[Extract]

... If the enemy should make this lodgement in the day time, it would be in­cumbent upon us to exert our utmost for the destruction of the Party by a timely Sally—but if they should do it in the night and under cover of false Attacks it would be exceedingly difficult to dislodge them—In a word I repeat what I have already more than once asserted, The Defence at this fort consists in this single point, to pre­vent the Enemy from landing, this is the business of our Fleet especially at night­—at which time the Cannon of the Fort would do but little good. I don't know if His Excellency would choose to order the Commodore¹ to station his Fleet near the Is­land, neither am I sufficiently versed in naval Affairs to be able to form a Judgement of the propriety of it—but this I know, that in case the Enemys Ships should attempt to cover the landing of their Troops, our Fleet should not amuse itself with firing at them, but attack the Boats loaded with Troops—for I have been assured that the Chevaux de frise could not be raised in so short a space of time, as this absence of the fleet would allow them for the purpose....