ain also intended to look after the education and the spiritual
wants of the settlement, by sending fifteen friars of the Recollet
order to New France, who were to found a convent near the Church of the
Redeemer. The king was also asked to send one hundred families to the
colony, each composed of a husband and wife and two children or a
servant under twenty years of age. With these provisions Champlain
believed that a settlement might be established in the name of France,
which would remain loyal to her interests, since it would rest upon the
sure foundation of strength, justice, commerce, and agriculture.

In his explanations to the Board of Trade Champlain dwelt upon the
advantages which were to be derived from fishing, from the lumber
industry, agriculture and cattle raising, and from the working of the
mines and from trading. In short he endeavoured to induce the associates
to continue their operations. The members, however, were under the
impression that colonization would place obstacles in the way of
commerce, and that the inhabitants would soon monopolize the trade. Some
of the associates who were Protestants objected to colonization under
Catholic influence, and understanding that Champlain was a staunch
Catholic, they decided to have Pont-Grave appointed as lieutenant of the
viceroy, in his place.

Champlain was much affected on finding that he had a rival in Pont-Grave
whom he had always respected as a father, neither would he accept such a
humiliating position. The king, however, intervened at this time, and
wrote a letter to the associates, requesting them to aid Champlain.

"BY THE KING.

"Dear, and well-beloved:--On the report made to us that
there has hitherto been bad management in the establishment of the
families and workmen sent to the settlement of Quebec, and other
places of New France, we write to you this letter, to declare to
you our desire that all things should proceed better in future; and
to tell you that it will give us pleasure that you should assist,
as much as you conveniently can, the Sieur Champlain in the things
requisite and necessary for the execution of the commands which he
has received from us, to choose experienced and trusty men to be
employed in the discovery, inhabiting, cultivating, and sowing the
lands; and do all the works which he shall judge necessary for the
establishment of the colonies which we desire