everything into account, by land and sea, the British
united service at the siege was quite three times as
strong as the French united service. But the French ships,
manned by three thousand sailors, were in a good harbour,
and they and the soldiers were defended by thick walls
with many guns. Besides, the whole defence was conducted
by Drucour, as gallant a leader as ever drew sword.

Boscawen was chosen by Pitt for the same reason as Wolfe
had been, because he was a fighter. He earned his nickname
of 'Old Dreadnought' from the answer he made one night
in the English Channel when the officer of the watch
called him to say that two big French ships were bearing
down on his single British one. 'What are we to do, sir?'
asked the officer. 'Do?' shouted Boscawen, springing out
of his berth, 'Do?--Why, damn 'em, fight 'em, of course!'
And they did. Amherst was the slow-and-sure kind of
general; but he had the sense to know a good man when he
saw one, and to give Wolfe the chance of trying his own
quick-and-sure way instead.

A portion of the British fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir
Charles Hardy had been cruising off Louisbourg for some
time before Boscawen's squadron hove in sight on June 2.
This squadron was followed by more than twice its own
number of ships carrying the army. All together, there
were a hundred and fifty-seven British vessels, besides
Hardy's covering squadron. Of course, the men could not
be landed under the fire of the fortress. But two miles
south of it, and running westward from it for many miles