Sir.—

 I had the honour to receive yours of the 11^th. instant on Saturday last.—¹ The arrival of any of his Majesty's Ships on this Coast at the present juncture was to me matter of the greatest pleasure, as by that I flatter myself the Province is secured against any further insult from our Rebel Invaders, or at least that they will not be able to do us any very essential mischief—and give me leave to assure you Sir, that my pleasure was by no means diminished but much encreased on finding that his Majesty's Ships employed on this Coast was by His Excellency the Lord Howe put under your direction,² as I well know the active zeal with which you are animated for his Majesty's Service, and have the highest opinion of your abilities to carry it on with Propriety. 

I shall with the highest good will and confidence cooperate with you in every possible measure for forwarding the Service—and most happy shall I reckon myself if by our mutual endeavours in conjunction with his Excellency the Governor,³ we can render any essential service to our Sovereign.—I wish much to deliberate with you on such measures as the present situation of affairs may point out to us, that we may forthwith endeavour to carry into execution such as may be deem'd practible or possible with the present force in this Province. I have [&c.]