We the Subscribing Members of His Majesty's Council therefore recommend it to your Excellency that you will be pleased to order His Majesty's Engineer to put the Fort of Mobile in such a temporary State of defence as may be thought Sufficient to Repell any Attack from the Rebels as the Loss of it will be Attended with the following dangerous Consequencesー

first That it will Cut off all our Communication with the Chactaws, Chickesaws and all the other Tribes of Indians to the westward as far as the banks of the Mississippi and alienate those tribes from His Majesty's Interest with the total loss of the Indian trade which is at present very con siderable and will put and end to all Commerce between Great Britain and the River Mississippi which will infallibly fall into their Possession

Secondly That it will be Seperating us from the Western part of the Province and prevent this Colony from Supplying the West India Islands with Lumber &c. and this place with such Provisions as are Necessary for its Subsistance....

A Majority of the Board then gave it as their Opinion and advice that His Excellency the Governor Should give Orders to the respective Officers of the Customs at Pensacola not to clear out any Vessels now in this Har bour bound to the River Mississippi & should also Apply to Lieut Cobb the Commanding Officer of the Armed Sloops here to prevent any such Vessels from going out of the Harbour untill farther intelligence arrives in Order that these Vessels may be prevented from giving intelligence or affording any Assistance in transporting the Rebel Troops which may come against us thro' the Channel of the Mississippi & whom they think there is reason to expect....