54 The French in Prince Edward Island 
     
    
   
   
    
     well as their tenacity of purpose was a reminder to 
     
     France of her duty to the colony. It stimulated the 
     
     officials at Ile Royale to urge action upon the King 
     
     both on behalf of the colonists and in self-defence 
     
     against the English. 
     
    

    
     The English in Nova Scotia had watched French 
     
     activity in Isle Saint Jean with much concern. Mas- 
     
     carene had been afraid that “if successful there they 
     
     would command all the trade and carry a greater 
     
     sway over all the Bay of Fundy than the English 
     
     who are the undoubted owners,” and the Lords of 
     
     Trade had actually thought of claiming the island 
     
     as part of Acadia. Now that Saint Pierre’s Company 
     
     had withdrawn they were preparing to engage in the 
     
     fisheries of the Gulf. On November 14, 1724, St. 
     
     Ovide informed the Council that the English at Can- 
     
     seal were preparing several boats to engage in the 
     
     sedentary fishery there and if once established they 
     
     would ruin the commerce of Ile Royale as well as 
     
     prey upon boats going to Canada. In July of the 
     
     following year he again wrote that the English did 
     
     not fail to establish themselves in the island seeing it 
     
     abandoned, and that, if the King wished to avoid the 
     
     expense of chasing them away later, he should imme- 
     
     diately send a detachment of twenty-five or thirty 
     
     soldiers, commanded by a captain and an ensign to 
     
     remain there until steps had been taken for the re- 
     
     establishment of the colony.” 
     
    

    
     Because of his importunity the King finally de- 
     
    
   
   
    
     2311 V, Vol. 8, p. 271.