[Extract]

My Lord,  In my letter No 41 of the 27 June last, I acquainted your Lordship, That the people at Mechias, a place about twenty Miles West of this Province, had taken Arms and Attack'd, and Seizd one of the Armd Schooners, inclosed you have a deposition of a person, who was present, and gives an Account of their fitting out a Sloop to cruise for the Vessels bound from this Province, with a supply of Caule and Hay for the Troops at Boston.² by a person belonging to this Province, who has been since there, I am informd, That the provincial congress of the Massachusetts have empowerd the People of Mechias, and others in the Neighbourd, whose Numbers are about seven or eight hundred to Act against His Majestys Troops, and a Vessel in Consequence thereof has Saild, he further informs me they were making inquiry about the Strength of the Forts at Annapolis and St Johns River, from whence I conjecturd they were meditating a design against this Province; I must beg leave to lay before your Lordship, the State of that part of the Province, to whom the Mechias people are near borderers, Our Inhabitants of Passamaquody and St Johns River, are wholly from New England, as are the greatest part of the Inhabitants of Annapolis River, and those of the Townships of Cornwallis, Horton, Falmouth, and Newport, some of which are not Forty Miles from this Town. That by reason of their connections with the people of New England little or no dependance can be plac'd on the Militia there, to make any Resistance against them, That many in this Town are disaffected, and whom likewise I can have no great dependance  That should such an Attempt be made I shoud dread the Consequence, to convince your Lordship how alarming our Situation, is it was no sooner known that a Quantity of Hay was purchas'd, for the Horse in Boston than a Stack of eight or Ten Tons which happend to be in an open Field, was maliciously set on Fire and destroy'd, That, since that, the Buildings in the Navy Yard have been set on Fire, but timely discoverd and extinguish'd; and from the place it happen'd at, where no fire is ever carried, and near the magazine of Powder, it is certain, without all doubt a malicious design to destroy that Yard, the Perpetrators have not yet been discover'd.

The Exigencies at present have requird almost all the Kings Troops from hence, there remains here only thirty six Effective Men, as p the Return inclos'd; I have order'd these to do duty near the magazine for its protection, and at the Ordnance Store, not leaving myself a Centry, I have also order'd about thirty of the Militia to do duty at Night, and Patrole all the Streets. I have issued my Proclamations impowering the Magistrates throughout the Province, to preserve Peace and good order, to take Care that all persons coming into this Province, shoud be carefully examin'd, and cause them to take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, and to Apprehend any person who shall be otherwise than Loyally Affected, or shall endeavour to Stir up, or make any disturbance.

I beg leave further to observe to your Lordship, That the Colonies are to a Man prepossess'd with great prejudice against this Province, they will not permit a Vessel to Sail from the Continent with any Kind of Provisions for our Relief, which will Straiten us beyond the hopes of redress, unless we can get a Supply from Quebec, it is only Bread [and] Corn that will be wanting The Country and Seas will produce other Food sufficient. . . .

I have the Honor to be with the greatest Respect [&c.]