of England. Not only did she hold far larger territories in America
than did England, but she had rich colonies in the West Indies, where
the flag of England was at that time hardly represented, and her
prospects in India were better than our own. At that time, too, she
disputed with us on equal terms the empire of the sea.

The loss of her North American provinces turned the scale. With the
monopoly of such a market, the commerce of England increased
enormously, and with her commerce her wealth and power of extension,
while the power of France was proportionately crippled. It is true
that, in time, the North American colonies, with the exception of
Canada, broke away from their connection with the old country; but they
still remained English, still continued to be the best market for our
goods and manufactures.

Never was the short-sightedness of human beings shown more distinctly,
than when France wasted her strength and treasure in a sterile contest
on the continent of Europe, and permitted, with scarce an effort, her
North American colonies to be torn from her.

All the historical details of the war have been drawn from the
excellent work entitled Montcalm and Wolfe, by Mr. Francis Parkman, and
from the detailed history of the Louisbourg and Quebec expeditions, by
Major Knox, who served under Generals Amherst and Wolfe.

Yours very sincerely,

G. A. Henty.