May it please your Excellency

We beg leave to acquaint you that an Express is just arrived here from Falmouth Casco bay informing us that on Monday last [October 16] came in there the Canso armed Ship Capt [Henry] Mouat [Mowat] together with a Schooner mounting 14 Guns a large Transport & two Sloops all full of Men, that they lay at the mouth of the Harbour till Tuesday following making Signals for some Person to come off to them which being taken no notice of by the Town, they weighed their Anchors & came up and lay between the Ferryways & Papudeck from whence they sent on Shore a Message acquainting the Inhabitants that they had orders to fire upon the Town  In consequence of this Message a Committee went on board Capt Mouat ー to whom he shewed his orders from the Admiral which were that in case the Inhabitants did not forthwith deliver up their Arms, and give Hostages for their future good behavior he was to destroy that Town & afterward proceed & destroy this  Capt Mouat however acquainted the Com that in case they would deliver up part of their Arms that night he would give them till next Morning to consider of his requisition  they accordingly sent on board 8 Musquets that Evening, At half after eight Yesterday this Express came away & heard a heavy firing all day afterward which began precisely at nine oClock ー

We intreat your Excellencys patience while we assure you, that the People of this Province, and of this Town in particular, have exerted every Nerve to put this Port in a proper state of defence, but that all our precautions are to no effect, for want of a sufficient quantity of powder, our whole stock of which at present is only Seventeen Barrells. We have therefore despatched Mr Diung, who has orders To wait on your Excellency before he sleeps, to request the favor of your Excellency, to spare us as much powder, as you may think proper

I am very respectfully By order of the Comee of Safety Sir [&c.]