Sir,

Major Studholme¹ the Officer Commanding at Fort Howe having by this opportunity laid before General Massey² a plan describing the Situation of this place, as also the intelligence he has procured since his last Dispatches, leaves with me only to remark, that the Albany is now placed agreeable to the tenor of your Orders,³ and I wish very Sincerely that the Navigation of this River⁴ would admit of a full extension of them, which I am sorry to observe it does not, owing principally to the interruption of the Bar which allows of Vessels passing only at certain periods of the Tide: this circumstance I think incumbent on me to lay before you, and I also think it necessary to make known, that the Major has been pleased to shew me the Orders he is under, by which he is instructed, in case he is obliged to leave his Post to repair immediately with his Party &^ca. on board the King's Ship, and as no mention is made in my Orders respecting him or his Post, I pray you will be pleased to signify your directions on that head, in case he should be forced to that Alternative, which he certainly will should any Cannon be brought against the Blockhouse, and on that Supposition I think it my Duty to observe, that the Ship's retreat will entirely depend upon a leading Wind and a favorable time of the Tide. 

The intelligence which goes to the General at this time will no doubt be laid before you Sir, and you may rest assured that no exertion of the Albany shall be wanting in co-operating with the Major Should the service require it; although I must beg leave to observe as my opinion that if the Rebels have any design against Cumberland or any part on that Shore, they never will make any attempt at this post in consequence of that Measure; my reason is thus, because they have Mechias, Passamaquady⁵ and Several other open Harbors to assemble at and favor their designs much more than this place could do were they in possession of it, and they also have it in their power to annoy and even destroy the upper Settlements on this River without appearing here, which you will See they intend doing if the intelligence be just. I have the honor to be, Sir [&c.]