British possessions without any special stipulation in this regard. France 

 retained Canada and the island of Cape Breton, and this last, with the 

 citadel of Louisbourg commanding an excellent position, became the center 

 of provisioning and landing of its vessels in the great fishery. 



But, after the Seven Years War, France, which was dispossessed of 

 all its American empire, sought to assure to its fishermen a port near the 

 place of fishing. Thus the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon were re- 

 turned by England, on the express condition that no military establishments 

 would be erected and that its garrison would not exceed 50 men. 



July 14, 1763, the Baron of Esperance, captain of the infantry, took 

 possession of the islands in the name of France. The first settlement was 

 made a little later and fishing establishments were built between 1764 and 

 1767, which were to be the only industry. These first colonists were 

 Acadians, who wished to stay under the French flag; they were joined by 

 small contingents of Basques, Normans, and Brittons. They practiced a 

 shore fishery by means of wherries of 2 to 3 tons, wider and more massive 

 than true dories, manned by two and sometimes three men. Like the dories, 

 the wherries navigated by oar and sail. 



Salting and drying of cod was done as at Newfoundland. The dried fish 

 were stored in sheds waiting the coming of small high- seas vessels which 

 would export it. From 1765 to 1777, the products of the fishery at Saint- 

 Pierre- et-Miquelon amounted, on an average, to 6000 metric hundred- 

 weight a year. 



The first residents settled in the northern part of Grande Miquelon 

 and founded the village of Miquelon, which was the first important colony. 

 But the anchorage at Miquelon was not a secure one for vessels. Conse- 

 quently it was abandoned in favor of the anchorage at the island of Saint - 

 Pierre. The little settlement of Miquelon remained but the commercial 

 life of the colony concentrated at Saint Pierre. 



After the alliance of France with the rebelling Americans fighting for 

 their independence, Rear Admiral Montague, governor of Newfoundland, 

 attacked the islands of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. He destroyed the 



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