Ontario Public School History of England : Authorized by the Minister of Education for Ontario for Use in Forms IV and V of the Public Schools . r, the Duke ofNewcastle, was utterly incompe-tent. He knew and cared moreabout the buying of votes thanabout the management of agreat war. The army was lack-ing in discipline, and under thecommand of men who knew littleof the military art. The navy,too, at the very outset met witha most disastrous check. AFrench expedition had been sentagainst the island of Minorca,which at that time belongedto Great Britain. The garrisondefended itself bravely, and A
Ontario Public School History of England : Authorized by the Minister of Education for Ontario for Use in Forms IV and V of the Public Schools . r, the Duke ofNewcastle, was utterly incompe-tent. He knew and cared moreabout the buying of votes thanabout the management of agreat war. The army was lack-ing in discipline, and under thecommand of men who knew littleof the military art. The navy,too, at the very outset met witha most disastrous check. AFrench expedition had been sentagainst the island of Minorca,which at that time belongedto Great Britain. The garrisondefended itself bravely, and Admiral Byng, with a Britishfleet, was despatched to its relief. When the admiralreached the island, he decided that the French fleet was toostrong, and sailed away without making any effort to relievethe garrison, which was finally compelled to popular indignation was so great that, six monthsafter his return to England, Byng was tried by courtmartial, and convicted of not having done his utmost todestroy the enemys fleet. He was shot on the quarter-deck of his own ship. Affairs were going from bad to worse when William Pitt. William Pitt,Earl of Chatham 222 HISTORY OF ENGLAND [1756-58 took charge of the conduct of the war, Pitt had first at-tracted attention as an opponent of the peace policy ofWalpole, and had been known as the Boy Patriot. In1746, he had entered the ministr}^, but had not, so far, heldany position of great importance. The continuous disastersto the British arms, and the feeling of dismay with whichthese were regarded in the country, brought him to thefront. An arrangement was made by which Pitt was givenentire control of the war, although Newcastle remained asprime minister. His enthusiasm at once spread itself to theParliament and to the people. He had great faith in hiscountry and in himself. I know that I can save thecountry, he said to a friend, and no one else can. The hand of Pitt was soon evident in all the operations ofthe war. Incompet
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