The first to understand that
it was a question of existence was the man on whose head the destinies
of the country rested. Washington twice led expeditions against
Duquesne, the second time with Regulars under Braddock, and was each
time defeated. The question of the possession of the interior was
left to be decided on the Heights of Abraham. It was worth more to
the English people than any continental issue. The quarrel spread to
the ocean, and we made no scruple to assail French ships wherever the
conditions were favourable.

Kaunitz, the minister of Maria Theresa, saw his opportunity for a
grand stroke of policy. By transplanting the struggle from the New
World to the Old, and from sea to land, he would obtain a French
alliance against Prussia. Ostensibly his purpose was the recovery of
the lost province; but the circumstances seemed promising, and he
spoke of reducing Frederic to the position of a margrave of
Brandenburg. He asked, at first, for no assistance in the field. If
France would set up an army of observation on the frontier, the house
of Hanover would be disabled from joining Prussia. France was glad,
in a quiet way, to check the House of Hanover. By degrees a complete
understanding was achieved, and Lewis XV undertook to help Austria
with an army in the field and a vast sum of money. Belgium was to be
the price of it, partly for France, partly for the Bourbon, who was
Duke of Parma, in exchange for his Italian dominions. This change of
front was much facilitated by the civilities of Kaunitz to the person
whom the Austrian envoy described as the French Prime Minister, Madame
de Pompadour.

He was equally successful with Russia. There the government had come
to the conclusion that the danger to the empire was not from Austria,
which was expanding towards the Mediterranean, and had just lost its
northern province, but from Prussia, which was aspiring and
aggressive, and on the watch for opportunities. Therefore the
Russians were only too eager for the attack to begin, and had to be
restrained by the Austrians, who could only bring France into line by
a negotiation in several stages. The Russian government agreed,
reluctantly, to wait for the spring of 1757. But the hereditary
grand-duke was an admirer of Frederic; the chancellor, Bernstorff, was
secured by the English; and the action of the Russians was half-hearted
throughout.

The first half of 1756 was spent by the three great militar