Sir,

There being no Ship of War in immediate Readiness to sail for North America, I have thought fit to dispatch one of His Majesty's armed Packets, with this Letter, that you may be .informed, as early as possible, of the additional Force you are to expect from hence, and ー of the present State of Our Preparations. . The inclosed Treaties will inform you of the Number of Foreign auxiliary Troops engaged to serve in North America, of which Number 12,200. Men, being the whole Body of Hessians, are intended to serve in the Army under Your Command; and the Brunswickers, Waldeckers, and the Regiment of the Hereditary Prince of Hesse, together with the Nine British Battalions, and the whole of Lieutenant Colonel Maclean's Corps, are to serve in Canada, under Genl Carleton. The transports for the first Division of Hessians, amounting to 8,200. Men, are a)ready compleated, and on their Passage to the Place of Embarkation: A Detachment of Guards, consisting of 1098 Men, formed into a distinct Corps, is on its March to Portsmouth; and I am not without Hope that the first Division of Hessians may arrive at Spithead in time, so that the whole may proceed to North America together. It appears to me, as far as I stand informed at present, that this Body of Troops should proceed to Rhode Island, and I shall take the King's Pleasure for the necessary Instructions accordingly, in Confidence that, if you approve of that Destination, .they will find, upon their Arrival there, such Orders from you, as will determine their further proceeding, or, otherways, that a proper Number of. Cruizers will be stationed upon the Coast, to watch the Arrival of the Fleet, and to proceed with it to such other Place, as you shall appoint. . .. The Difficulties in procuring Transports have been very great, and it is impossible, as yet, to forin a guess, when a sufficient Number will be ready to receive the ~econc;l Division of the Hessians; but I tr.ust it will not be long first, and that the Corps of Highlanders; consi~ting of the 42d & 71st Regiments, making together 3466 Men, which are nearly, if not intirely completed, will embark in the Clyde, by the 20th of next Month at farthest.

The Delays and Disappointments which have attended the Armament sent out to the Southern Colonies, have been greater than could have been expected; and as the Fleet did not leave Corke before the 12~h of last Month, and afterwards met with very tempestuous Weather, in which many Ships we~e separated .and put back ~n Distress, there is but little hop~ that any of the Objects of that Expedition can :be obtained; and, therefore, I received the ~ing's Commands, to dispatch a Vessel after the Fleet, with aLetter to Major General Clinton, of which I inclose you a Copy, and also of the Instructions sent, at the same time, by the Admiralty to Sir Peter Parker. The Effect of these Orders will probably be, th'at the whole, or, at least the greatest part of that Armament will join you, as early as the Troops can arrive from hence, so that you may be able to open the Campaign in the Month of May or Beginning of June.

Our Recruiting for some time went on very slowly, and the Men raised in Ireland will be of little Use to you; Since the Parties have, been removed to England we have had better Success, and the Recruits raised may make Soldiers: they will be sent over to you by different Ships; as Opportunities offer, or whenever a Number is collected sufficientto be the Object of a separate Embarkation: but there is no Prospect that we shall be able to procure in time for this Campaign, all that are necessary to complete the Augmentation ..

I observe that in your Disposition of the Battalions under your Command, you include the 6th Regiment at St Vincent's, and therefore it was the King's Intention, to give you that Regiment complete, by turning over to it the effective Men of the 48th; but the slow Progress made in forming the additional Battalions & Companies of the Royal Americans, has made it impossible to take both the 6th & 48th from the Ceded Islands for the present; and, therefore, all that we can do is, to give you the 6th Regiment in its present State, and you will, therefore, send for it, when you can spare Transports for that Purpose; & as there are many Recruits already raised for that Corps they will be sent immediately to you, by which means that Battalion will be tolerably compleat.

With regard to the Service on the Side of Canada, and the Operations of the Force to be employed there, (of the Extent of which you are already informed) it will depend upon the Situation of Affairs in that Province: but if the Rebels shall, in consequence of their Repulse & Defeat, on the 31st of December, have given up all thoughts of Conquest on that Side, which is most probably the Case, there is good grounq to hope, that the Army will be able to advance into the other Colonies, by the Passage of the Lakes, and accordingly every proper preperation has been made here, that can. giv~ Facility to such a Plan.. .

As far as I can judge of what 'is likely to be the general Plan of Operations in North America, and indeed, in all Events, the securing the Affection & Assistance of Our old Friends & Allies the Indians of the Six Nations, is a Consideration of no small Importance; and I hope Col. Guy Johnson, who is now here, ancl.is preparing to return by the first Ship, will be found useful.

The King has been pleased to give him the same Commission & Appointments as were given to Sir William J ohnson in 17 56, and he is in all respects made subject to your Direction & Controll. You will therefore employ him in such manner, and give him such Instructions as you shall think necessary & proper. .

I have already acquainted you, in my Letter of the 1st of Febry, of His Majesty's Intention to give higher Rank to His General officers serving in North America, and inclosed I send you a List of the Commissions which have been signed by His Majesty for that Purpose, with the Date of each Commission respectively.

You will observe that the Rank given by these Commissions is confined to America only; but it is hoped that this Arrangement will have the Effect to prevent any Embarrassment or Inconvenience, which might otherways arise, from the General Officers of the Foreign Troops claiming the Command, in consequence of their superior Rank.

In your Letters of the 16th and 22d of January N[o]s. 7 and 8 you express a Wish to receive Instructions concerning the Corps under the Command of Lieutenant Colonels Maclean and Gorham. I have therefore made Inquiry into that matter, and find that His Majesty's Pleasure was signified by my Predecessor in Office to the Commander in Chief authorizing him to raise such Corps, and to grant Commissions for that purpose, but the Officers were not to be entitled to Half Pay, or to have any other Rank than what was allotted to the like Corps in the last War.

With regard to ihe Bounty Money and Pay of these Provincial Levies, I apprehend that the Commander in Chief must supply the Sums necessary for that purpose, but the 'proper steps have been taken for supplying them here with Cloathing, Arms and Accoutrements, and also with Tents and other Camp necessaries. These are the Regulations which were thought fit with respect to those Corps, and they will equally apply to the Nova Scotia Regiment, or any other provincial Corps which may be raised in America for His Majesty's Service in the present Rebellion.

I must not conclude this letter without congratulating You upon the Appointment of Lord Howe to the Naval Commander in Chief in North America; The Choice His Majesty has been pleased to make, of so able & experienced an Officer, has given universal Satisfaction, and will, I am persuaded, have the most happy Consequences. I am &c.

Geo: Germain

P.S. You will observe that in Speaking of the Force to be employed in Canada, I have mentioned only 9 British Battalions, in which I have not included Lor4 Cornwallis's Regiment, which I acquainted You in my letter of the 1st of February was to be sent to Quebec as soon ~sit returned from the Expedition to the Southward.