New-York tribune., 1904-08-06

Tj,eraTy m "e'r ard Historical Society If quebec
with Map and Ph9togIavuTe P@rtraits Pc cs 9I Moe cI
Archibald Constable & co.
The story Of the capture of Quebec has been
told many times. but never from the stand
point taken by the author Of the present volume
nor by any one who has had at his disposal
such a mine OF original documents The re-
searches of Mr.. A. G, Doughty, Of quebec
who has collected from many sources the
letters and orders and other documents relating
TO the siege and has already published SIX
ouarto volumes of them, have settled many
points that have long been unde: dispute ana
corrected many erroneous impressions that have
been generally accepted because never contra
dicted OF this published material and OF the
mass of unpublished papers unearthed by MI
Doughty Major Wood has frankly and freely
ayailed himself producing a work as far as pos
sible from partisan bias. in which credit ana
discredit are impartally given on the evidence
of those actually concerned in the operations on
both sides The amount Of error that mas crepI
into the historical records OF this epoch making
campaign is shown by the fact that the offclal
copy Of Bougainvine's letters made for the
Canadian archives at Ottawa was found to con-
IA IN over fifteen hurdredsm dsmistakes when 1t was
compared with the originals in France
With data so inaccurate foundation, 1t IS
not strange that previous historians should have
fallen into error in their accounts. Even Park
man can no longer be accepted as an authority
although. as Major Wood gracefully admits, in
his case one is rather struck by what is done so
well than by what is done so badly from lack OF
means.
Parkmans reputation. indeed, should be actually
heghiemea 10y me & new dtn IN ,aing found
the true point toward which the evidence tended.
In several places where his incomplete documents
did not contain the point itself
Major Wood has kept close TO his documents,
and. as he says,
The whole truth. in its usual way. distributes the
praise and blame with fairy even hand all
SH 4fHGnd on 9fg 5th ys eo oa Of the orsa very
we'll indeed. There is very IItle for any OF them
pit seIrSrs Wolfe and Montcalm are ali proved
worthy OF higher Tenown than they have
had hitherto But the full truth leaves very little
itics The shame of France is wen matched by
that Of Canada. where there was quite as much
among any Of the corrupt officials that came out
from the motheraud. The general OF Amerl-
can public men were no better in the eighteenth
century than they have been in the nineteenth.
bIacken out even their dark 1nethods-the bought
up vote In the House OF Commons which ratired
ever made
Although the possibility of at last being able
TO write a truthful history Of the events has
been Major Woods excuse for his book, he has
taken advantage Of his opportunity to place the
entire campaign on a new historical footing and
TO view il in the aspect Of q combined naval and
land operation in which the sea power is now
made 10 assume its proper relation in the British
conquest Of Canada. We must constantly bear
I'm mind" he declares, that the attack BY the
ST. Lawrence was an integral part OF a world
wide scheme Of naval strategy, and that Wolfe's
army was simply landing party on large
war between France and England which lasted
from 1888 TO 1915. he shows that. while at the
beginning of the struggle France was the most
powerful country in Europe England gained her
ascendancy by the development Of her sea
power 5 has already been shown by Captain
Mahan. AS the imperial statesmanship Of Eng
land to which this development was due found
its highest expression in the elder Pitt so the
Seven Years War becomes the central phase OF
the greater contest and focuses in the fight for
Canada.
The command of the sea must always be taken
into account first Of all. when considering either
the whole. or any part, OF the struggle for domin-
ion in the New World i Vas indeed the great
strength of ew-France and Now-England. Both
colonies owed their birth 10 the sea and depended
suit of every conflict between them even If fought
either for or against the Victor bv The relative
fighting force which their two netherlands then
Armies OF course as Indispensable as
ships, but the navy formed an easily movable
base which could follow the coast parallel 10
the army and establish new communications
inland by the shortest line from the nearest
seaport Thus the author regards the first battle
feet victories OF England. beginning with that
OF La Hogue in 1892. the primary cause Of
the conquest Of Canada. The British command
OF the sea he attributes to the personnel Of the
navy which was drawn from the greatest class
OF seafaring men In the world" The navy drew
from the mercantile marine, which in turn
drew from the seafaring population And as
England, from her geographical situation, de-
pended almost altogether on the sea for her
prosperity, the supply was never exhausted; the
commercial necessities OF the country caused
constant flow to I'LL the vacuum made by the
withdrawal of men 10 man her battleshps.
Applying his theories TO the battle on tho
Plains of Abraham. Major Wood calls atten-
tion TO the fact that the three admirals with the
supporting feet were Wolfes military SUI
periors, and that. while the whole credit of the
plan which he originated and matured for the
capture of the French stronghold is wolfe's
and Wolfe's alone, 1t would have been impossi-
bic either to have conceived it or to have car
ried it TO successful conclusion without the aid
afforded by the vessels of Saunders Dureli and
Holmes. In addition 20 his broad and exhaustive
treatment OF the preponderating influence OF
the British sea power leading up to his ac-
count OF the actual operations at Quebec the
author devotes separate chapters to Pitt Wolfe
Montcalm and Saunders and gives a graphic
picture OF the conditions existing in the city
colony under the Governorship OF Vandreuil
and his rascally intendant. Bigot. The story
OF the siege battle and capitulation is written
direct from the original documents at his dis
posal without reference to the accounts of other
writer's and with the advantage OF a lifelong