[Extract]
My Lord

Yesterday Evening the Thyne packet, brought me the Honour of your Lordships duplicate of the third of September, and the originals of the two others of the 3^rd, of October, before the receipt of which I had procured from Martinico, an Account of the late arrivals there from France; none but frigates accompanied the Troops, but I must entreat your Lordship not to put any further reliance on the promises of that Court, than a due observance of can be compelled. some large ships are expected at Martinica, to drop in singly, and seperately; and exclusive of the 2^nd, battallions of such Troops, as they before had the 1^st, battallions of in these Islands, I am confidently assured came but one battallion of what they call Dragons du Roi: of which no part have ever before been in America, and which are esteemed prime troops, and are trained to serve equally as Horse and Foot; in which latter capacity they are come out here: and consist of about six hundred men: altho very credibly informed that this is one of the Corps, I do not yet give that as an indisputable fact which I however beleive, will not be long be fore I know with the utmost exactness.

I again have the honour of repeating to your Lordship that the number of regular troops and well trained Militia now in the French Islands of Martinica, Guadaloupe, & Marigalante is most formidable to these Islands and are not less than between nine and ten thousand men.

I am most happy in congratulating your Lordship on the various successes of his Majestys Arms in America, where had the least reverse of fortune appeared, your Lordship may be assured an attack on the British Islands in these Seas would have been made by the French: there were even several in this Island who think themselves or rather their correspondents, in the secrets of the cabinet, that had no doubt but that by the month of February this Island was to have been in their possession: your Lordship will readily believe my life, as well as that of many other of his Majestys faithfull subjects, would have fallen e'er such an event should have taken place.

The American Privateers have taken a fresh start in these seas, six of them, of these two Large ones, having put to sea from Martinica about ten days ago; and fourteen more were preparing to go out to be in readiness to intercept the soon expected West India Fleet. . . . I . . . have the Honour to be [&c.]