82 The French in Prince Edward Island 
     
    
   
   
    
     In fact, if you find my project good, profitable and 
     
     solid, my Company will become convinced and can con- 
     
     tinue to carry it out, or abandon it advisedly as the 
     
     case may be. If they take the latter course they can 
     
     accuse me only of having stimulated the investigation 
     
     and your testimony as to the value of my enterprise— 
     
     that other merchants can take its place from which the 
     
     colony will continue to receive from my establishment 
     
     the help which it has begun to experience and of which 
     
     you know the need, that my Company or other mer- 
     
     chants may on our report take care to gather the fruits 
     
     of the establishment of Three Rivers and sustain it by 
     
     consignments of supplies and merchandise. 
     
    

    
     My children will then find, without doubt, the portion 
     
     which is due them. 
     
    

    
     In regard to the execution of the project, which you 
     
     will approve or not as you find it, it will be useful in 
     
     future and it will find in your judgment some consola- 
     
     tion or useful lessons, in addition to another advantage 
     
     which I present for consideration: 
     
    

    
     Among the examples of less fruitful attempts at colo- 
     
     nisation, there would be none more striking to discourage 
     
     any merchant from entering upon it in the future than 
     
     that of my Company if they completely abandon it when 
     
     success is in their hand or if they disdain to reveal the 
     
     essential conditions of this affair. This example would 
     
     be in future a cogent argument to stifle at birth impor- 
     
     tant enterprises. Our colonies would lose greatly, and 
     
     some thousands of the King’s subjects a valuable re- 
     
     source in distress. 
     
    

    
     What shall be said of a codfishery of so many vessels 
     
     uniquely equipped for this purpose that cannot be 
     
     profitable to a company of France when it has been able 
     
     to provide so advantageously three capital expendi-