The Washington herald., 1908-01-19

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structioA- of warships, and IN the de-
velOpment and increase of naval arma-
mcnts, it is timely to recall in connec-
ton with this tercentenary celebration
at Quebec, that If the English won their
memorable victory ON the Plains of Abra-
ham, and secured possession of Canada,
il was entirely owing TO their feet. Louis
XIV lost forever la Nouvelle France
because he had not sufficient ships TO
convey the sorrly needed supplies 20 his
troops in Canada, or 90 furnish them with
any armed support.
Battle of sainte F0ye.
That Is 20 say, King Louis could have
held Canada against the English had he
spent the money Of the French taxpayers
upon the development Of his navy. instead
of upon his odalisques of the Pare aux
CerIs. For It may be recalled thar a few
months after the defeat of Moutcalm, IN
the battle of the Plains of Abraham. by
Gen. Wolfe. who. mogtaliy wounded.
breathed his last almost at the same
moment as his gallant adversary, another
battle took place on the adjoining Plain
Of Sainte Foye. where the French COM
mander. the Chevalier de Lewis. with
vastly superior military forces. defeated
the English general Murray, and would
assuredly have rccaptured Quebec, and
would probably have recovered ali that
had been lost. had It not been for the
timely arrival of a powerful British feet
i'm the ST. Lawrence.
Il was this feet which may he said
to have been the determining factor in
the fertility Of Gen. Wolfe's victory on
the Plains of Abraham. and of the ster-
i.ity OF the Chevalier de Lewis success
on the adjoining battle field of Saiute
Foye. The force with which Wolfe, al
ready in the last stages Of consumption,
fought the battle on the Plains Of Abra-
ham, was to all intents and purposes a
landing party. For there were. in the
words OF the historian, twice as many
se2men as soldiers I'm the expedition sent
out 20 capture Quebec, and the three ad-
mirals in command Of the fleet that
brought Wolfe and his soldiers to the St.
Lawrence, were all of them MS superiors
in rank,
In one word. the battleGelds Of Quebec
and the memorials which il IS planned 20
erect thereon TO commemorate the vic
tory. not only of the British Gen Wolfe.
but also OF the ChevalieT de Lewis. must
forever remain as an eloquent and en-
during object lesson Of the impossibility
of holding transpontine colonies without
the possession of a large and powerful
fleet.
Neither Represented on Earth.
Tt may be Of interest TO add by way of
conclusion. that no descendants Of either
Cen James Wolfe or OF the Marquis de
Montcalm remain 10 take part in the
ceremonies at Quebec next fail.
Gen Wolfe's body was conveyed from
Quebec 10 England and entombed in the
ancient palace of Greenwich. The memo
rial erected 10 his memory In WesmiH-
ster Abbey does not, in spite Of the gen
eraI belief to the contrary, indicate that
he is inferred I'm that Walhalla of Eng
lands most historic men. He left no
children.
The Marquis de EIontcalm was buried
in the Church Of the Ursuline Convent
at Quebec, Ia an excavation made by the
bursting Of a shell within the precincts
of the convent. For a long time there
was no inscription on his tomb.
This was nor altogether the fault Of the
English. For BoUgainville applied t. the
ROYAL Academy of Inscription at Paris to
an inscription ON the grave of
M0utcaim. and Prime Minister Pitt not
only uudeTstOok 10 send the marble
placque on which It was chiseled 10
Quebec, but likewise addressed a letter
% the academy. CD which ne declared that
lit is impossible 10 do otherwise than
applaud the nobility of the sentiments Of
the French soldiers who wish TO render
such a tribute to the memory OF a general
whom they have seen die at their head,
i'm a manner worthy of them and OF him
self"
Epitaph Lost at sea.
The English frigate bearing the cpl
taph was wrecked and totally lost of the
coast off Newfoundland, on its way 10
Quebec. and It was not until IN 1853 that
another copy Of the inscription was dis
patched from the institute of France to
Quebec. and which now adorns the tomb
King Louis EV bestowed "a pension Of
so 600 a year upon the widow Of the
Marquis de Montcalm, which was CON
unued TO her children. The last Of his
descendants, the Marquis Of Montcalm.
one of the most popular members Of the
years ago at Montpelier. leaving no
but merely an adopted son of
the name of St Maurice, who, married
TO Mile. PoZzo de BOrgO, Of the C0rsican
family of that name, has now assumed
the title of Marquis de Montcalm,
The Chevalier de Lewis was cadet of
The French and Spanish ducal house Of
Lewis Mirepoix. and which. claiming
descent from Lewis, the son OF Jacob.
likewise maintains pretenslons of kins-
to the human family Of the
founder Of Christianity. Indeed, one of
the principal paintings of the gallery of
ancestral portraits OF the dukes Of Lewis !
MirepOiX, in their mansion Of the Rue de /
Farcnne. at Paris. is that which repre-
sents the Virgin Mary appearing to q /
former duke or Marquis Of Lewis Mire-
polk, and requesting him to replace his /
lat on his head, with the words "COuVrez-
.ous mon Cousin"
It IS possible that the present Duke Of /
or his son, may attend the cere-
monies at Quebec, and thus represent the /
cen. Chevaller de Lewis, who defeated 1
cen. Murray.
As for Champlain. there are, so far as
know, none of his children in existence. /
His tomb lies in the old Basilica of Que |
lec. and is familiar to every American /
tourist who has ever visited this Mother /
-ity Of what was formerly New France. |
1ut is to-day Greater Britain.
JEWS IN THE D0UMA.
Two.