Only a twentieth of
their naval and military total had been killed or wounded,
or had died from sickness, during the seven weeks' siege.
Their gain had been great. The one real fortress in
America, the last sea link between Old France and New,
the single sword held over their transatlantic shipping,
was now unchallengeably theirs.
The good news travelled fast. Within three weeks of the
surrender the dispatches had reached England. Defeats,
disasters, and exasperating fiascos had been common since
the war began. But at last there was a genuine victory,
British through and through, won by the Army and Navy
together, and won over the greatest of all rivals, France.
'When we lost Minorca,' said the London Chronicle, just
a month after the surrender, 'a general panic fell upon
the nation; but now that Louisbourg is taken our streets
echo with triumph and blaze with illuminations.' Loyal
addresses poured in from every quarter. The king stood
on the palace steps to receive the eleven captured colours;
and then, attended by the whole court, went in state to
the royal thanksgiving service held in St Paul's Cathedral.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153