[Extract]

. . . Our Circumstances appear daily more & more alarming. The men-of-war stop all provision vessels coming into our Harbour and send them to Boston, & the Captain of the Scarboro' has shown his orders to a Committee who waited on him, to stop all provision, salt, molasses, &c. coming to us, since which several Hundred arm'd men in the day time went down to the entrance of our Harbour in open sight of the men-of-War & Bro't from a Point of land there a number of large Cannon & deposited them at Portsmouth for the present where preparations are making for mounting and fitting them for action. A number of men are now making a Battery on Kittery Point and if we had a sufficy of Ammunition shou'd hope to be able to command our Harbour. We would desire you, if any arms or Gun Powder can be procured in the Southern Governments to procure them if possible on such Terms as you can make, with which the Colony will endeavor punctually to comply.