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Lave led to this result; and probably to the complete expulsion of the French from the island. But all preparations and operations to this end were brought to a close by the treaty for a general pacification, simed at Ryswick, in 1697. That treaty, whatever other advantages it may have given to England as a recompense for the sacrifices made in a costly struggle of nine years' duration, left the affairs of Newfoundland in the same state as when the strife began; that is the point in which the island was concerned in the dispute, and which at the outset had been alleged as a reason for hostilities remained without any settlement at all. The French gave up their conquests, but retained the territory which they had previously appropriated in the south-west, though for their hold on it, they had no more formal title than they possessed before.

CHAPTER III.

1697-1728.

THE thirty years which succeeded the treaty of Ryswick formed a period of sad disorder to the island. of Newfoundland. Its distractions arose partly from the frequent attacks of the French, who seemed never weary of harassing the settlements, sometimes effecting only hasty and wanton damage, sometimes holding the conquests they had made, in all manifesting the undeviating purpose to obtain, if possible, in this country a solid compensation for their humiliations and losses elsewhere. Another source of trial and disorder was found in the absence of definite rules, or supreme authority for the government of the people and the regulation of their various interests. This latter was a defect which, with the increase of the population, the extension and complication of the trade, and the interruptions from foreign invasion, was a growing evil, and it became at length so inconvenient that in 1728, an attempt was made to rectify it by the appointment of a person partially invested with the authority and functions of a Governor.

Το present a brief sketch of the causes which led to

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this step, and of some of the events of this troublous time, is the object of this chapter.

The respite afforded to Louis XIV. by the pacification of Ryswick, was employed by him for the furtherance of other political designs which brought about another and a greater embroilment in the affairs of Europe. The death of the king of Spain, who left a will by which the Duke of Anjou, second son of the Dauphin, was declared sole heir of the Spanish Monarchy-an assignment which was attributed to the intrigues of France, was an event producing great excitement among the nations who dreaded the aggrandisement of the latter power, and provoking the bitter hostility of England. Before the war broke out (though engagements in preparation for it had been made) King William died, his sudden removal causing a loss of incalculable importance to the AntiGallic confederacy.

The carrying on of the contest passed, so far as Great Britain was concerned, into the feebler hands of Queen Anne. Yet the enemy derived little advantage from the change. For it was under this female reign that Marlborough dealt out to the French monarchy such strokes of disaster and shame as brought it to the verge of ruin.

While this gigantic struggle was going on in the world, Newfoundland, the distant frontier to the transatlantic possessions of the two principal powers engaged in it, was the scene of a chequered strife. It has been shown in the previous chapter that while the English held the eastern and north-eastern coast

the French occupied the southern border including the Bay of Placentia, and stretching to the entrance of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It may be added also that they freely exercised the privilege of fishing along the Gulf shores and around the northern part of the country. For several years each of the rival occupants was employed in endeavours to effect the expulsion of the other. At the opening of the war in 1702, Captain Leake received instructions from the Lord High Admiral to proceed with a small squadron to Newfoundland, for the purpose of taking possession of the whole island: at least so far as this could be effected by inflicting injuries on the enemy.

This commission he appears to have pretty completely executed, destroying the French settlements at Trepassey, St. Mary's, Colinet, Great and Little St. Lawrence, and also seizing upon and dismantling the fortified island of St. Pierre. After these exploits, he returned to England as protector of the homewardbound ships, and taking with him twenty-nine sail of the enemy which he had made prizes. The brief accounts which have come down of this transaction leave it to be supposed that the French were still left in possession of the town and fort of Placentia. The following year the Admiral Graydon appeared off the coast, with instructions to attack this strong place and to force the enemy to quit the country altogether. Finding himself beset with difficulty arising from an unusually dense fog, the admiral called a council of war, to decide on the feasibility of the enterprise. The unanimous opinion of the council was, that to

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make an attempt on Placentia with the ships and forces in the condition in which they were, was altogether impracticable, and, instead of any probability of success, might tend to the dishonour of Her Majesty's arms. After this decision, the squadron returned to England, thus ingloriously terminating an expedition, which, contrasting with successes that were being achieved nearer home, drew on the commander the censure of his countrymen.

This failure emboldened the French to become in their turn the aggressors, and to make strong efforts to acquire domination over the whole island. From its contiguity to other colonies of the same nation, the garrison at Placentia could be easily reinforced, whether for the purpose of strengthening the defences of the place, or of engaging in external operations. In 1705 a large body of Canadians joined the fort. About four hundred of these were forwarded with the war-vessel 'La Guesse' to Petty Harbour, about nine miles from St. John's, whence they made a strong attack on the forts of the capital, but failed to take the city. But if thwarted in this object, they acted as conquerors everywhere else ravaging the villages, taking captive the inhabitants, and committing devastation along the whole coast, as far as the English plantations extended. By this daring enterprise, the people of St. John's were completely isolated, and kept in ignorance of what was going on in the other settlements until beyond Midsummer 1706, when a report was brought that the French were fishing in the harbours to the northward,