[Extract]

My Lord  As the affairs in America are become more & more interesting, I thought it my indispensable Duty to inform your Lordship of the Critical Situation this Colony is in at present the Troops in Boston are confined to very narrow limits being now surrounded by the Rebels with an Army Consisting by the last Accounts of 19,750 men, Intrenched & Cannot be attacked without Sustaining such losses as at present would be unbearable. The last Attack at Charlestown tho' a Victory was gained it was purchased with the loss of a Thousand of the best Troops killed & wounded; & such another Victory would put it out of the Power of the Kings Troops to act but on the defensive part; their cutting off all communication with the Country leaves the Troops destitute of having any supplies but from the Province of Nova Scotia who do not abound, but a Quantity has been sent, and more ready to Sail but have been prevented from Vessels fitted out in the Eastern Coasts of New England Cruizing in the Bay. It seems the Supply of Provision for the Army from Nova Scotia has enraged the Americans throughout & they have marked us out as objects of their Resentment. I am well informed by Captain [William] Doddingston of the Senegal, who was at Penobscott with four Transports taking in Wood for the Supply of the Troops, & from whence he was obliged to remove to this place to compleat their loading, that there were four Armed Vessels but they kept in Shoal Waters out of his reach he was informed by one of the Inhabitants that they had 700 Men Armed and prepared in that Bay, & that 900 men were Assembled at Casco Bay under Colonel [Jedediah] Prebble, and by advices since my last from Machias it appears without doubt that they are meditating an Attempt against this Province.

I cannot but observe to your Lordship, the great importance I conceive the preserving this Province will be to his Majesty's Interests in America, the only Port where Ships can be cleaned & have a Supply of Masts & other Timber; all other resource in America being entirely at an end, & where the Troops can retreat should that happen to be the case, but is at present the only place from whence they can be supplied with any kind of refreshments for which the Army at present suffer greatly for want of the Vessels which have been loaded these three weeks & dare not depart.

Upon all these Considerations my Lord, I think it absolutely Necessary that Fortifications for the Security of the Naval Yard, the protection of the Magazine in the Town Cannon & other Military Stores shou'd be erected for I conceive that the Magazines when thus protected will be the only safe place in America for their Deposit.

I must inform your Lordship that there is not the least kind of defence about the Town, we lay open to the Country on every side, that the Batteries are dismantled the Carriages of the Guns all decayed & they lying on the Ground. I am [&c.]