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The Newfoundland expedition was a naval raiding expedition led by English Captain John Leake between August and October 1702 that targeted French colonial settlements on the North Atlantic island of Newfoundland and its satellite Saint Pierre. The expedition occurred in the early days of Queen Anne's War, as the North American theater of the War of the Spanish Succession is sometimes known. Leake's fleet descended on French settlements on the southern shore of Newfoundland, destroying fishing stages and other infrastructure. They captured fishing and trade ships, and destroyed most of the settlement at Saint Pierre. In a final flurry of activity before returning to England, Leake captured several ships from the French merchant convoy as it headed for Europe. More than 50 ships were taken in total, and six seasonal settlements were destroyed. The strongly fortified French base at Plaisance was not attacked. ==Background== Hostilities in the War of the Spanish Succession had begun in 1701, but England did not get involved until 1702, planning a major naval expedition against targets in Spain.〔Campbell, pp. 280,347–348〕 On 9 June 1702 (Old Style)〔Unless otherwise indicated, dates in this article are in the Julian calendar. French sources dealing with these events would record them in the Gregorian calendar.〕 Newfoundland also became a target when George Churchill, chief advisor to the Lord High Admiral, Prince George, informed Captain John Leake, "I have proposed to the Prince, your going to command a squadron to Newfoundland; you will be a Chief of Squadron".〔Leake, p. 91〕 Leake's commission, issued on 24 June, came with instructions to investigate the military strength of the French in Newfoundland, and to "annoy them there in their fishing harbours and at sea". He was also to convoy merchant ships in both directions, report on the conditions of the English settlements and fisheries, and act as governor of the territory while he was there.〔Leake, pp. 92–94〕 To accomplish this he was given command of and a small fleet of ships. On 22 July 1702, he departed from Plymouth with a fleet of nine ships, including six ships of the line. His ships included (in addition to the ''Exeter'') the fourth rates , , , , and .〔Cambell et al, p. 365〕 Newfoundland had been the site of much conflict during King William's War (1689–1697). The most ambitious expedition had been conducted by French and Indian forces led by Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville in 1696. His raiding expedition was highly destructive: it completely destroyed almost all of the English settlements on the island. Many of these were rebuilt shortly afterwards, and the chief English port at St. John's was strongly fortified.〔See timeline in Prowse, pp. 208–209〕 Permanent French settlements on Newfoundland were relatively few. Most of their settlements, such as those in Trepassey Bay and St. Mary's, were only used in the summertime by fishermen who returned to Europe at the end of the season.〔Prowse, p. 185〕 The principal town of Plaisance was permanently settled, and its fortifications housed a small garrison. In 1702 it was temporarily under the command of Philippe Pastour de Costebelle, a captain of the colonial troupes de la marine, who was awaiting the arrival of the next governor, Daniel d'Auger de Subercase (who did not arrive until 1703). The permanent French population of Newfoundland was fairly small—only 180 French settlers left Newfoundland when the colony was abandoned in 1713.〔 The French also had a small settlement on the island of Saint Pierre, just south of Newfoundland and located outside the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Its governor, Sébastien Le Gouès, Sieur de Sourdeval, had only arrived in July 1702, and erected a crude wooden fort armed with a few guns. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Newfoundland expedition (1702)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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