CHAPTER III 



IN THE king's service 



The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, so disastrous 

 to France, by which Louis XV, in 1748, had 

 wished to make peace "not like a shopkeeper, 

 but like a king," had been regarded by the 

 French and English colonies in North America 

 as a truce to be employed in fortifying them- 

 selves against one another. Incidents were of 

 constant occurrence, and in June 1754 a state 

 of open hostilities obtained in America, although 

 the capitals were unaware of it. 



At the beginning of 1755 the Government 

 of His Majesty George II, King of England, 

 decided to send a fleet into American waters, 

 with the aim of protecting their colonies in the 

 New World. The English Admiral was or- 

 dered to attack any French squadron that might 

 be cruising in those waters. These instructions 

 were officially notified to the Court of France. 

 Louis XV replied that the first shot fired on a 

 vessel flying the French flag would be equivalent 

 to a declaration of war. This shot was fired on 

 June 6th, and although war was not formally 



declared until May 17th of the following year, 



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