for Canada. He saw ministers.
He procured the aid of powerful connections of his own and of his
fellow-officers in Canada. He went to what was at this time the
fountainhead of authority at the French court, and it was not the
King. "The King is nothing," wrote Bougainville, "the Marchioness is
all-powerful--prime minister." Bougainville saw the Marchioness, Madame
de Pompadour, and read to her some of Montcalm's letters. She showed no
surprise and said nothing--her habit, as Bougainville said. By this time
the name of Montcalm was one to charm with in France. Bougainville wrote
to him "I should have to include all France if I should attempt to give
a list of those who love you and wish to see you Marshal of France.
Even the little children know your name." There had been a time when the
court thought the recall of Montcalm would be wise in the interests of
New France. Now it was Montcalm's day and the desire to help him was
real. France, however, could do little. Ministers were courteous and
sympathetic; but as Berryer, Minister of Marine, said to Bougainville,
with the house on fire in France, they could not take much thought of
the stable in Canada.

This Berryer was an inept person. He was blindly ignorant of naval
affairs, coarse, obstinate, a placeman who owed his position to
intrigue and favoritism. His only merit was that he tried to cut down
expenditure, but in regard to the navy this policy was likely to be
fatal. It is useless, said this guardian of France's marine, to try to
rival Britain on the sea, and the wise thing to do is to save money by
not spending it on ships. Berryer even sold to private persons stores
which he had on hand for the use of the fleet. If the house was on fire
he did not intend, it would seem, that much should be left to burn. The
old Due de Belle-Isle, Minister of War, was of another type, a fine and
efficient soldier. He explained the situation frankly in a letter
to Montcalm. Austria was an exigent ally, and Frederick of Prussia a
dangerous foe. France had to concentrate her strength in Europe. The
British fleet, he admitted, paralyzed efforts overseas. There was no
certainty, or even probability, that troops and supplies sent from
France would ever reach Canada. France, the Duke said guardedly, was
not without resources. She had a plan to strike a deadly blow against
England and, in doing so, would save Canada without sending overseas a
great army. The plan was nothing less than th