380 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



forces in North America, he was employed dur^ 

 ing the winter in effecting his purposes with the 

 American governments, to raise a large body 

 of troops for the ensuing campaign. His LorcU 

 ship had not the full confidence of the Ameri- 

 can assemblies ; but such was their convictioa 

 of the necessity of more vigorous measures in 

 carrying on the war, that they every where 

 raised the number of troops v4iich were reqair-. 

 €d of them, and made all the preparations which 

 were expected : But as the British general had 

 taken the direction of all the proposed expedi- 

 tions under his own management, neither the 

 American governors or assemblies, were em- 

 ployed in forming plans, or concerting meas- 

 ures for their own defence, or to annoy the ene- 

 my. The time was now come, when it was 

 thought by the British ministry that it was not 

 best for their colonies to learn their own strength* 

 or to depend upon their own councils ; but to 

 look to British officers and troops for the one, 

 and to the British ministry for the other. 



From the first commencement of hostilities, 

 the reduction of Crown Point had been the fi\- 

 vorite object with the colonies, and with the 

 crown, it was determined in the British coun- 

 cils of this year, to vary and extend their opera- 

 tions ; not to carry their expeditions against 

 Crown Pointy but to make a vigorous attempt 

 against Louisbourg. In pursuance of this plan^ 

 Admiral Holbourn arrived at Halifax, on July 

 the ninth, with fifteen ships of the line, and a 

 large number of transports. Lord Loudon had 

 collected a body of six thousand troops, and 

 embarked from New York, to take the command 



