Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/244

 year 1748, the sagacious Count Galissonière proposed to bring over ten thousand peasants from France, and plant them in the valley of that beautiful river, and on the borders of the lakes. But while at Quebec, in the Castle of St. Louis, soldiers and statesmen were revolving schemes like this, the slowly-moving power of England bore on with silent progress from the East. Already the British settlements were creeping along the valley of the Mohawk, and ascending the eastern slope of the Alleganies. Forests crashing to the axe, dark spires of smoke ascending from autumnal fires, were heralds of the advancing host; and while on the one side of the Alleganies, Celeron de Bienville was burying plates of lead, engraved with the arms of France, the ploughs and axes of Virginia backwoodsmen were enforcing a surer title on the other. The adverse powers were drawing near. The hour of collision was at hand."

To the history of this last measuring of arms between the ancient rivals, and of its important bearing on the position of the colonies, in their disputes with the mother country, we now invite the reader's attention.

 

1749—1755.

have already spoken of the designs of the French and their determination to obtain, if possible, the control of the entire region from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, based upon that law which gives to the discoverers of rivers, the jurisdiction over the lands watered by them. So long as the English colonies were confined to the immediate vicinity of the sea coast, there was little reason for them to interfere with the plans and 