Sir

The General Court of this Colony has appointed a Committee whereof I have the honour to be Chairman to give you the following Interesting Intelligence

Capt John Lee (a Gentleman who may be depended on) arrived at Newbury on the 2d Inst in 29 Days from Bilboa and gives information that on the fifteenth of April he fell in with a brig from Plymouth bound to Newfoundland the master of which informed him that three days before he parted with a fleet of 60 Sail of Transports under the Command of Lord [Richard] How[e] having on Board 12000 Hessians bound to Boston together with 27 Commissioners, that Genl Burgoyne with 4000 Hannoverians sailed or was to Sail about the same time for Quebec. Lee says he read the English papers on Board the Brig by which it appeared that the parliament had Voted to pay foreign Troops & that the King of Prussia's Demand on Britain was complied with that the people of England were very desirous of a settlement and that the Commissioners were to use their utmost Endeavours to Effect it which if they failed in the forces were to Lay waste the whole Country if they could. Mr Gourdroqui [Joseph Gardoqui] of Bilboa writes by his Letter dated the 27th of March last to Isaac Smith Esqr by Capt Lee in these words "No other News from England but that 17 300 German Troops were going to Boston & Canada some of which were Embarking about three weeks ago"ー
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This intelligence appears to the Genl Assembly of this Colony too important to the whole Continent not to be forwarded to you by express ー where these Troops will Endeavour to begin their Ravages is uncertain but as the british arms were brought into disgrace by General [William] Howes being compelled to abandon this Colony it is reasonable to suppose that they will endeavour to regain their honour in the place where they lost it ー and we should be guilty of injustice as well to the other united Colonies as to this if we should not inform your Honr that this Colony is by no means in a good State of Defence a great number of our arms being carried away in the Continental Army & to Canada and our powder which we Supplied the Army with being Eight Tons at the least not being replaced wherefore we cannot have that dependence on our Militia which we otherwise should have and the detachment of the continental Forces under General [Artemas] Wards Command being as we apprehend insufficient to repel an heavy attack there being but five regiments & they not half full ー We are by no means Solicitous about the particular Interest of this Colony ー nor do we wish ourselves to be excused from being the more immediate object of their relentless rage but for the Sake of the public Cause we wish ourselves in a Situation fit to receive them with that Spirit which they have been taught to expect in men fighting for the freedom of America ー the attention which the Congress has Shewn to the Safety of this Colony as well as the whole of the united Colonies gives us reason to hope that they will Neglect nothing that can tend to our Releif and Protection.