<P> At the start of the war, no French regular army troops were stationed in North America, and few British troops . New France was defended by about 3,000 troupes de la marine, companies of colonial regulars (some of whom had significant woodland combat experience). The colonial government recruited militia support when needed . Most British colonies mustered local militia companies to deal with Indian threats, generally ill trained and available only for short periods, but they did not have any standing forces . Virginia, by contrast, had a large frontier with several companies of British regulars . </P> <P> The colonial governments were used to operating independently of one another and of the government in London, a situation that complicated negotiations with Indian tribes, whose territories often encompassed land claimed by multiple colonies . After the war began, the leaders of the British Army establishment tried to impose constraints and demands on the colonial administrations . </P> <P> New France's Governor - General Roland - Michel Barrin de La Galissonière was concerned about the incursion and expanding influence in the Ohio Country of British colonial traders such as George Croghan . In June 1747, he ordered Pierre - Joseph Céloron to lead a military expedition through the area . Its objectives were: </P> <Ul> <Li> to reaffirm to New France's Indian allies that their trading arrangements with colonists were exclusive to those authorized by New France </Li> <Li> to confirm Indian assistance in asserting and maintaining the French claim to the territories which French explorers had claimed </Li> <Li> to discourage any alliances between Britain and local Indian tribes </Li> <Li> to impress the Indians with a French show of force against British colonial settler incursion, unauthorized trading expeditions, and general trespass against French claims </Li> </Ul>

Who was the governor general of new france at the time of the french and indian war