[Extract]

(No 2.)

My Lord, I had the Honor on the 14th Instant to receive your Lordship's dispatch No 1. of the 23d December together with your Circular Letter of the same date inclosing the Prohibitory Act.

I am equally astonished and concerned at the Intelligence your Lordship mentions to have been received from Carolina, of the Rebels in North America being Supplied with large quantities of Gun powder from Jamaica; for My Lord, I have every moral certainly that there has been no such quantities of Powder upon this Island for many Months past and I can, and do boldly Assert, that in this very consequential part of my Duty, I have taken every Method in my power, to prevent the Rebels getting any supplies from hence, by stopping the Exportation of powder, Cannon, Small Arms, and all sorts of Military Stores, and long before I received the Royal Proclamation for suppressing Rebellion and Sedition, I ordered the Receiver General, to purchase all the Powder, and Arms he could find for the use of the Island. The Orders I gave him, and His Letters in answer upon this Subject, are Vouchers of my Conduct, and proofs of the very great Scarcity there has been for a long time past of these Articles as a further corroboration thereof, I have continual applications from the Colonels of Militia to send them powder and Arms, which every Man, by the Law, is obliged to furnish himself with, under very severe fines and penalties; but these Gentlemen write me they cannot get them to buy at any price.

My Lord, the Truth is, most of the American Vessels that Trade here lately, went from hence to Hispaniola, and laid out the returns of their Cargoes in Powder, Arms, Ammunition, Sugar, Molasses and other French produce and your Lordship will observe, that in my Letter No 24. I inform Lord Dartmouth 2 that the North Americans were amply supplied with Gun powder, and other Military Stores in that Island.

As it was known in America that such Vessels came here, when they returned with Arms and Ammunition, it was, without consideration or inquiry, reported, that they were supplied with them at Jamaica. This, I trust, will appear to be the Fact, and that your Lordship will be persuaded that I have and will continue to pursue every Measure that can be effectual to prevent the Rebels getting supplies of any kind from this Island.

Since my last dispatch No 28. The Admiral sent me the Affidavit of a North American, who was taken by one of His Squadron, in a Vessel from Hispaniola bound to North America, a Copy of which, I have the Honor to Inclose ... 3

It was some days before I could get together a Quorum of the Council, there being but seven Members upon the Island, and several of these living in very distant parts of the Country; when they met, I had the Satisfaction to receive their approbation of every step I had taken, for the good of His Majesty's Service and the advantage and security of this Community. ー They agreed with me, in doubting Marshall's Intelligence, and on the maturest consideration of the many bad consequences, both to Great Britain and Jamaica of an Alarm at this time grounded upon such suspicious information they were unanimous in opinion with me, that I should wait the return of Lieutenant [Charles] Cobb from Hispaniola, before I wrote to the Secretary of State.

That officer did not return till the 25th Instant, I send your Lordship His Letter of Intelligence and the remarks he made, agreeable to my request before He left this Island, as they better explain the present state of the French in Hispaniola, and their Idea of ours, than any Extracts I might make from it, Observing to your Lordship at the same time, that this Officer who has been extremely diligent, drew his remarks up hastily not farseeing that I should think myself obliged to make this use of them. 4

However, My Lord, luckily for us, we were not obliged to wait the return of Mr Cobb to be relieved from our fears and apprehensions; for soon after He sailed, we had repeated information to be depended upon, of the general falshood of Marshall's Affidavit in consequence of which, by the unanimous desire of the Council, I wrote to the Admiral a Letter of thanks for his readiness and constant attention, to the Interest and Security of this Island, and representing the [sic that] we now thought there was no reason to induce us to desire him longer to keep His Ships in Port.

In my former Letter, I have said, that the French had done nothing of late Years to any of their Forts or Batteries only those at Cape Nicola; the Fortifying and strengthening of which, has been their constant object since the last peace; but since Count D'Ennery's arrival they have been very active and diligent in repairing and supplying them all.

I have done my best endeavours for the internal Security and defence of this Island; and in the strongest manner recommended the Forts and Fortifications to the Assembly, as objects deserving of their most serious consideration, and Transmitted Lord Dartmouth, a Book containing plans and sketches of them all, with another of written descriptions and references to every thing belonging to them ー last year I reviewed the better half of the Militia, and mean to go through the whole this year, if other Duty does not prevent me.

The Answers to the Queries relative to my Government, which I transmitted with my Letter No 21. of the 13th June 1775. will inform your Lordship of the Number of White Inhabitants, Men, Women, and Children, also of the free People of Different Casts; and of the amazing, and dangerous disproportion of our Slaves. ー by it you will likewise see, the Number of our Military Horse and Foot white, and black; very many of whom are badly armed ー but on my representation thereof the Assembly last Session voted for three thousand Stand of good Arms to be sent for directly.

In the present state of Public Affairs, it is, I apprehend more proper for me, to refer your Lordship to the first Lord of the Admiralty and to the Secretary of War, than to particularize the Number and strength of His Majesty's Ships and Troops stationed, and Quartered in this Island; I will only beg to observe that the regulars are necessarily detached in many, and very, distant Quarters.

Agreeable to his Majesty's pleasure signified in your Lordship's circular Letter I have strongly exhorted every person in this Island concerned in the execution of the prohibitory Act to do their Duty in the strictest Manner and I will venture to Assure your Lordship, that the Inhabitants in general of this Island are truely sensible that every possible attent[ion] has been shewn to the security of their Lawful Commerce and I trust, when His Majesty's deluded Subjects in North America consider the fatal consequences of their Conduct; and are convinced of the determined Spirit of the Nation to support it's constitutional Rights and know that the happy means are still held out to them by Accomodation and Union with the Mother Country under whose Wise Government and protection they have become, a great and flourishing People they will with contrition and Gratitude return to their Duty, and by their future zeal and Loyalty deserve a continuance of those blessings enjoyed by none, but Brittish Subjects. ー For my own part I have the greatest Satisfaction in the information your Lordship is pleased to give me that every proper step is taken to accelerate this very desirable object...

I am extremely sorry My Lord to inform you that the Ship with our Supply of powder is not yet arrived and as the Agent wrote me she would Sail from the River about Christmas, I have been for some time very uneasy about Her. I Have the Honour to be My Lord [&c.]

Basil Keith