A natural
antipathy, it was said, existed between her colonies and herself;
she was a monarchy while they were really independent republics.
France, on the other hand, had grown stronger since the last war.
In 1713 she had retained the island of Cape Breton and now she
had made it a new menace to British power. Boston, which had
breathed more freely after the fall of Port Royal in 1710, soon
had renewed cause for alarm in regard to its shipping. On the
southern coast of Cape Breton, there was a spacious harbor with a
narrow entrance easily fortified, and here France began to build
the fortress of Louisbourg. It was planned on the most approved
military principles of the time. Through its strength, the
boastful talk went, France should master North America. The King
sent out cannon, undertook to build a hospital, to furnish
chaplains for the service of the Church, to help education, and
so on. Above all, he sent to Louisbourg soldiers.
Reports of these wonderful things reached the English colonies
and caused fears and misgivings. New England believed that
Louisbourg reflected the pomp and wealth of Versailles.
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