408 FRENCH AND ENGLISH RIVALRY. [1696- 



Military Inefficiency of the British Colonies. — " His 

 Majesty has subjects enough in those parts of America to drive 

 out the French from Canada; but they are so crumbled into little 

 governments, and so disunited, that they have hitherto afforded lit- 

 tle assistance to each other, and now seem in a much worse dispo- 

 sition to do it for the future." This is the complaint of the Lords 

 of Trade. Governor Fletcher writes bitterly : " Here every little 

 government sets up for despotic power, and allows no appeal to 

 the Crown, but, by a little juggling, defeats all commands and in- 

 junctions from the King." Fletcher's complaint was not unpro- 

 voked. The Queen had named him commander-in-chief, during 

 the war, of the militia of several of the colonies, and empowered 

 him to call on them for contingents of men, not above 350 from 

 Massachusetts, 250 from Virginia, 160 from Maryland, 120 from 

 Connecticut, 48 from Rhode Island, and 80 from Pennsylvania. 

 This measure excited the jealousy of the colonies, and several of 

 them remonstrated on constitutional grounds ; but the attorney- 

 general, to whom the question was referred, reported that the 

 crown had power, under certain limitations, to appoint a com- 

 mander-in-chief. Fletcher, therefore, in his character as such, 

 called for a portion of the men; but scarcely one could he get. 

 He was met by excuses and evasions, which, especially in the case 

 of Connecticut, were of a most vexatious character. At last, that 

 colony, tired by his importunities, condescended to furnish him with 

 twenty-five men. With the others, he was less fortunate, though 

 Virginia and Maryland compounded with a sum of money. Each 

 colony claimed the control of its own militia, and was anxious to 

 avoid the establishment of any precedent which might deprive it of 

 the right. Even in the military management of each separate col- 

 ony, there was scarcely less difficulty. A requisition for troops 

 from a royal governor was always regarded with jealousy, and the 

 provincial assemblies were slow to grant money for their support. 

 In 1692, when Fletcher came to New York, the assembly gave 

 him 300 men, for a year; in 1693, they gave him an equal number; 

 in 1694, they allowed him but 170, he being accused, apparently 

 with truth, of not having made good use of the former levies. He 

 afterwards asked that the force at his disposal should be increased 

 to 500 men, to guard the frontier; and the request was not granted. 

 In 1697 he was recalled; and the Earl of Bellomont was commis- 

 sure ties Avis recus du Canada en 1695; Champigny, Me'moire concernant 

 le Fort de Cataracouy ; La Potherie, II. 284-302, IV. 1-80; Colden, chaps, 

 x., xi. 



