[Extract]

. . . the day before Yesterday a Man of war Schooner appeared off ー the Pilot imediately went out & was put on board, it blew fresh & she stood off & on the remainder of the day & Night. Yesterday she came in with the flood tide without the least difficulty, the wind being to the Eastwd you Sir very well know throws a heavy sea upon our Bar, but not withstanding she did not even touch, & Lt [John] Graves who commands her told me she then drew Nine foot water ー had she been in need of assistance, there is here (belonging to Government) a Sixteen Oar'd Launch ー a Deck'd Schooner of about fourteen Ton, & a Stout open boat, wou'd have been ready to have lightened her, but for Vessels of that Burdthen there is no such need wanting; she rides safe at an Anchor opposite the Chief Justices Door ー I have also a Decked Boat which is always ready, & the Pilots have my leave to command her at a moments warning for the publick use, & you may be assured she wou'd have been out had occasion been necessary, indeed I did not dream that such assistance wou'd be even thought off for vessells of that Burthen, till I got yr Letter which makes me imagine that this barr is held to the Nd as a bug Bear; it was formerly so, only by the Jealousy of our Two Neighbouring Collonies for fear we shoud out do them in their own produce of Rice & Indigo. ー I hope now Men of Wars Men will have a better oppinion of it, in truth it is done great in justice to. ー The Govr Lt Brown of the 14th & myself not above Two Months ago sounded it with the Pilots, we had Seven foot at low Water, the tide runs five, which gives Twelve at high the St Lawrence came in at three Qurs flood ー when I write to you I'm confident you will believe me, as I mean only to say what Yr Excelly may assert ー in favor of a Province once under yr protection, & we find now you have still at heart ー the St Lawrence's log Book will proofe this. ー she is infinitely necessary here, for neither Provisions, Correspondance, or any thing what ever is to be obtained at this Place without such assistance