SHIRLEY TO NEWCASTLE, 31 MAY 1746. 320 (_Extract._) “... I would beg Leave to observe to your Grace, y^t the Danger to his Majesty’s garrison arises chiefly from within the heart of the government itself, the Inhabitants & neighboring Indians whose Numbers are sufficient of themselves with a small assistance from Canada & the help of a proper Train of Artillery, slipt up the Bay in small Vessells (w^{ch} would give ’em great Encouragement to take up Arms ag^t the garrison) to reduce it. However while the Attempt against Canada is depending, that will certainly go far towards holding the Inhabitants of Nova Scotia in suspense, till the success of it is known; & I hope by next Spring they may either be put upon a better foot of Subjection, or the most dangerous among ’em removed....” SHIRLEY TO NEWCASTLE, 18 JUNE, 1746. (_Extract._) “... I may assure your Grace y^t. one of the principal motives I had to desire I might succeed General Phillips in his Command, was the hopes I have of it’s putting it in my power to promote his Majesty’s Service in his Province of Acadie, or Nova Scotia by securing the fidelity & Allegiance of the Inhabitants there to his Majesty’s Government in the best manner, and thereby preventing the French from making themselves masters of it, the Acquisition of w^{ch} to them with the help of the Indians would likewise endanger the Loss of the Province of New Hampshire & the Mast Country to his Majesty with the Fishery of the Acadie or Cape Sable’s Shoar, including that of Canso, to his Subjects here in present, & should not Canada be reduc’d, would enable the enemy to harrass & Diminish all his Majesty’s Colonies 321 & on the Continent, & have an inevitable Tendency to make themselves masters of the whole of it in time; not to mention the Continual Danger, w^{ch} their possession of Nova Scotia would at the same time expose Cape Breton & even Newfoundland to. “The Considerations have induc’d me to take the Liberty of submitting it to your Grace, whether it might not be for his Majesty’s Service, that before the six Regiments to be employ’d ag^t Canada return to England, orders may be sent that such part of ’em as shall be thought necessary to assist in removing the most obnoxious of the French Inhabitants of Nova Scotia from thence, should be employ’d in that Service, w^{ch} would not take up much time; I am not certain whether a sufficient Strength might not be spar’d from the Garrison at Louisbourg a short time for this purpose, w^{ch} if it could, would make the Assistance of any other Troops needless.