Sir

So many things have happened, & been transacted since my long Letter of the 8th, that I gladly, find myself under the necessity of hereby troubling you with another. On the 8th His Majesty's Ship Niger, from Halifax, anchored here, having sail'd from thence, with the 47 Regiment in three Transports under her Convoy, two of which, are this day safely arrived here, as did on the same day, the Lord Howe, armed Ship, commanded by Lieutenant (now Captain) [Thomas] Pringle, the other Transport is safe in the river, & hourly expected up, with the Bute Arm'd Ship, and the British Queen Victualler; Captn Lutwidge in the Triton, on the 10th in the Morning, having with great Alacrity made the Best of his way up, as soon as he reached the Isle aux Coudres. The Beaver & Agnes Victuallers, got up the same day, and Capt Pringle, with the Lieutenants Knox Maclellan, & Scot, are in possession of their respective Commissions, which I received from the hands of Captn Lutwidge, together with their Lordships other commands; all which shall be carefully attended to. And in compliance, with the Spirit of their orders to me, of Feby 16th I detain the Niger under my command, for some time at least, And shall employ her forthwith, on a Cruize between Cape Roziers, and the Island of Anticosti, his Majesty's service, both in General Carleton's opinion & mine, strongly requiring a Cruizer there, and moreover now and then to look into the bays of Chaleurs & Gaspee, ー Whereof I acquaint Admiral Shuldham, at Halifax, the moment the Magdalen schooner can be got ready, which I hope may be by the 14th. Both she and the Hunter Sloop, have required repair, as does every Ship, Vessel and Boat, which winter'd at Quebec, either from the ice, or Rebel Shot, not excepting Fire transports, all which I have much to the liking of General Carleton, begun to fit out, to act, both in their late capacity and that of floating battery's, in the approaching expedition towards Montreal, to the end that no time be lost I also, at the request of His Excellency, am fitting out the taken Rebel Schooner; the command whereof as Lieutenant I have given to Mr Starke, superceeded by Lieut Maclellan in the Lizard, to which Lieutenancy Captn [John] Hamilton had appointed him; he having bravely performed the duty of Captain, in the Gallant Naval battalion; And the General therefore much desiring that he may command the said Vessel; which his Excellency has expressed a desire, may be for his own Conveyance, as Occasion may require, If Mr Peacock arrives in time, he shall have his passage to England in the Hunter ー if not, by the next express, for I humbly judge the late event to be of such importance, that I shall send duplicates in some small hired Vessel, some few days after the above Sloops departure. I hope my Lords Commissioners will approve, of my having appointed, Mr Boyle my first Lieutenant, to the Command of her; Mr Thos Butler Master of the Isis, to be my third Lieutenant; Mr Mcevoy first, and Mr Berkley second; all which appointments, after so particularly critical and perilous a Voyage, I beseech their Lordships to conform. I am also under the necessity of appointing Surgeons & Gunners to the Lord Howe & Bute, and a Master & Carpenter to the Hunter; of which I flatter myself my Lords Commrs will moreover approve; the same also, arising from the Exigencies of the Service, and the nature of my present; accidental; situation, hitherto under the Command of nobody, between me and their Lordships, under whose immediate orders alone, I am still acting. The nature of the Service at present in various pressing respects, lays me under the necessity of wearing a broad pendant, until some superior officer arrives in the River, or until the present, or future Commander in Chief, shall order me to haul it down; yea should more force arrive, and our Arms then move upwards, in order to perform my duty, according to my Wishes, for my King and Country's service, and to my own honor, I shall be moreover under, the necessity of appointing a Captain to the Isis. To the end, that I may in person superintend the naval operations, quite up to Montreal. As I feel no impressions from the appointments, or Ornaments of a Commodore in this great Affair, I shall be ready to relinquish both without regret; In the mean time I shall hope for the approbation of their Lordships herein being signified to me, by the first conveyance ー

Many of the Gentlemen who did the duty of Officers, in the naval battalion, having been thereby put to great expences, wou'd be undone, were not their Lordships to take order for making their pay up to them, according to their respective late Military ranks; and I have been pressed hereby to sollicit their Lordships accordingly.

The Surprize, Martin, and province arm'd Sloop, still keep their Stations near the rapids & are to continue there; as we do not mean to retrograde, even to the most minute appearance. A province Arm'd Vessel carrying 40 men & Guns in proportion, is now cruizing near the Isle of Bic, with Pilots, until I send another of greater force, (also an armed Vessel taken last Winter into the Service by General Carleton) to relieve her, and to continue there to countenance, and protect them, in their functions. I am very well aware, that I may have done, have left undone, and may be doing various matters, which in other times wou'd be reckoned excentric: but I hope their Lordships will impute any such inaccuracies, to the quick deciding, necessity I am under of followng the dictates of my own poor judgement, arising from the nature of my Situation, and the pressing exigencies of His Majestys service. Captn Lutwidge in the Triton struggled also hard with the ice, in the Gulph, as did the Captains Pringle & Parry, in the armed Ships; and the Victuallers too but was [sic what] is very extraordinary, Capt [George] Talbot in the Niger, with his Convoy, who passed through the Gulph of Canceau, and between the Island of St Johns, and the Main, on the 24th April saw none at all. I send you herewith an account of our States & Conditions: As also some rebellious papers and acquaint you, that we have recovered the Gaspee Brig not very materially damaged, that the whole of the 47th Regiment is now in the bason, & that the Bute arm'd Ship & British Queen Victualler are hourly look'd for, not having been able as yet to pass the traverses. I am &c ー