Honorable Sir This moment Mr Adam Babcock, came in (from Westerly this morning) and advises that he there saw an Order Issued by Colo [Joseph] Noyes to the several Militia Capts under his Command (dated last night 12 Clock) to March imediately to Newport, haveing recd an Expres[s] from Colo Henry Babcock at Newport, dated yester[day] noon, adviseing that 21 Ships had just arrived the[re] but did not say from whence they came ー the l[etter] says the-Ships are in the Offing; and the Express ad[ded] that four of the Ships were got abreast Newport, so[me] of the Fleet standing in on the East side the Islan[d] the others directly for the Harbor ー This I thoug[ht] it my duty to advise Your Honor by Express [torn]

The two Plans of Fortifications that I shew'd yo[ur] Honor & left undesigned on your Desk, not supos[ing] they would be of any advamage to you, and as t[hey] perhaps may be of some advantage here, should [be] pleased to have them again when you please

I intended to have made a few observations on the Plan for the Neck-Namely that to finish the w[ork] as it now stands & described by the Picket line, as [it] is much more extensive then the other, & proposed [work] for 10 heavy Cannon (as in each Case) will be much m[ore] expensive than that proposed by the other Plan, and indeed to remove the Materials already used, to the [other] proposed work, will be 50 PCt less then to proc[eed] as the works are now began ー If the Fort is to [be] inclosed the first Works will be vastly more expensive than necessary ー it was ever my opinion to have the Front line East & West ー Should in future days it be tho't necessary to make a Regular Fort, with Bastions, I conceive the Corners of the Plan are well calculated to be made into Bastions, & if the Fort should be tho't best to be a Square, it is only to extend the diameter N[o] & So so as to be equal to the E. & Wt-And if the Barr[acks] were sunk 6 feet under the Surface (as in the Grand B[arr]acks) The Parapat would Cover them from a Canon[ade] ー And if the Fort should be made a Square, it w[ould] admit of a handsome Parade between the Barracks & Platform ー I am Yr Honors [&c.]

G. Saltonstall