engaged in a colonial strife, which had caused England to
declare herself Frederick's ally; and, while in Europe the grapple
between England and France did not assume serious proportions, it was of
enormous consequence to their colonies in India and America.

In India both countries had trading-stations, but the French were
popular with the natives and the English were not. The weakness of the
native support was not realized by either party. The conquests of Nadir
Shah were scarcely known to them; the name of the Great Mogul at Delhi
was one of vagueness and mysterious power; it seemed to the French that
with Indian aid they could easily drive the English into the sea; and
the attempt was made. It must have been successful but for Clive. That
remarkable young warrior rose from his subordinate desk, laid aside his
clerkly pen, and gathering a little band of fighters round him, defeated
both French and natives in the remarkable siege of Arcot. Then came the
hideous tale of the "black hole of Calcutta," and Clive achieved revenge
and completed his work of conquest at Plassey (1757).[16]

Centuries had elapsed since Europeans had encountered, in serious
battle, any Asiatics except the Turks--and these had proved quite equal
to the strife. Hence the vast superiority which the more progressive
civilization had attained was little realized. The American aborigines
had indeed fallen an easy prey to Europe, but the conquest of Asia and
Africa had not yet been begun. Thus the victories of Clive seemed to his
contemporaries even more marvellous than they were. They won for England
not only an empire in India, but a high prestige in Europe also.

WAR IN AMERICA

In America the British success was equally decisive though more dearly
bought. Here the war had originated in the Ohio valley. Finding no more
room upon the coast, the English colonists were pressing westward and
there met the French. The vast wilderness which had lain unoccupied for
centuries, even though men knew of its existence, now became suddenly of
importance. Frenchmen needed it for their fur trade; Britons for
colonization. They fought for it.

Here as in India the natives had been won by the diplomatic French, but
their aid proved of no avail. The British Parliament sent over General
Braddock in 1757, and he perished with a large portion of his army in
the celebrated ambuscade from which Washington escaped.[17] For a time
French energy made the war seem not