Lost Province

In the harbor of Montreal there was great bustle last week, and a flow of more real French than usual. Eight out of ten natives of Quebec Province and of Montreal speak a provincial French patois, su perficially proud that their French forefathers established the white race's dominion over Canada. But last week, straight from modern France, the null sloop Villa d'Ys slipped into Montreal under the tricolor, bringing its complement of 103 true-speaking French. Purpose: to help the patois-speakers to celebrate le quatorze Juillet, the French Day of Independence. Purpose behind the purpose: to cultivate French-Canadian feeling for things French so that they wall prefer French exports and travel to France by Compagnie Generale Transatlantique in greater quantities and more often.

The vessel which the French Government sent for the celebration was an appropriate choice. Ys is a fabled lost city off the coast of Brittany, where romantic sailors sometimes hear church-bells ringing under the water. Canada is the lost French colony, whose fate was decided when the French army surrendered at Montreal in 1760.

Another indication that the French have not forgotten Canada was once theirs, is to be seen in the French Colonial Exposition at Paris. There, in the Permanent Museum of French colonies, is a Canadian display, showing many mementos of the Marquis de Montcalm, the general who lost the province.

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