13. The Death of Henry Pelham.-Henry Pelham lived for eight years after the Battle of Culloden, doing his business quietly and offending nobody. He died in 1754. Now,' said the old king,' I shall

have no more peace.'

The old king spoke truly.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

THE LAST SIX YEARS OF GEORGE II.

(1754-1760.)

1. Englishmen Spread over the World. The wars which England had hitherto waged had been waged for power on the Continent of Europe. The nation had striven to conquer France in the days of Edward III. and Henry V., to resist the enormous strength of Spain in the reign of Elizabeth, and the enormous strength of France in the reigns of William III. and Anne. For some time, however, Englishmen had been spreading over the world. They had gone forth to trade and to colonise, and before the end of the reign of George II. England was at war with France, not on account of anything that had happened in Europe, but on account of things which had happened in America and Asia.

2. English and French in America. In the time of James I. and Charles I. Englishmen had gone to live in that part of the American Continent which is now known as the United States. Some of them who had gone to the southern part went, just as

people now go to Australia or Canada, because they wanted to have land of their own to cultivate. Those who went to New England in the North went because they were Puritans, and wanted to be allowed to live and to worship God in their own way without interference. The descendants of these men had increased and multiplied, and there were in the middle of the reign of George II. thirteen colonies, full of prosperous people, managing their own affairs, but each having at its head a Governor appointed by the king of England. They all lived along the Atlantic coast, and it was only very occasionally that any one of them crossed the Alleghany mountains. Those who did found a vast plain, the northern part of which is watered by the River Ohio, and the streams which fall into it. The country was covered with forests, in which were Indians who hunted the fur-covered animals which abounded there, and sold the furs to Europeans. Most of these Indians were not friendly to the English, who would cut down. their woods and plough up their lands if they could come into possession of them. At that time Lower Canada belonged to the French, and as the French did not want to cultivate the land on the Ohio the Indians were on very good terms with them and sold their furs to them. Even before the death of Pelham there had been some fighting going on between the English and French, and General Braddock had been sent to protect the English. He was a brave but stupid man, like General Hawley. Officers in those days were appointed not because they understood how to lead an army, but

because they were the friends of Newcastle, or of some one whose vote Newcastle wanted to gain. Braddock marched on till he came to a place where the French and Indians surrounded him in the forest, and he and most of his men were shot down from behind the trees.

3. Beginning of the Seven Years' War.-After that there could be no continuance of peace with France. The two nations were in reality contending for all that vast country which stretches from the Alleghany mountains to the Pacific. Whichever of the two gained its object would some day occupy almost all the territory which now belongs to the United States. The war would decide whether French or English was to be spoken on the banks of the Mississippi and the shores of California. But England and France did not know this; they only knew that they were fighting for the possession of the forests at the head of the Ohio. The war, which began in 1756 and lasted till 1763, is known as the Seven Years' War.

4. Newcastle driven from Office.-Newcastle was now Prime Minister. He was quite ignorant how to manage a war. At that time Minorca in the Mediterranean belonged to England. It was attacked by a French fleet and army. Admiral Byng went to take help to it, but he thought that the French were too strong, and came back without fighting. Minorca was taken by the enemy. People in England were enraged. They thought that Byng was a coward, and cried out to have him punished. Newcastle was horribly frightened. He thought

that the people would ask to have himself punished next. Oh,' he cried out to some persons who came to ask him to have the Admiral tried; indeed, he shall be tried immediately-he shall be hanged directly.' Byng was tried, and shot. A witty Frenchman said that it was the custom in England to shoot an admiral to encourage the others. Before Byng was condemned Newcastle resigned his office. He loved it dearly, but he was too frightened to keep it any longer.

He

5. Pitt in Office.—There was a man in the House of Commons who had more confidence in himself. William Pitt had kept himself pure when every one around him had been giving or taking bribes. He had confidence in his countrymen as well. He knew how brave they were, and he thought that if they had good leaders they would be sure to beat the French. I know,' he once said, that I can save this country and that nobody else can.' became immediately the most popular minister who had ever held office. He was known as the Great Commoner. But the corrupt members of Parliament, who wanted a minister who would buy their votes, did not like him at all, and they voted against him. He was obliged to resign. Then many weeks passed during which there was no ministry at all. Newcastle could not bear to let Pitt be minister, and he was too much afraid of the people to try to manage the war himself. At last it was arranged that Newcastle and Pitt should be ministers together. Pitt was to manage the war, and Newcastle was to manage the bribery.

6. Wolfe's Expedition to Canada.-Pitt succeeded in managing the war, because he appointed men who had done well in command of small forces

to command great ones, because he made every one understand that the surest way to his favour was to succeed, and because he never favoured any one only because he was rich, or related to some