the year of Ferdinand at Minden, Wolfe at Quebec, and
Hawke in Quiberon Bay. Before Pitt had taken the war in
hand nearly everything had gone against the British.
Though Clive had become the British hero of India in
1757, and Wolfe of Louisbourg in 1758, there had hitherto
been more defeats than victories. Minorca had been lost
in 1756; in America Braddock's army had been destroyed
in 1755; and Montcalm had won victories at Oswego in
1756, at Fort William Henry in 1757, and at Ticonderoga
in 1758. More than this, in 1759 the French were preparing
fleets and armies to invade England, Ireland, and Scotland;
and the British people were thinking rather of their own
defence at home than of attacking the French abroad.

Pitt, however, rightly thought that vigorous attacks from
the sea were the best means of defence at home. From
London he looked out over the whole world: at France and
her allies in the centre, at French India on his far
left, and at French Canada on his far right; with the
sea dividing his enemies and uniting his friends, if only
he could hold its highways with the British Navy.

To carry out his plans Pitt sent a small army and a great
deal of money to Frederick the Great, to help him in the
middle of Europe against the Russians, Austrians, and
French. At the same time he let Anson station fleets
round the coast of France, so that no strong French force
could get at Britain or Greater Britain, or go to help
Greater France, without a fight at sea. Then, having cut
off Canada from France and taken her outpost at Louisbourg,