A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

1720-1723.] FRENCH DEMANDS. 49Father Bob^, " it is certain that the fear of having todo with so powerful a company will bring the Englishto our terms." The company that was thus to strikethe British heart with terror was the same which allthe tonics and stimulants of the government couldnot save from predestined ruin. But, concludes thisingenious writer, whether England accepts our offersor not, France ought not only to take a high tone(jparler avec hauteur), but also to fortify diligently,and make good her right by force of arms.^Three years later we have another document, thistime of an official character, and still more radical inits demands. It admits that Port Royal and a partof the Nova Scotian peninsula, under the name ofAcadia, were ceded to England by the treaty, andconsents that she shall keep them, but requires herto restore the part of New France that she has wrongfullyseized, — namely, the whole Atlantic coast fromthe Kennebec to Florida; since France never gaveEngland this country, which is hers by the discoveryof Verrazzano in 1524. Here, again, the voyagesof the Cabots, in 1497 and 1498, are completelyignored."It will be seen," pursues this curious document,"that our kings have always preserved sovereigntyover the countries between the thirtieth and the fiftiethdegrees of north latitude.A time will come when1 Second M€moire concernant les Limites des Colonies pr€sent€ en1720 par Bob€, pretre de la Congregation de la Mission (ArchivesNationales).VOL. II. — 4