of England did not want the Stuarts back. Many indeed had been ready to drink "to the king over the water"; very few were willing to risk anything by fighting for him. The downfall of the Jacobite cause had also an important effect on British party politics. Throughout the reigns of George I. and George II. the Whigs remained in power, because all Tories were distrusted; they were suspected of being Jacobites, disloyal to the house of Hanover. The next reign, however, saw this altered. George III. took the Tories into favour, and kept them in their turn as his ministers for the greater part of his long reign.

Perhaps an even more important effect of the "Forty-five" was felt in the Highlands. Hitherto Pacification of the Highlands had been scarcely a part the Highlands. of Great Britain. Neither Scottish law nor the English tongue was known there. The country was ruled by chiefs who had, like the old feudal nobles, absolute power even of life and death over their followers. No stranger could travel there in safety. The very name of Highlander, the sight of the tartan, the sound of the pipes, were terrible to a Lowlander: they suggested robbery and murder. After the rebellion the Government strove to put an end to the authority of the chiefs over their clans. Their powers of judging their clansmen were taken away. The wearing of the tartan was forbidden. The Highlands came under the same law as the rest of Scotland. Finally, William Pitt hit on the happy idea of using Highland valour against the nation's enemies. He raised Highland regiments from the clans, set their chiefs to command them, and these soon became as valuable to George III. as they had been dangerous to George II. Thus by degrees the Highlands became civilized; robbery and cattle-lifting

ceased; Highlander and Lowlander lived quietly side by side; and Scotland was given a peace and a unity which she had never before enjoyed.

XXX.

THE GROWTH OF THE EMPIRE IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.

WILLIAM PITT, THE GREAT COMMONER.

The middle of the eighteenth century was filled by three great wars, in which Britain took part. These are the wars of the Austrian Succession The Wars of (1739-1748), the Seven Years' War the Eighteenth Century. (1756-1763), and the American War (1775-1783). On the other side there fought in the first war France, Spain, Prussia, Bavaria; in the second, France, Spain, Austria, Russia, Saxony; in the third, France, Spain, Holland, and our revolted American colonies. This variety of enemies seems to point to Britain's being unusually quarrelsome. What is the cause of this combativeness?

France.

The answer is given by two facts. In the first place, the kings of Britain were also rulers of Hanover, and this possession entangled us in every A Prolonged war that went on in Germany. But the Struggle against second is more important. We notice that France and Spain fought against us in all the wars. Here is the true explanation. Britain was really carrying on the long struggle with France which had begun with William III., the object of which was colonial. Spain was also a great colonial power, and became involved since she was the ally of France, having a king of the same Bourbon family. The other powers were drawn in also as allies of France,

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which was engaged in great schemes of conquest in Europe. Thus Britain, to aid her plans of mastering the French in America and India, joined in against France in the European wars.

Thus, in following the story of the growth of the British empire during this time, we may neglect what happens on the Continent, in order to fix our eyes on what takes place at sea, or in America, or in India. These, and not the battlefields of Germany, are the real scenes of British interests. When in the Seven Years' War an English statesman sent money to our ally, Frederick of Prussia, saying, "I will conquer America in Germany", he meant that he would keep France's hands so full with wars in Europe that she would not have men or ships to be able to resist British troops in the New World or the Indies. far-seeing man was William Pitt, the elder.

Pitt, the "Great

This Since

his was the master-hand that did most at this time to make British policy colonial, Commoner". and so to build up the British empire, it is well to see something of the man himself before we try to understand his work.

William Pitt first made a name for himself by his attacks on Walpole; but as he also took every chance of speaking against Hanover and the king's fondness for that country, King George II. hated him, and for a long time refused to have him as a minister. Pitt did not care. His first duty was to the people, not to the crown. The king dismissed him from office, but the country was determined to have him back again. They were right. "No one ever", it was said, "entered Pitt's room who did not come out of it a braver man.' He was made Secretary of State in 1757, when the Seven Years' War was going against us everywhere. "I know I can save the country,"

he said proudly, "and no one else can." Pitt had a wonderful power of choosing the best admirals and generals; he saw at once what men were fit for; he never allowed rank or age to influence him; all he looked at was merit. Almost in an instant failure was changed into success. In 1757 Lord Chesterfield wrote: "I am sure that we are undone, both at home and abroad. We are no longer a nation"; but in 1759, so fast did the victories come one after another, that men called it the Annus Mirabilis, "the Wonderful Year", and Horace Walpole declared that it was needful to ask each day what the latest victory was, for fear of missing one. Pitt's administration only lasted four years, but no other has ever been so glorious. Everywhere men crowded to see the "Great Commoner", as he was called, and wondered at the stern face and haughty look of the man who had raised Britain to such greatness.

Remembering, then, that it was to Pitt that we mainly owe the determination to get the better of France in the task of making our empire, we may turn to see how the task was carried out. We shall have to see what was done (1) in India, (2) in America, (3) at sea.

I. THE WINNING OF OUR INDIAN EMPIRE.

Our empire in India, like most of our possessions abroad, was founded by the enterprise of merchants. In Elizabeth's reign a charter had been The East granted to the East India Company, India Company. giving it the sole right to trade to India. It had sent ships, built trading stations called factories, and obtained leave from native rulers to traffic in their dominions; it had had many quarrels with