17 



ley* said, in the House of Commons, that the colonists "took Louisbourg 

 from the French single-htinded, without any European assistance — as 

 inettled an enterprise as any in our history — an everlastinjy memorial 

 to the zeal, courage, and perseverance of the troops of New England. "t 



These are the mere outlines of the accounts of this extraordinary 

 affair4 Several of our books of history contain full details; but the 

 •correspondence of Shirley, Pepperell, and Warren, which is presei-ved 

 In the Collections of the Historical Society of Massachusetts, as well as 

 the letters and narratives of subordinate actors, should be read in con- 

 nexion. 



A century has elapsed. With the present condition of Cape Breton 

 in view, we almost imagine that we hold in our hands books of fiction 

 rather than the records of the real, when we read, as we do in Smol- 

 let, that the conquest of Louisbourg was " the most imj)OTta?it acldevemcnt 

 ■of the war of 1744;" in the Universal History, that '■'■ New England gave 

 peace to Euroi^e by raising, arming, and transporting four thousand 

 men," whose success ^^ proved an c(jmvalent for all the successes of the 

 French upon the continent ;'''' and in Lord Chesterfield, that, " in the end 

 it produced peace," and that the noble duke at the head of the ad- 

 miralty declared that, " if France was master of Portsmouth, he would hang 

 the men who should give Cape Breton in excJuinge.'''' 



The peace of Aix la Chapelle, in 174S, was dishonorable to England 

 at home and in her colonies. Of the adjustment of the questions which 

 relate to our subject, I may remark, that she Rot only restored Cape 

 Breton to France, and submitted to the humiliating condition of send- 

 ing two persons of rank and distinction to reside in that kingdom as 

 hostages until that island and other conquests should be actually sur- 

 rendered, but consented also to omit all mention of the rio-ht of English 

 subjects to navigate the American seas without being liable to search 

 and molestation, though that pretension on the part of the French was 

 one of the original causes of the war, as well as the basis of the attacks 

 made on Walpole's ministry. The results of the peace to England 

 were an immense debt, the barren glory of supporting the German 

 sovereignty of Maria Theresa, and the alienation of the affections of 



* He was one of the British commissiioners of peace in 1783. 



t Horace Walpole calls Sir I'etcr Warren " the conqueror of Cape Breton," aRd says that 

 he was " richer than Ansou, and absurd as Venion." Walpole also quotes a remark of MarshaJ. 

 Bellelsle, who, when he was ti-Id of the takings of Cape Breton, said, " he could believe that, 

 because the inJiiistiT had no hand in it." Walpole adds: "We are making bonfires for Cape 

 Breton, and thundering over G<?noa, while our army in Flanders is running away and dropping 

 to pieces by detachments taken prisoners every day." 



t April 4, 1748, a committee of the House of Commons came to the followins; resolution : 

 ** ResolceA, That it is the opinion of this committee that it is just and reasonable that the 

 several provinces and colonies iif Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode 

 Island be reimbursed tlie expenses they have been at in taking and securing to the crown of 

 Great Britain the island of Cape Breton and its dependencies." 



Mr. Burke remarks on tliis resolution that " these expenses were immense for such colonies ; 

 they were above £"200,n0() sterling — money first raised and advanced on their public credit."' 



William Bollan, collector of the customs for Salem and Marblehead, who married a daughter 

 of Governor Shirley, was sent to England to solicit the reimbursement of these expenses. He 

 obtained the sum of £183,649 sterling, after a difficult and toilsome agency of three years. 



He returned to Boston in 1748, with six hundred and fifty-thi-ee thousand ounces of silver 

 and ten tons of copper. This money was lauded on Long Wharf, placed in wagons, and 

 carried through the streets mid much rejoicing. 

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