Scotia off their Settlements, and thereby very greatly strengthening the Enemy upon this Continent, not only against the Garrison in present, but finally against all the British Colonies there, and depopulating one of his Majesty’s Provinces for some time (how long may be uncertain) is more eligible than treating ’em as Subjects, confining their Punishm^t to the most guilty & dangerous among ’em, & keeping the rest in the Country, and endeavouring to make them & their Posterity useful Members of Society under his Majesty’s Government: I can’t omit likewise observing to your Grace, that it would be exceeding difficult to fill up the Chasm which driving off the Inhabitants would make in the Country; During the Rupture with France it would certainly be impracticable, and I doubt whether it would not be so when Peace shall be made with France, if the Indians should continue at War with us; For what Number of Families can be propos’d to begin a Settlem^t. in the Country, after the Expulsion of the French Inhabitants, with safety against the Indians, & which would be continually expos’d to be destroyed by ’em, whilst they were carrying on their Settlements; They must expect no Protection against the Indians from within the Garrison, out of the Reach of their great Guns; the Company of Rangers, which live without the Walls of the 340 Fort, would afford more of that than a thousand Garrison Soldiers would do: Whereas if the Stock of french Inhabitants was continued in the Country, an Accommodation with the Indians would be more easily brought about and preserv’d, they would be a Cover for any Number of Families that might be introduc’d among ’em whilst they were carrying on Settlements; & secure to the Garrison its necessary Supplies of fresh Provisions, Fuel, Materials for repairing the Works, & Stores of Sorts that the Country affords. “As to repeopling the Province with some of the late Rebels and other Highland Families, it seems much to be doubted whether it might not be too hazardous to fill that Colony, w^{ch}. should be the Barrier of all his Majesty’s Colonies upon this Continent, with a Set of poor, ignorant, deluded Wretches just come out of a most unnatural Rebellion; that from their Neighbourhood to Canada would be continually expos’d to the Artifices and Attempts of french Romish Priests upon ’em who it is reasonable to think would not fail to instill the same Notions into ’em in America, which seduc’d ’em from their Allegiance in Great Britain, with a Promise of more effectual Support & Protection from the French here, than they had in the Highlands; Indeed, my Lord, this seems to be a dangerous experiment, and what might produce the worst of Consequences.