King Edward's realm: Story of the making of the Empire

by C. S. Dawe

10. The leading company disembarked on a narrow strand at the foot of the heights to be climbed, and began the ascent, each man pulling himself up by bushes, stumps of trees, and jutting rocks. On reaching the top they saw in the dim light a cluster of tents and made a dart at them. The French, taken by surprise, fled. The main body of British troops waited in their boats, near the beach, all intently listening. Soon from the top came a sound of musket shots, followed by loud hurrahs from British throats, and Wolfe knew that the position was gained. The word was given; the troops leaped from the boats and climbed the heights, clutching at trees and bushes, giving and taking hands, their muskets slung at their backs. As fast as the boats were emptied they hastened to the ships to be refilled.

11. When the day broke Wolfe's battalions were drawn up in battle array on the Plains of Abraham just behind Quebec, and there they waited for the attack, Montcalm hurried to the spot, and full in sight before him stretched the lines of Wolfe: the close ranks of the English infantry, a silent wall of red, and the wild array of the Highlanders with their bagpipes screaming defiance. The British waited until the French were within forty yards and then rang out the command, and a crash of musketry answered. Another volley quickly followed, and then came the order to charge with the bayonet. As Wolfe led on his grenadiers a shot shattered his wrist. He wrapped his handkerchief about it and kept on. Another shot struck him, but he still advanced, when a third lodged in his breast and brought him to the ground. He was carried to the rear, and there lay dying, when all at once an officer cried cut: "They run; see how they run!" "Who run?" asked the dying hero. "The enemy, sir, they give way in all directions." "Then God be praised; I shall die in peace!"

12. The brave Montcalm met with a similar fate. As, borne with the tide of fugitives, he approached the town, a shot passed through his body. He lingered until the next day, and soon afterwards Quebec opened its gates to the conquerors. In the public gardens of Quebec, there now stands an obelisk, bearing on one of its faces the word Montcalm and on the opposite face the name Wolfe; two brave men equal in honour, in devotion to duty, in patriotism.

13. The capture of Quebec was soon followed by the conquest of all Canada. All the French troops in the colony were taken back to France. Protection to person and property, and the free exercise of their religion, were promised to all the colonists who were willing to remain in the country. They had hitherto been treated as children, unable to speak and act for themselves. All this was now changed. A new spirit of freedom animated the whole colony, infusing new life and vigour into all classes. This resulted in the increase of wealth and comfort, and in the growth of a genuine loyalty to the British Crown.

(7) FIRST FOUNDER OF OUR INDIAN EMPIRE.

1. Whilst General Wolfe was fighting the French in Canada, Robert Clive was similarly engaged in India. Here, as in America, the British and French were rivals for power. Both nations had an East India Company, and until lately the two companies had confined themselves to their own proper business as merchants. The British had factories, or trading-stations, at Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay; the French had their headquarters at Pondicherry. The appointment of Dupleix as governor at Pondicherry, in 1748, led to a change of policy. From that time the French began to bid for empire, and the British were not slow to follow their lead.

2. India at that time was nominally under the rule of an emperor, known as the "Great Mogul"; but the real power was in the hands of the princes who ruled, in his name, in the different provinces of the empire. Dupleix saw in this state of things a chance of making France the supreme power in India. Disputes were constantly arising between the native princes about the right of succession. Dupleix's plan was an immoral one; it was, in any dispute for a throne, to take the side of the prince who had the least right to it; for the one who gained the throne, by his help, without being entitled to it, would afterwards be only a mere puppet prince under his thumb.

3. Dupleix also perceived that the army of a native prince was merely an armed rabble, and that a small disciplined force would easily beat it, even if that force was composed of merely well-drilled natives under European officers. He perceived that the natives, though not wanting in personal courage, were as babes in the art of warfare. When, for instance, they engaged in battle, the officer in command mounted an elephant and became the standard of his army. All eyes were turned towards him; as long as he was visible the troops rallied round him; directly he fell or turned they dispersed, and the day was lost. It was thus possible for a well-directed shot to decide the fate of a battle.

4. The opportunity which Dupleix wanted was not long in presenting itself. A dispute arose between two princes for the right to rule the Carnatic, a province of Southern India. The claimant whom Dupleix favoured soon triumphed over his rival, but he was a mere tool in the hands of his French patron, who became the real ruler of the province. And to impress the natives with a sense of his greatness, he clad himself in costly native dresses, trimmed with jewels, and required his attendants to serve him on bended knee. But Dupleix was not long left in the quiet enjoyment of his honours.

5. There was a clerk in the employ of our East India Company whose adventurous spirit urged him to quit the desk and gird on the soldier's sword. That man was Robert Clive, who proved to be one of the master-makers of our empire, and the founder of British rule in India. Clive showed himself to be a born leader of men, with a genius for war, as brave as the bravest, with a presence of mind that never forsook him however great the danger. Clive proposed to make a sudden dash on Arcot, the capital of the Carnatic, about a hundred miles inland from Madras. His offer was accepted, and he set out from Madras at the head of 200 English soldiers and 300 Sepoys—natives armed and drilled after the European fashion—with eight English officers.