I arrived here yesterday,--this morning a Sloop arrived from Mr. Hopson,
which I am obliged to send to Boston in case any ship should be going
thence to England. I would not neglect an opportunity of writing to your
Grace. I met the "Fair Lady" storeship at sea the eleventh, after we had
been from England four weeks, who told me the Transports arrived at
Spithead the day before he sailed, and were to sail in three days after
him, we were then off the island of Sable, and except the first eight
days had met with contrary winds all the passage, besides we had steered
our course for Cape Race but was forced off the banks by a gale of wind
from the North West so that I had reason to think the Transports might
be soon at Chebucto--we had nobody on board that knew anything of the
coasts nor of the Bay of Funday, so were to cruize off the coasts till
we met with a pilot, we made the Coast of Acadie the 14th, but met with
no pilot till the 20th, when we met with a sloop from Boston to
Louisburgh with two pilots on board, for the use of the Governor,--the
wind not serving for the Bay of Funday, and the officers assuring me in
case of foggy weather (not unusual upon those coasts) we might be a
fortnight getting to Annapolis. The wind was fair for Chebucto, so I
thought it advisable to go in there rather than risk the being some
weeks, perhaps, after the settlers arrived. I could save the garrison
of Louisburgh the bad and long navigation to Annapolis, so I sent to
Governor Hopson that I was going for Chebucto and desired him to
transport the garrison thither, imagining he had transports ready; by
his sloop that came in this day I find him in great perplexity, the
French arrived, and he no transports.--The Council of War it seems were
of opinion that the orders from the Secretary at War did not empower him
to hire transports, but to wait my arrival and that I was to send the
transports that brought the settlers here. As I cannot know when the
transports will arrive, in what condition, nor how many I can spare, I
think it absolutely necessary for the service to send the sloop to
Boston with orders to Apthorp and Hancock, who Mr. Hopson has
recommended as the persons who have been always employed on the part of
the Government, to hire vessels with all expedition for the
transportation of these troops from Louisburgh to Chebucto. I send a
letter by the same sloop to Colonel Mascarene in case he should meet at
sea any vessel going to Annapolis. I likewise send a Frenchman that
knows the country over land, by Minas to Annapolis. I have ordered
Colonel Mascarene to come here with a quorum of the Council as soon as
possible that I may open my commission, take the oaths and appoint
another Council, according to His Majesty's instructions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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