[Extract]

No. 12

Admiral [JohnJ Montagu sailed from Portsmouth yesterday with the troops from Brunswick destined for Canada: I would like to blame Lord Weymouth's false report on the possibility that he might not have known these facts; but, associating this report with one of the same nature. made by Lord Sandwich who stated positively in the House of Lords on the 15th of last month that the ship Romney with Admiral Montagu on board would not sail for a few months yet, I find an obvious display of b;;td faith on the part of the English Ministers. I cannot conceive the reason which determined them to hide their plan to hasten the departure of this ~quadron, which was not supposed to sail until the end of June or early July, unless they flatter themselves to catch by surprise a number of American ships by arriving suddenly in these waters. If this supposition is true, the false announcement made by Lord Sapdwich was perhaps a shrewdness designed to inspire the Americans with a false sense of security, although the occasion for using this small trick was hardly well chosen. What can I say of Lord Weymouth who wants to deveive me with respect to the-journey of the Army even after its departure. . . .

The arrival of the first division of the Hessian troops which embarked in Bremen on the 25th of last month is expected any day. The second division will be delayed by the lack of transports of which a sufficient number could not yet be gathered.