。 The Treaty of Utrecht was the outcome of
war…weariness。 It marks； however； a double check to Louis XIV。 He
could not master Europe and he could not master America。 France
now ceded to Britain her claim to Acadia； Newfoundland； and
Hudson Bay。 She regarded this； however； as only a temporary
setback and was soon planning and plotting great designs far
surpassing the narrower vision of the English colonies。
It was with a wry face； however； that France yielded Acadia。 To
retain it she offered to give up all rights in the Newfoundland
fisheries； the nursery of her marine。 Britain would not yield
Acadia； dreading chiefly perhaps the wrath of New England which
had conquered Port Royal。 Britain； however； compromised on the
question of boundaries in a way so dangerous that the long war
settled finally no great issues in America。 She took Acadia
〃according to its ancient limits；〃but no one knew these limits。
They were to be defined by a joint commission of the two nations
which； after forty years； reached no agreement。 The Island of
Cape Breton and the adjoining Ile St。 Jean； now Prince Edward
Island； remained to France。 Though Britain secured sovereignty
over Newfoundland； France retained extensive rights in the
Newfoundland fisheries。 The treaty left unsettled the boundary
between Canada and the English colonies。 While it yielded Hudson
Bay to Britain； it settled nothing as to frontiers in the
wilderness which stretched beyond the Great Lakes into the Far
West and which had vast wealth in furs。
CHAPTER IV。 Louisbourg And Boston
For thirty years England and France now remained at peace； and
England had many reasons for desiring peace to continue。 Anne；
the last of the Stuart rulers； died in 1714。 The new King； George
I； Elector of Hanover； was a German and a German unchangeable；
for he was already fifty four； with little knowledge of England
and none of the English； and with an undying love for the dear
despotic ways easily followed in a small German principality。 He
and his successor George II were thinking eternally of German
rather than of English problems； and with German interests
chiefly regarded it was well that England should make a friend of
France。 It was well； too； that under a new dynasty； with its
title disputed； England should not encourage France to continue
the friendly policy of Louis XIV towards James； the deposed
Stuart Pretender。 England had just made a new； determined； and
arrogant enemy by forcing upon Spain the deep humiliation of
ceding Gibraltar； which had been taken in 1704 by Admiral Rooke
with allied forces。 The proudest monarchy in Europe was compelled
to see a spot of its own sacred territory held permanently by a
rival nation。 Gibraltar Spain was determined to recover。 Its loss
drove her into the arms of the enemies of England and remains to
this day a grievance which on occasion Spanish politicians know
well how to make useful。
Great Britain was now under the direction of a leader whose
policy was peace。 A nation is happy when a born statesman with a
truly liberal mind and a genuine love of his country comes to the
front in its affairs。 Such a man was Sir Robert Walpole。 He was a
Whig squire； a plain country gentleman； with enough of culture to
love good pictures and the ancient classics； but delighting
chiefly in sports and agriculture； hard drinking and politics。
When only twen